Author: Billy Bambrough, Forbes
Translated by: AididiaoJP, Foresight News
This year, Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency market have mostly been in a sideways trend. Traders are on edge, always alert to the possibility of a sudden, severe shock.
In February, Bitcoin's price briefly dropped below $65,000, subsequently falling into a downward channel and struggling to emerge from the predicament. Even after Goldman Sachs' CEO unexpectedly declared his support for Bitcoin as the "ultimate catalyst," market sentiment did not warm up quickly.
Currently, Bitcoin is accelerating toward a significant turning point potentially valued at $27.9 trillion. At this critical juncture, SpaceX and Tesla's leader, billionaire Elon Musk, has made a game-changing prediction: in just ten years, money will "no longer matter." This statement could have a profound impact on Bitcoin's price.
"By 2036, money will no longer matter," Musk said during an exclusive interview with Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor-in-chief of The Economist. The conversation covered a wide range of topics, and he clearly predicted that the world will transition into a state of "unbelievable abundance" over the next decade.
"What do you need money for?" Musk countered. This tech giant, who became the world's first trillionaire following SpaceX's IPO on June 12 and is currently worth about $700 billion, pointed out that robots will become widespread and people's needs will be easily met; by then, all money will effectively become worthless.
"You need money to buy goods and services, right? Food, housing, transportation, entertainment, all of these require money," Musk explained. "But if robots and AI provide goods and services far beyond what any human can consume, what is the use of money?"
This prediction is not unfounded. Musk has repeatedly emphasized that "energy is the real currency," which has sparked strong speculation among Bitcoin supporters — he may be quietly endorsing this cryptocurrency. In fact, his two core companies hold substantial Bitcoin reserves: SpaceX holds 18,712 Bitcoin, while Tesla holds 11,509 Bitcoin.
"Energy is the real currency," Musk responded on the X platform to an account named beffjezos. The other party posted: "If you understand money as a proxy for expected free energy, then AI is like an infinite money printer."
Based on the current Bitcoin price of approximately $65,000, the total value of Bitcoin held by SpaceX and Tesla is close to $2 billion.
Last October, Musk further clarified his stance on X: "Bitcoin is based on energy. You can issue fake fiat currency; every government in history has done so, but energy cannot be faked." He also acknowledged that the "global arms race" towards artificial intelligence is a significant reason why the prices of gold, silver, and Bitcoin have risen in recent years.
However, since then, Bitcoin prices have seen a notable decline. Nonetheless, some believe that the bottom has been confirmed and a rebound could start at any moment.
Bitcoin's security mechanism relies on a network of miners — these miners use powerful computing power to verify transactions in exchange for newly issued Bitcoin. The total electricity consumed by the network each year is equivalent to that of some small countries, and as prices rise and more miners join, energy demand continues to climb. This aligns perfectly with Musk's logic of "energy as money."
Musk's enthusiasm for cryptocurrency has cooled compared to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he has not completely withdrawn. He continues to express support for Bitcoin while frequently mentioning his "favorite" cryptocurrency — Dogecoin.
After stepping away from White House-related matters, Musk stated more directly that his "American party" would favor Bitcoin over the dollar. In his view, the dollar and other government-issued, debt-based fiat currencies are all "hopeless."
As Bitcoin's price still hovers at low levels and market sentiment remains cautious, Musk's prediction about the "failure of money" by 2036 acts like a stone thrown into calm waters, creating ripples. Regardless of whether this vision ultimately comes to pass, it once again puts Bitcoin in the spotlight — in a potentially abundance-driven era led by robots and AI, what can truly anchor value may no longer be traditional fiat currency, but digital assets intricately tied to energy.
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