In Nevada Desert, a Technology Firm Aims to Be a Government

The prospect has been met with intrigue and skepticism from Nevada lawmakers, though the legislation has yet to be formally filed or discussed in public hearings.

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This undated illustration provided by Blockchains LLC shows a proposed "smart city" in rural northern Nevada. A cryptocurrency company that owns 67,000 acres in rural northern Nevada wants state government to grant technology companies power to form local governments on land they own. Jeffrey Berns, CEO of Nevada-based Blockchains, LLC, wants to build a "smart city" run on blockchain technology on the land his company purchased in 2018. (EYRC Architects/Blockchains LLC via AP)
Image via AP Photo/Uncredited

This article was republished here with permission from The Associated Press, however it is no longer available to read on Snopes.com.

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — In the Nevada desert, a cryptocurrency magnate hopes to turn dreams of a futuristic “smart city” into reality. To do that, he’s asking the state to let companies like his form local governments on land they own, which would grant them power over everything from schools to law enforcement. Jeffrey Berns, CEO of Nevada-based Blockchains LLC, envisions a city where people not only purchase goods and services with digital currency…

Read at AP News