Cryptocurrency: Virtual money, real power, and the fight for a small town’s future

Driving into the small town of Wenatchee, Washington, about three hours east of Seattle, a sign welcomes you to the “Apple Capital of the World.” But not far from the abundant orchards, a very different industry is taking root. As unlikely as it may seem, this rural community has become a hub for cryptocurrency mining.

“Cryptocurrency justified the expense to build something that no one would otherwise build,” said entrepreneur David Carlson, as rows upon rows of computer servers whirred away at the facility he set up here. “These things can run 24/7 making cryptocurrency.”

He has big plans for his business, even if some Wenatchee residents don’t like it.

“We want to grow ten times larger than we are now, and we can do it here, or we can do it somewhere, but we’re going to do it,” Carlson said.

Bitcoin is the best known, but it’s just one of many digital forms of currency. These cryptocurrencies are decentralized; rather than being processed through banks, transactions are verified and…