In my opinion, the AML process is a tool to destroy and discredit Bitcoin. Bitcoin is money that does not need the support or approval of a third party.
Sure, you can still make transactions without AML, but OP is just being cautious to ensure that the Bitcoin or other coins they plan to acquire don’t come from questionable sources or have any shady links. Whether we like it or not, AML is already deeply involved in the crypto industry, and they’re tightening regulations as scams continue to rise year after year.
By insisting on the legitimacy of the AML process, regulators and the organizations they control are attacking the very essence of Bitcoin. They are saying, “Without our approval, Bitcoin cannot be recognized as real, genuine, legitimate Bitcoin.” But in reality, any Bitcoin that exists in nature is real, genuine, and legitimate.
The right thing to do is to ignore the AML process. If everyone did that, we would get rid of a lot of problems.
Of course, you can do it differently. You can buy Bitcoin from an officially approved cryptocurrency exchange (like Coinbase), but as rightly noted above, even that does not guarantee that you will not have problems in the future.
For me, I’ve been ignoring KYC, but I understand there are people who prefer to play it safe. Those systems are in place because they serve a purpose. At the end of the day, it’s just a matter of preference, not something that’s strictly mandatory or compulsory.
Of course, you can go through KYC and AML procedures, but you need to understand that civil rights are difficult to obtain and very easy to lose.
Today you go through KYC and AML procedures, and tomorrow you will be forced to use CBDC, the day after tomorrow you will be given a social rating, and then you will find yourself in a digital concentration camp ...
And each time there will be a reasonable explanation for this - "We protect you from fraud and crime!"
Those who now require KYC and AML procedures are insatiable when it comes to controlling people and their money. The ideal option for them would be the following - people do not own any property (including money), people can use some types of property (including money) subject to complete loyalty and unconditional compliance with the established rules. In case of violation of any established rule, a person is automatically alienated from property (including money) - because neither property nor money belong to a person (he only uses them). We hardly want to live in such a dystopia, but KYC and AML procedures are a step in this direction...