Abra CEO Explains Why It's Bitcoin's Time to Shine

Published at: Aug. 13, 2020

The U.S. government's attempts to fix the current economic situation could ultimately lead to greater Bitcoin (BTC) adoption, according to Bill Barhydt, CEO of crypto wallet and exchange solution, Abra. 

"I think that this is a pivotal moment for Bitcoin as a new asset class," Barhydt told Morgan Creek Digital co-founder Anthony Pompliano during an Aug. 13 podcast interview. Barhydt noted the U.S. government's goals for intentional inflation as rationale for his thesis. 

As part of the rationale for his claims, Barhdyt mentioned rumors of the U.S. government's upcoming goal of 4% inflation — unheard of territory when it comes to intentional inflation, according to the CEO. "They feel they have no choice except to basically reflate the economy in order to create growth," he added.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government has held seemingly constant talks concerning various corrective measures aimed at reviving the sinking economic ship. One of its latest endeavors includes goals of purposeful heightened inflation, according to an Aug. 4 article from CNBC. 

"Their stated aim has never been, and never will be, to protect the value of your money or your wealth," Barhydt said of the U.S. government. "By definition, they are willing to erode the value of your money in order to create movement in the system, which is what creates growth."

Barhydt said the U.S. dollar has lost 99% of its value over the last century, showing governments have no fear when it comes to inflation. An inflation calculator on Saving.org reveals $1 in 1920 held the same purchasing power as $13.60 holds in 2020.  

"We've never had a better time for Bitcoin to stake its claim, not that it needs our help, but for Bitcoin to stake its claim as the defacto hard digital asset that I think it's going to become," said the CEO. "I'm not sure it needed a nudge from our government, but it's getting one nonetheless." 

As a deflationary global asset holding a limited supply, Bitcoin lies outside the government, making it a possible hedge on government currencies. Pompliano too has previously spoken on the concept of inflation, noting the importance of exiting cash into other assets, such as BTC. 

Tags
Related Posts
How does the infrastructure bill affect the mining industry in the US?
On August 10, the United States Senate voted to pass a $1 trillion bill to revitalize America’s infrastructure. From the standpoint of the crypto community, miners in particular, the Senate’s foray into crypto legislation has been a disaster. Unless the language defining brokers in the bill is clarified, it will singlehandedly thwart the growth of a domestic industry just as it is taking off. As written, the bill allows for multiple interpretations of the term “broker.” In the English language, there is no real controversy — or ambiguity — about what a broker does. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, a …
Technology / Aug. 29, 2021
Tennessee city wants to accept property tax payments in Bitcoin
United States’ city of Jackson, Tennessee, continues exploring a potential dive into cryptocurrencies, now looking to accept Bitcoin (BTC) for property tax payments. Jackson Mayor Scott Conger announced late Thursday that the city’s blockchain task force had launched a study on potential methods to accept property tax payments in Bitcoin in the city. The blockchain group will also explore how to allow employees to dollar-cost average Bitcoin, or purchase smaller amounts of Bitcoin over regular time intervals. Dollar-cost averaging Bitcoin purchases are considered to be the best strategy for accumulating Bitcoin, multiple studies confirmed. Conger earlier took to Twitter to …
Bitcoin / July 16, 2021
Tyler Winklevoss thinks Bitcoin is past the risk of a US ban
The United States government has increasingly stepped up its overwatch on crypto in recent years, although an outright ban on Bitcoin is now unlikely — at least according to Gemini CEO and co-founder Tyler Winklevoss. “I think, if we were back in 2013, this would be kind of an open question,” Winklevoss told podcaster Peter McCormack when asked about regulation and a Bitcoin (BTC) ban during a Friday episode of the What Bitcoin Did podcast: “I think that the U.S. will never outlaw Bitcoin. There’s too much precedent that’s been set in the courts. The Coinflip order, which was a …
Adoption / April 2, 2021
Bitcoin and cryptocurrency are no hedge for inflation
The U.S. Federal Reserve chairman, Jerome Powell, recently announced that the Fed will now shift its focus from targeting inflation to closing “unemployment shortfalls.” The Fed, in essence, is doubling-down on the same inflationary policies with which it experimented during the 2008 global financial crisis. Speaking at a virtual Jackson Hole event recently, Powell said the Fed would not raise rates anytime soon. He also said that the Fed would tolerate higher inflation, departing from the historical norm of a 2% inflation target. This cheap money and higher inflation policy take quantitative easing to an entirely new level. Related: Jerome …
Technology / Sept. 9, 2020
New US inflation data triggers Bitcoin community reactions
The recent news on U.S. dollar inflation spurred a series of reactions from the crypto community, noting that the event should push people toward Bitcoin (BTC). Comments from the crypto community championed Bitcoin as a powerful hedge against U.S. dollar inflation. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported a 7.5 percent increase in the all items section of the consumer price index (CPI), the most commonly used indicator for inflation. Following this, Digifox Founder Nicholas Merten explained that the dollar might be worth half its current value in the coming years at the current rate of inflation. Annual Inflation …
Bitcoin / Feb. 11, 2022