And then we got bitcoin. When you read good satire, bet on the world falling for it in the future.
I was going to say - that was the part of the book that felt the least plausible when I first read it, but by god, here we are.
IIRC the weaponized sentient pyramid scheme was weaponized against what, if we’re following the book as a map, is today the crypto economy (Economics 2.0 in the book)
Part of the book also fall together nicely if you realize that IRL Stross is a cat person.
Consider reading Existence by David Brin. The book premise is the first alien contact being a pyramid scheme.