More critics within crypto are highlighting the absence of genuine decentralization in the space after the Arbitrum blockchain and stablecoin issuer Tether both froze significant amounts of assets this week. Bitcoin originally launched as a peer-to-peer digital cash system designed to operate without any centralized authority stepping in, yet third parties have steadily reinserted themselves into the greater crypto ecosystem, making it increasingly similar to the traditional system it was meant to replace. The Arbitrum case centered on more than 30,000 ether (worth roughly $71 million), which attackers had obtained through an exploit of the crypto protocol KelpDAO. Within hours of the hack, the attackers began shifting and attempting to launder the funds. Arbitrum’s Security Council, a group of 12 members elected by token holders every six months, stepped in with its emergency powers.…