Picture this—when you first found out about Bitcoin, you felt like anything was possible. The hope for a new currency beyond the reach of government, a digital gold free of the movement of today's central bank? I do. I purchased my first Bitcoin when it was still substantially less than a Starbucks. Now? So right now, it feels like that dream is being hijacked.
The volatility is no longer focused solely on tech companies. They're about politics.
Is Bitcoin Just Another Election Bet?
Think about it. And so the halving came and went, and everyone predicted this totally solid catalyst would cause an immediate price explosion. Did it happen? Nope. To the contrary, Bitcoin exploded following the election results. And not just any election. The Trump election. Coincidence? I think not.
We’re not just talking fast billions we see pouring into ETFs like the day after a Fed announcement. Not retail investors suddenly hit by a wave of FOMO, but institutional whales making big bets. Bets on what, exactly? On crypto-friendly policies. On a loosening of the regulatory grip. On a change in the balance of power between the state…and well, us.
Imagine you're a small business owner in El Salvador, lured in by the promise of Bitcoin's stability. You’ve turned your savings into a tree, only to have the value of that tree regularly whipsawed by political drama on Capitol Hill thousands of miles away. Or imagine a coal miner in China, driven from the surface, his future dependent on the whims of far-away political, economic and military leaders.
This isn’t the decentralized, peer-to-peer utopia we were promised. To add another caveat, it’s a financial market totally at the mercy of political winds.
Halving Irrelevant Politics Supreme
The old narrative is dead. The one that claimed halvings are a guaranteed recipe for price booms. The same one that claimed on-chain metrics were all that mattered. The truth is, politics now trumps everything.
| Driver | Old Narrative | New Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Price Driver | Mining Economics | Political Events |
| Key Metric | Supply/Demand | Political Risk |
| Investor Focus | Technical Analysis | Policy Analysis |
Look at El Salvador's Bitcoin adoption. It’s a promising, bold experiment, one inextricably tied to the success of President Bukele’s political fortunes. Or look to China’s recent crypto mining ban as an extreme example, a case in which governments can still wield incredible power. Bitcoin is quickly being established as a barometer, a gauge of the world’s disposition against regulatory overreach, the power of the state, and for monetary freedom. Are people confident in the political direction? Bitcoin goes up. Anxious? It goes down.
Bitcoin’s price action is more and more connected to (real or expected) policy outcomes and partisan shifts. The transition away from techno-determinism to a much more political sensitivity is quite clear.
Your Freedom At Stake Next?
Picture a real world where the value of Bitcoin could be decided entirely by the person with the most political connections. Where presidential candidates are forced to actively campaign on their crypto policies, and the market responds in kind. Where whole countries are success or failure depending on their Bitcoin investments.
The even sadder part is that’s not too far-fetched.
This isn't just about making money. It's about control. Bitcoin was first imagined as a tool to liberate our finances. It intended to free the individual from the control of centralized entities. If Bitcoin ends up being co-opted into yet another political football, then what have we really gained?
What about when governments like the US or China begin weaponizing Bitcoin, using it to influence allies or punish domestic dissent. Combine this with the political instability inherent in the model that can even further worsen price volatility, erasing any savings for everyday consumers and investors.
Here's the thing: we can't just sit back and watch. We can't let Bitcoin become a pawn in someone else's game.
The future of Bitcoin, and maybe even our financial freedom, rests on that. Save it from being determined solely by career politicians making backroom deals.
Here's the thing: we can't just sit back and watch. We can't let Bitcoin become a pawn in someone else's game.
- Educate yourself. Understand the political forces shaping the crypto landscape.
- Support crypto-friendly politicians. Make your voice heard.
- Join the community. Engage in discussions, advocate for sensible regulations, and help shape the future of Bitcoin.
The future of Bitcoin, and perhaps even our financial freedom, depends on it. Don't let it be decided by politicians alone.
