Why Is PoA Generally Not Used for Public, Open-Access Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin?

Public cryptocurrencies prioritize maximum decentralization, censorship resistance, and trustlessness, which PoA inherently compromises. PoA requires a central authority to select and trust the validators, making it permissioned.

Bitcoin's goal is to allow anyone to participate without permission or identity verification. Using PoA would introduce a central point of control, making the currency susceptible to government seizure or censorship, negating its core value proposition.