Blockchain Cities and Liners: Where Did They Go?

Many promises were made. Idealists and degenerates made several attempts to create special corners for like-minded people around the world. But out of dozens of projects, only a few made it to the start of construction. And only one made it to the final implementation. Most did not survive regulatory restrictions, unrealistic expectations, and other difficulties. Let's recall the most ambitious projects and what happened to them.

MS Satoshi Cruise Ship

In 2020, three Bitcoin enthusiasts bought the Pacific Dawn cruise ship for $9.5 million with the intention of turning it into a floating blockchain city near Panama. The ship was supposed to become a hub for digital nomads, where they could mine crypto, do business, and pay for everything in Bitcoin. But fuel costs of around $12,000 per day, the COVID-19 pandemic, and strict maritime regulations put an end to the project. The ship was sold in December 2020.

Liberland

Back in 2015, Czech right-wing libertarian politician Vit Jedlicka claimed ownership of an uninhabited stretch of floodplain on the Danube River between Croatia and Serbia. Jedlička proclaimed a new state there called the “Free Republic of Liberland,” where they introduced their own cryptocurrency, the Liberland Dollar (LLD). In September 2025, the Liberland token became available on the Alchemy Pay crypto trading platform. Although neither Croatia nor Serbia claims the territory of Liberland, neither supports the idea. \n \n The founders, press, and activists have repeatedly clashed with police while attempting to cross the Croatian border. \n \n The Free Republic of Liberland has no diplomatic recognition from any member states of the United Nations. However, Liberland has established diplomatic relations with the self-proclaimed state of Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991. Liberland and Somaliland signed a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2017 with the aim of establishing closer relations and cooperation in the fields of technology, energy supply, and banking. On April 16, 2017, Bitnation also announced a partnership with Liberland. \n \n Bitnation is a company that calls itself the world's first “electronic state” based on blockchain technology. It provides a range of services typical of traditional states: identity verification, confirmation of significant events (notary services).

CityDAO

In 2021, the US state of Wyoming passed a law recognizing DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations) as legal entities. With the support of 5,000 people, the CityDAO project raised $8 million in investments and purchased 40 acres of land. The goal of the project was to prove that DAOs can buy and manage land, optimize decision-making and municipal management, and resolve conflicts. \n \n In its first month, the project raised over $250,000 by selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs) called Citizen NFTs. Purchases by influential crypto entrepreneurs such as Shark Tank billionaire investor Mark Cuban and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong helped fuel interest in CityDAO. Thus began the “construction of the city of the future on the Ethereum blockchain.” \n \n However, most community members wanted to use the land as a nature reserve, and according to local law, only one residential building could be built on it. Also, the hack of the Discord server cost the project $95,000. The dream of a utopian city remained just a dream, although it was successful in legal terms.

Akon City

In 2018, singer Akon announced the creation of the Akoin cryptocurrency, which was to become the basis for the city of the future — Akon City in Senegal. The $6 billion project was to include a university, a hospital, business centers, housing, and use renewable energy sources. All this was to be implemented by 2029. \n \n However, despite Akon's statement in 2022 that the project was “100,000% in progress,” no significant construction work has been carried out since the initial launch ceremony. The Senegalese government confirmed that the project had stalled and could not be resumed. Officials cited a lack of funding and the pandemic-induced construction freeze as the main reasons.

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However, the country's authorities claim that they are now working with Akon on a more “realistic” development project for the same site. The land near Mbodien remains valuable, especially with the 2026 Youth Olympic Games approaching and an expected increase in tourist activity. \n \n Meanwhile, the Akoin cryptocurrency has fallen to zero, and in 2025, the Senegalese government officially announced the cancellation of the project.

Blockchains LLC

In February 2021, blockchain incubator and investment firm Blockchains LLC launched an ambitious project to build a blockchain city. The company purchased 67,000 acres of land for $170 million in the Nevada desert in Storey County. This land was to be converted into residential buildings and business parks. CEO Jeffrey Burns envisioned a city where residents would pay for goods and services with cryptocurrency. All information, including tax, medical, and employment records, would be kept on the blockchain. \n \n Construction was scheduled to begin in 2022 with the construction of 15,000 homes and 3 million square meters of commercial and industrial space. However, the water source proposed in the project would have required a 160 km pipeline. Another problem was that the plan required changing Nevada law and creating an “innovation zone” that would essentially allow companies to function as county governments, including collecting taxes, establishing courts, and making decisions about land and water use. Lawmakers and the public were not enthusiastic.

Liberstad

In 2015, John Holmsland and Sondre Bjelloss founded the Liberstad community in Norway and began developing the site in March 2017. They purchased the land with donations to the Liberstad Drift Association. Liberstad officially opened in June of the following year. The project, based on anarchist and volunteer principles, is “compelled to embark on the path of creating a new and improved society that upholds peace and freedom.” \n \n In 2019, the private anarcho-capitalist city adopted the City Coin (CITY) cryptocurrency, built into a blockchain-based smart city platform, as its official currency. \n \n The autonomous region of Liberstad, located near Kristiansand in southern Norway, covers 150 hectares of land. Liberstad legally owns and manages the land and has permanent residents. It is the only known success story in the creation of blockchain cities.