Bitcoin: Digital Gold or Fool’s Gold? (The Drew Mariani Show)

December 17, 2024

Drew Mariani dives headfirst into the Bitcoin conversation on The Drew Mariani Show with guests Bill Ulivieri (crypto enthusiast and investment advisor) and Chris Temple (editor of The National Investor).

šŸ¦ Whatā€™s the Big Deal About Bitcoin ETFs?

Asset managers behind Bitcoin ETFs have become the largest holders of Bitcoin.

These funds (launched in January) are amilestone for institutional adoption and now hold 5% of all Bitcoin!

Fun fact: Theyā€™ve even surpassed Satoshi Nakamotoā€™s rumored holdings.

šŸ¤” Bitcoin 101: Bill Ulivieriā€™s Take

Bill gives us the big picture:

Bitcoin was designed asdigital cash:a way to send value person-to-person without banks in the middle.

It introduceddigital scarcity, making it like ā€œgoldā€ but for the internet.

Want to move money internationally? Bitcoin can do it fornext to no cost and without all the red tape.

Is it digital gold? Bill says YES. Itā€™s not just a store of value: itā€™sa better store of value than gold. Why?

Gold is clunky and stuck in the past (try paying for gas with a gold coin!).

Bitcoin is secure, scarce, and global.

Chris Temple: The Skepticā€™s View

Chris pushes back, saying Bitcoin is part of the ā€œgreater fool theoryā€ (buy low, sell high, and hope someone else pays more).

He compares it totulip mania and the dot-com bubble, arguing people are mainly in it for profit.

For him, Bitcoin isnā€™t theā€œcurrency of the peopleā€ like gold once was.

Crypto & Politics: Whatā€™s Changing?

Politicians are warming up to Bitcoin: Trump, the SEC, and even Jerome Powell (Fed Chair) are recognizing its legitimacy.

The crypto lobby has been flexing its muscles, and 85% of its endorsed candidates won in 2024 elections.

Bill sees this as America finally embracing blockchain technology, putting the U.S. back in the driverā€™s seat of innovation.

šŸ’­ Catholic Perspective: Does Bitcoin Fit the Faith?

Bill ties Bitcoin to Catholic social teaching, quoting Pope Benedict XVIā€™s Caritas in Veritate:

ā€œEconomic dysfunction always involves human costs.ā€

Hereā€™s his argument:

Thecurrent system (inflation, endless money printing) devalues human labor.

Bitcoin ishonest money: a hedge against inflation and corruption.

Anyone, anywhere can use it. Itā€™s about freedom and dignity, especially for the poor.

Chris, however, remains unconvinced, arguing Bitcoin is too elitist and inaccessible for the average person (ā€œJoe Six-Pack and Sally Soccer Momā€).

šŸ—£ļø Final Thoughts

Bill believes Bitcoin is the future: a global, inflation-proof solution. Chris remains skeptical, likening it to past financial bubbles.

The takeaway? šŸ¤·ā€ā™‚ļø Bitcoin is either thecurrency of freedom or just another shiny object in a broken system.

What do you think? šŸ’­

šŸŽ™ļø As always, Drew keeps the conversationengaging and thought-provoking, whether youā€™re #TeamBitcoin or not. šŸš€

Thebest way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. Itā€™s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Ā