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A hedge against all of bad governance is to buy bitcoin, says Tim Draper

A hedge against all of bad governance is to buy bitcoin, says Tim Draper

CNBC Television

53,840 views 1 month ago

Video Summary

Tim Draper, a prolific venture capitalist and early investor in companies like Tesla and SpaceX, believes Bitcoin is poised for another significant surge, potentially reaching $250,000. He sees Bitcoin as a crucial hedge against what he describes as "bad governance," uncontrolled government spending, and inflation, which he argues are increasing trends globally. Draper points to countries like Nigeria, Argentina, El Salvador, and Malta as early adopters of Bitcoin in environments where traditional currency confidence is low or freedom is a priority.

Short Highlights

  • Tim Draper, an early investor in over 30 unicorns, predicts Bitcoin will reach $250,000.
  • Bitcoin is seen as a hedge against bad governance, government spending, and inflation.
  • Government spending as a percentage of GDP has been increasing unchecked over the last 100 years.
  • Draper believes government intervention in free markets, like taking stakes in companies, slows down the economy, and socialism has never worked.
  • Bitcoin's market share among cryptocurrencies is growing, currently around 61-62%, due to its strong network and developer adoption.

Key Details

Bitcoin's Trajectory and Economic Impact

  • Future Price Prediction: Tim Draper has a long-standing prediction of Bitcoin reaching $250,000, noting that it has already achieved half of that target, which he finds very exciting.
  • Hedge Against Instability: Bitcoin is viewed as a vital hedge against "bad governance," excessive government spending, and inflation.
  • Economic Transformation: Draper believes Bitcoin will fundamentally transform the global economy.
  • UBI Funding Potential: He suggests Bitcoin might be used to fund Universal Basic Income (UBI) in the future.

Government Spending and Free Markets

  • Uncontrolled Government Spending: There's a significant and ongoing increase in government spending as a percentage of GDP, which is seen as a negative trend.
  • Critique of Government Intervention: Draper is a strong proponent of free markets and free trade, believing that government involvement in the economy invariably slows it down.
  • Socialism vs. Capitalism: He reiterates that socialism has historically failed and capitalism is a superior system.
  • Sovereign Wealth Funds: While acknowledging the logic behind sovereign wealth funds as a means to control spending, Draper questions why Congress can't simply be restricted from overspending directly.

Cryptocurrency Landscape and Bitcoin's Dominance

  • Competition is Good: Draper acknowledges that competition from other cryptocurrencies is healthy for the world.
  • Bitcoin's Network Effect: Despite the rise of other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, Bitcoin's market share has been increasing, currently around 61-62%. This is attributed to its status as the dominant supplier, which attracts more programmers and leads to innovation being ported to its platform.
  • Gravitational Pull to Bitcoin: He compares Bitcoin's dominance to Microsoft's early platform advantage, where most applications were built and ported to it. This "gravitational pull" towards Bitcoin suggests other currencies might be short-lived "flashes in the pan."

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