The leading NFT marketplace OpenSea confirmed that it is banning digital artists and collectors from Cuba due to U.S. sanctions. Reportedly, 30 NFT artists and collectors were banned from the platform until now.
Delisted artists include well-known Havana-based artists Gabriel Guerra Bianchini and Fábrica de Arte Cubano. OpenSea has long been complying with United States sanctions as Venezuela, Iran, and Syria are already on the list of its blocked users.
The recent ban on Cuban artists adds the country to the list as well. In addition, OpenSea also mentioned in its terms and conditions that it explicitly prohibits sanctioned individuals and those who are associated with sanctioned entities.
The news surfaced when the Cuban artists-focused project NFTcuba.Art tweeted that OpenSea had disabled its profile on the marketplace. It further elaborated that not only Cuban residents are delisted but also those who have other nationalities have to endure censorship.
NFTcuba.ART showed its disapproval saying the sanctions are unfairly imposed on Cuban artists who are living outside the island nation. On the other hand, the OpenSea Spokesperson said that the marketplace will holistically evaluate what other measures need to be taken to serve the community and comply with applicable law.
Cryptocubans founder Gabriel Bianchini citing the ban said that the future of Web3 doesn’t look decentralized. In light of recent events, US-based crypto exchange Kraken was made to pay $362,000 due to its violation of the agreement against Iran.
Several crypto platforms had shut down their services due to various sanctions. The crypto community is criticizing these steps by saying that there is a need for real decentralized platforms that don’t care about nationalities.
