I am leery of anything that creates any kind of dependence on centralized institutions, which I consider CEXes to be, and blockchains' dependence on them to be able to present their tokens as money unacceptable.

However, atomic swaps (as I understand them) make CEXes unnecessary. Blockchain tokens will be exchangable natively on blockchains, although not for FIAT currencies. Given that I now believe FIAT to be a trap creating dependence on oppressive institutions, I do not find that 'drawback' to be a negative at all.

The concern I have is that our access to communications with each other, the internet itself, and blockchains, remains dependent on centralized ISPs and the backbone that is owned by legacy institutions.

Absent some form of mesh network that enables individuals to bypass censorship, blockchains are potentially the same trap as FIAT, that create dependence on centralized institutions.

So, it's a great move, but presupposes free access to communications. I am unable to fully invest my productive work in anything which remains liable to the kind of fraud that enabled CITI to steal $100s of thousands of my wealth. I will not use banks today, and until we have a mechanism that enables wealth to be transferred outside the control of such institutions, I will not use tokens as money either.

I just gave my life's work to banksters because the corrupt legal system was designed to prevent me from holding them accountable and return my money to me. I will not be susceptible to such mechanisms going forward, and I hope devs consider this principle in time to prevent many more people who do consider tokens as money and depend on extant mechanisms to spend them being subjected to the kind of theft by fraud I have suffered.