Bitcoin Back on the Ballot with Avik Roy

Avik Roy is president of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity think tank and a policy Editor at Forbes. In this interview, we discuss why Trump is supporting Bitcoin & crypto, the power of the growing Bitcoin voter base, and the coming fight with regulators.

Avik Roy is president of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity (FREOPP) and a policy editor at Forbes. He is also a widely respected expert on public policy, economics, and health care. In this interview, we discuss why Trump is supporting Bitcoin and crypto, the power of the growing Bitcoin voter base, and the coming fight with regulators.

Topics Covered:

* How Trump’s support for Bitcoin and crypto came about.

* The role of the growing Bitcoin voter base in influencing politicians.

* Why regulators are coming after crypto and how the industry should respond.

* The importance of sound money and how Bitcoin fits into the picture.

* Avik’s thoughts on the future of Bitcoin and crypto regulation.

* And much more!

Enjoy the interview below:

Avik, welcome back to the show.

Avik Roy

Great to be back.

Peter McCormack

Last time you were on the show, we talked about the U.S. fiscal problems and how Bitcoin might play a role in solving them. And you wrote an interesting piece for National Affairs on this topic, which I'll link to in the show notes. But since then, something even more interesting has happened. Former President Trump has come out in support of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies at the Libertarian Party convention in Reno, Nevada. And I wanted to get your thoughts on this and how it might impact the future of crypto regulation.

Avik Roy

Yeah, I mean, this was a surprising development, but I think it's a very good thing. And I think it's part of a broader trend that we're seeing in the Republican Party, which is a growing openness to cryptocurrencies and a recognition that they could be a force for good in the economy.

Now, part of this is being driven by the fact that the Biden administration and the Democrats in Congress are being so hostile to cryptocurrencies. And I think Republicans are seeing an opportunity to peel off moderate voters who might be turned off by the Democrats' heavy handed approach.

But I also think there's a genuine enthusiasm among Republicans for cryptocurrencies. And it's being driven by a number of factors, including the poor performance of the stock market, which is leading people to look for alternative investments. And the rising inflation, which is making people realize that we need to get sound money back on the table.

And I think Trump's endorsement of cryptocurrencies is a sign of this growing support within the Republican Party. And it could have a major impact on the future of crypto regulation.

Peter McCormack

Yeah, I mean, it's interesting because it feels like there's a narrative being pushed by some in the media that Trump's support for Bitcoin is somehow performative or not genuine. And I find this narrative quite strange because it's clear that throughout his presidency, Trump was always interested in learning more about Bitcoin. And in fact, he met with crypto influencers like Brock Pierce and Dave Portnoy at the White House to discuss crypto regulation. And towards the end of his presidency, he appointed Hester Peirce, who's known as "Crypto Mom," to lead the SEC. So it feels like there's a genuine interest there from Trump. And I think it's also clear that his support for Bitcoin is resonating with the crowd at the Libertarian Party convention. I mean, the crowd went wild when he mentioned Bitcoin. And this feels like something that could be a major issue in the upcoming presidential election.

Avik Roy

Yeah, I agree. And I think the narrative that Trump's support for Bitcoin is performative is being pushed by people who don't understand cryptocurrencies or who are hostile to them. And they're trying to downplay the significance of Trump's endorsement.

But the fact is, Trump is a very savvy politician. And he knows which way the wind is blowing. And he can see that there's a lot of enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies among the Republican base. And I think he's genuinely interested in learning more about them. And he's also interested in using them as a wedge issue against the Biden administration and the Democrats.

And I think his support for Bitcoin could have a major impact on the upcoming presidential election. And it could also force the Biden administration to change its tune on cryptocurrencies.

Peter McCormack

Yeah, I mean, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out, especially with the upcoming presidential election. But pivoting slightly, I wanted to ask you about the growing power of the Bitcoin voter. And we've seen evidence of this in the recent midterm elections, where candidates who are pro Bitcoin or at least crypto curious have done well at the polls. And I'm thinking specifically of candidates like J.D. Vance in Ohio and Blake Masters in Arizona. And both of these candidates have spoken out in favor of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. And I'm wondering if you think this trend will continue and how