BitMEX Founder Arthur Hayes Warns That BlackRock ETF May Kill Bitcoin

Key Points:

• Hayes warns that a large BlackRock ETF may kill Bitcoin by centralizing the currency and aligning it with state interests.
• Arthur Hayes, a cryptocurrency pioneer and founder of Maelstrom Fund, is skeptical about the approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF and its potential implications for the crypto space and users.
• Hayes argues that the actual use of Bitcoin could be limited as it becomes a financial asset rather than a decentralized currency, and that the short-term excitement around a Bitcoin ETF approval may not be worth the potential long-term consequences of institutional consolidation.

Arthur Hayes, a cryptocurrency pioneer and founder of Maelstrom Fund, warns that a large BlackRock ETF may kill Bitcoin by centralizing the currency and aligning it with state interests.

Hayes Warns that BlackRock ETF May Kill Bitcoin by Centralizing the Crypto Space

Hayes presents a hypothetical scenario where traditional financial figures and institutional entities acquire a significant portion of freely traded Bitcoin. He speculates that these institutions could introduce Bitcoin mining ETFs, highlighting BlackRock’s involvement in mining operations. He raises concerns about asset managers like BlackRock, referring to them as “agents of the state” who act according to state directives. If compliant institutional entities hold cryptocurrency in an ETF, it aligns with the state’s desire for citizens to remain within the fiat banking system for taxation purposes.

Hayes argues that the actual use of Bitcoin becomes limited as it becomes a financial asset rather than a decentralized currency. Users exchange their fiat for a derivative, and the asset manager stores Bitcoin in a custodian. BlackRock ETF may kill Bitcoin because it could result in a massive amount of immovable Bitcoin, potentially harming the cryptocurrency.

BlackRock ETF May Kill Bitcoin by Citing Institutional Control

Hayes also raises concerns about institutional entities gaining control over the network’s consensus mechanisms by owning a large portion of miners. Certain upgrades necessary for Bitcoin’s robustness may not align with traditional finance institutions’ interests. Hayes worries about the concentration of Bitcoin in the hands of a few institutions, potentially undermining its core value as a decentralized means of value transfer.

While broader Bitcoin adoption may boost its price, he questions if it will truly enhance Bitcoin’s usefulness in the long run. He suggests considering the long-term implications of these developments and whether the short-term excitement around a Bitcoin ETF approval is worth the potential consequences of institutional consolidation in the crypto space.

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