Post
Topic
Board Bitcoin Discussion
Re: Negative Interest Rates and Cryptocurrencies
by
doldgigger
on 19/06/2014, 17:19:39 UTC
Let me start by saying I'm a big supporter of Bitcoin. I like everything about it. I love the technology, how it's an alternative to fiat, etc. However, as a supporter, I've grown more and more dubious of its founding.

Even more recently, I've started to see more reason to fear how governments could use this technology in ways currently unforeseen. For example, let's just say governments convince the public of Bitcoin's merits as a replacement for cash, and decide to do away with cash. Let's say they institute their own crypto. The Fed, governments and the public moved towards a system similar to Bitcoin for cash-like exchanges. Maybe we even kept our non-cash, bank-related transactions as they are - digital. What becomes extinct under this scenario? Non-gov't sanctioned cryptos and cash.

To me this presents a very large problem and the problem is in regards to interest rates. As you may know, the ECB recently announced a negative interest rate policy. To many this seems straight-up confusing. So, you're charging people to save? Basically, yes.

The one defense against this is - cash. What do I mean? Well, cash can be put in your pocket or under your mattress and in a sense save your money (because the alternative is you losing money by putting it in a bank). You can't do this with digital cash stored in a bank under this scenario. Of course, one could argue that independent cryptocurrencies (as they currently are) would also be protection. But, I think my issue with that is, governments at large could ban them. Yes, whether we want to admit this or not, this is possible.

So, for example, the US gov't (and gov'ts like it) could create their own crypto, ban all "free" cryptos", do away with cash and institute negative interest rates - sucking out all monetary wealth to pay for it's ever-growing debt.

I'm probably reading too much into this, but this scares the crap out of me... please calm me down...

Haha. Did you see how the negative interest rate step from the ECB hit the Euro exchange rates during the next few days? But who cares. Even if they decide to wreck the Euro, today's free world always has alternatives that can be used.

Going from there, I think that your concern can be reduced towards: "governments could ban BTC". Because if they don't, who would care about their own altcoin having theoretical flaws?

So, open up the newspaper and watch governments banning BTC, in order to get an idea about how big the risk is.