Stability to volatility: Money's digital evolution is revolutionary, not a war

PETER Thiel, cofounder of Paypal, didn't actually use the word "war" in his Bitcoin 2022 keynote address, though he did tear up some US$100 bills and stoked an us-vs-them framing of global finance, naming enemies ranging from Warren Buffet to ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance).

His managing director at Thiel Capital, Eric Weinstein, however, did use the "war" word in a tweet covering his boss's address, urging "revolutionary youth" to "understand their enemies & return fire".

But Bitcoin, and cryptocurrency in general, isn't about upending everything to induce chaos, much less the fog of war. It's really about moving to a more sound economy that incentivises productivity and fairness. The real goal of an Internet-native currency, governed by a pre-programmed monetary policy and fixed supply rather than political manoeuvring, has always been stability.