Recent developments in the U.S. show that it is having trouble embracing the decentralized aspect of cryptocurrencies. It may have started back when New York required special licensing and regulation which drove many cryptocurrency related businesses to other states. Recent headlines show that businesses that moved to Washington state are now under increased regulatory pressures and many such as Shapeshift are moving elsewhere.
Assuming the Federal Government doesn't go on a massive witch-hunt, this could be a great opportunity for certain other states that are willing to embrace not only blockchain technology but also the values that helped it grow: Decentralized individual empowering anonymous freedom. Who are we kidding? the old money interests who influence policy will never go out without a fight and that fight may try to strip away even more freedoms than even the Patriot Act took away. Their tactics may even be disguised as other cryptocurrencies where they control the levers.
What does this most likely mean? From where i'm sitting it means that if the U.S. doesn't embrace this technology which includes Bitcoin and other freedom enhancing cryptocurrencies, not simply creating their own Blockchain based Dollar, then the innovators, their assets, and their intellect will go elsewhere. I don't mean the U.S. should merely tolerate it, they need to nurture it and even court it. We live in a very interconnected world and people and businesses have choices.
They say that everyone who marches towards the future is opposed by 100 men defending the past. March on!