Welcome to Slate Sunday. igcurrencynews’s weekly features feature in-depth interviews, expert analysis, and thought-provoking editorials that go beyond the headlines and explore the ideas and voices shaping the future of crypto.
Bitcoin was born as a rank outsider. It did not come from Silicon Valley ingenuity or central bank boardrooms. Rather, Bitcoin’s arrival in the aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis was perfectly timed and extremely disruptive.
A white paper posted to the Cypherpunk mailing list by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto proposed a peer-to-peer payment network that could circumvent the compromised machinery of post-2008 finance.
Bitcoin was “F-you Money,” a pure antidote to bailouts, bank failures, and central planning. Early adopters considered themselves digital rebels and built the rails for a new kind of free money. Uncensored, without borders, unfettered by the whims of officials or the failings of decrepit institutions. Satoshi posted on January 17, 2009:
“It might make sense to have it in case there’s an outbreak. If enough people think the same way, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
From former rebel to darling of the organization
In less than 15 years, Bitcoin has grown from a geeky white paper to a global monetary network valued at more than $2 trillion. Regulatory acceptance, once the furthest horizon, has finally seen the light of day. First there will be a careful proposal, then headline approval. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant said of Bitcoin’s anniversary:
“Seventeen years after the white paper, the Bitcoin network is still up and running and more resilient than ever. Bitcoin will never shut down.”
With milestones like the launch of spot ETFs, the allocation of billions of dollars on Wall Street, the passage of legislation in Washington, and Bitcoin being held on the balance sheets of publicly traded companies, the original rebels seemed to have conquered every mountain.
But legitimacy comes with a slower threat: relevance. World-shaking technology will last as long as its story resonates. And the next generation won’t buy it.
Bitcoin obituary graveyard
Writing Bitcoin obituaries has become a tired genre (if not an industry). More than 450 headlines declared Bitcoin’s death, whether it was obscurity in its early code, the devastating Mt.Gox hack, China’s mining ban, regulatory hammering, or the specter of quantum computing.
Warren Buffett, the “Oracle of Omaha,” called this “rat poison squared.” Jamie Dimon said:
“I’ve always been completely against cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, etc. The only real use of it is by criminals, drug traffickers, money laundering, tax evasion. If I were the government, I would shut it down.”
But with each crisis, Bitcoin’s immune system seems to strengthen. After every regulatory scare, security meltdown, or bear market, the network will survive, the blocks will keep moving, and a new narrative will emerge: Bitcoin is unstoppable.
This belief is so pervasive that even people like Russian President Vladimir Putin repeat it on record.
“Bitcoin, who can ban it? Nobody. And who can ban the use of other electronic payment methods? Nobody, because these are new technologies.”
In fact, Bitcoin has become the spiritual successor to gold for digital millennials. That is, it is anti-fragile and (if survival is important) immortal.
But as Casa CSO and Bitcoin security expert Jameson Ropp previously told igcurrencynews, the biggest threat to Bitcoin is not technological wizardry or regulatory disputes. In 2025, apathy is rampant. There is not enough youth interest.
Gen Z: Cash shortage, Bitcoin shortage
Born on iPhones and Instagram, raised on YouTube and TikTok, and coming of age in the fatigue of “late capitalism,” “Zoomers” are rewriting the playbook of the economy.
The average Gen Z graduate faces stagnant wages, a lower likelihood of getting a mortgage, the evaporation of entry-level jobs, and new levels of credit card debt. There is no “future” beyond the next paycheck, so why save up value for tomorrow? Sean Ristow, vice president of digital assets at InvestiFi, told igcurrencynews:
“Bitcoin started as a direct challenge to the financial system, a form of protest. It now resembles digital gold, controlled primarily by whales and banks. For young people dealing with inflation, debt, and rising costs, that image doesn’t connect.”
Bitcoin, despite all the masculinity in the market, seems suspiciously booming to many Gen Zers. While early champions carry the scars of 2008’s battles, zoomers only know meme stocks, Robinhood options, and dog tokens.
ProCap BTC CIO and Bitwise advisor Jeff Park warns that the Bitcoin narrative needs to change. He argues that Gen Z craves meaning, not an inflation hedge.
“At the end of the day, if young people don’t buy, the whole Bitcoin theory falls apart.”
Discussing the same issue on a recent podcast, “What Bitcoin Did,” American HODL admitted:
“It’s actually a big problem that Gen Z is so nihilistic that they don’t care enough about Bitcoin. We need to continue to reach out and wake them up and make them think, ‘Hey, do something now before it’s too late!'” From a self-preservation standpoint and for their own benefit. It’s about both. ”
Political Background: Red vs. Blue HODLing
The partisan divide over Bitcoin has also become more intense than ever. When the Biden administration tightened Choke Point 2.0 against crypto businesses, the party line became “cryptocurrency is bad, surveillance is good.”
In contrast, MAGA Republicans, liberal advocates, and some moderate centrists now see Bitcoin adoption as a way to demonstrate support for fiscal independence and national renewal.
But zoomers are losing interest. They flock to online communities where solidarity is prioritized over speculation. Bitcoin’s politics, once about freedom from government, are now grappling with growing economic anxiety and pervasive distrust not just of Washington, D.C., but of all institutions. Mr. Park warned:
“There is a reason why socialist candidates do not embrace Bitcoin in elections. It is not because they are afraid of the establishment, but because they have concluded that Bitcoin will hurt them. This is clearly bad. For Bitcoin to win, Bitcoin and Mamdani must be on the same platform, not Bitcoin and Ackman.”
While President Trump and the rising Republican Party embrace Bitcoin as a patriotic technology, left-wing Gen Zers are turning to socialist agitators like Zoran Mamdani. Bitcoin has been cast as a libertarian sideshow (or worse), part of the boring old guard. Either way, he’s a far cry from the street-savvy rebel he once was.
Reasons why the Bitcoin philosophy has not taken hold
Bitcoin’s original pitch of freedom from banks, inflation-proof savings, and digital non-forfeiture doesn’t generate much excitement among young people. For them, money is not like a fortress to defend, but like a series of points in an endless game. That means it’s always in play and always on the move. Jamie Elkaleh, CMO of Bitget Wallet, told igcurrencynews:
“Gen Z’s investment culture is more nimble, social, and meme-like. They gravitate toward community-driven tokens, AI-linked assets, and creator economies because they feel these are participatory and aligned with digital behavior.”
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Ristow added:
“While ownership of cryptocurrencies is rapidly increasing (more than half of Gen Z owns a digital asset at some point), Bitcoin users still skew older, wealthier, and mostly male. Younger users are chasing something very different: meme coins with a purpose, tokens linked to AI, and social and gaming projects that feel fun, useful, and community-driven. So why the disconnect?”
Is it a demographic problem or a demographic opportunity?
Is it any wonder that young people under the age of 25 are starting to feel disillusioned with the world and their place in it? High inflation, inaccessible wealth creation, and zero trust in the institutions our parents relied on.
Paradoxically, this struggle may spark the next wave of adoption. Grant Cardone, CEO of Cardone Capital, told igcurrencynews:
“There is no ‘youth’s dilemma’ with Bitcoin. The real problem is not the age of the holders, but the mindset. Gen Z has been told to trade memes, not build wealth. They are chasing instant money, not inheritance money. Bitcoin was created for people who think long-term and understand that control, scarcity, and freedom are the foundations of wealth.”
In this case, Bitcoin’s supposed “demographic problem” becomes more of a demographic opportunity. A new wave led by a generation ready to claim digital ownership. Mr. Elcale emphasized that:
“Bitcoin’s youth dilemma stems from a widening gap between its institutional maturity and cultural relevance. Young investors’ ownership hasn’t disappeared, but their first touchpoints increasingly come from culturally relevant assets rather than BTC. Institutions and ETFs have strengthened Bitcoin’s credibility, but at the same time they are shifting its center of gravity away from grassroots online native communities.”
Bridging the gap: Bitcoin and youth culture
So how can Bitcoin move beyond an aging investor base and attract Gen Z creators, gamers, and digital entrepreneurs? The answer is practicality, trust, and culture. Cardone is a fact:
“Bitcoin doesn’t need to ‘change’ for Gen Z. Gen Z needs to wake up to Bitcoin. But what makes Bitcoin more appealing is education, empowerment, and experience.”
Ristow believes there should be more focus on Bitcoin’s usefulness and its growing use cases around the world. He points out:
“Inflation hedging, economic freedom, and lower global remittance costs are important considerations. Cryptocurrency remittances have increased by more than 400% in recent years. That conversation should take center stage.”
Elcarre further emphasizes the need to reinvigorate Bitcoin’s message and position it firmly in practicality as well.
“Equally important is the renewal of the narrative. While the ‘digital gold’ framework resonates with institutions and long-term investors, it fails to account for Bitcoin’s human utility. For younger users, Bitcoin’s relevance comes from what it enables, including privacy, self-control, resistance to censorship, and cause-driven transactions. Combining these principles with tangible experiences, such as sending money or donating to the community, can make Bitcoin meaningful beyond its price.”
Bitcoin has withstood more existential threats than any other digital creation, surviving dark predictions of decline from everyone from Wall Street giants to regulators. But the biggest threat may be losing its youthful luster as the rebels, dreamers, and builders that gave Bitcoin its soul.
Whether Bitcoin becomes a museum piece or the money that changes the world will, as always, depend on who cares enough to carry the torch.
Ultimately, the survival of “freedom money” depends on shifting the narrative from heritage to a narrative of meaning. Bitcoin has never been boring. And to thrive in the next decade and beyond, you need to feel not just valuable, but important.
(Tag translation) Bitcoin
