Elon Musk’s latest comments have put Bitcoin back at the center of the conversation at a time when the crypto market has struggled to regain momentum.
Bitcoin and the broader crypto market have traded sideways for much of this year, with traders on edge over the risk of a sudden shock. In February, Bitcoin briefly fell below $65,000 a coin and then moved into a downtrend that it has yet to shake off. Even a recent shift in tone from Goldman Sachs’ chief executive, described in the report as support for Bitcoin’s “ultimate catalyst,” did not quickly lift sentiment.
The report says Bitcoin is moving toward what could become a $27.9 trillion turning point. At that moment, Musk, the billionaire behind SpaceX and Tesla, offered a prediction that could reshape how some investors think about money itself: within a decade, money may cease to matter.
Musk says money will no longer matter by 2036
Speaking in an interview with The Economist editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes, Musk said, “By 2036, money will no longer matter.” In the wide-ranging conversation, he said the world would transition over the next ten years into what he called a state of “incredible abundance.”
“What do you need money for?” Musk said. His argument was straightforward: once robots are deployed at scale, human needs will become far easier to satisfy, and money will lose much of its practical value.
He framed it in terms of everyday consumption. People need money to buy goods and services such as food, housing, transport and entertainment. But if robots and artificial intelligence can generate more goods and services than any person could consume, the function of money starts to weaken.
The report also says Musk became the world’s first trillionaire after SpaceX’s June 12 listing and that his net worth is still about $700 billion.
The “energy is the real currency” link to Bitcoin
This is not a new line of thinking for Musk. He has repeatedly said that energy is the real currency, a view that has fueled speculation among Bitcoin supporters that he may be signaling support for the cryptocurrency in broader economic terms.
According to the report, Musk’s two core companies both hold sizable Bitcoin reserves. SpaceX holds 18,712 BTC, while Tesla holds 11,509 BTC.
Musk previously wrote on X, replying to the pseudonymous account beffjezos, that “Energy is the real currency.” The post he responded to said, “If you think of money as a proxy for expected free energy, then AI is basically an infinite money printer.”
At a current Bitcoin price of about $65,000, the combined Bitcoin held by SpaceX and Tesla is worth close to $2 billion.
Musk previously said Bitcoin is based on energy
Last October, Musk expanded on the same idea in another post on X. “Bitcoin is based on energy,” he wrote. “You can issue fake fiat currency — every government in history has done it — but energy cannot be faked.”
He also agreed with the argument that a global arms race in artificial intelligence has been a major factor behind the rise in the prices of gold, silver and Bitcoin in recent years.
Even so, the report notes that Bitcoin has fallen noticeably since then. Some people still believe the market has already found a floor and that a rebound could begin at any time.
Why Bitcoin’s design fits the energy argument
Bitcoin’s security model depends on miners, who use powerful computing resources to validate transactions in exchange for newly issued coins.
The report says the Bitcoin network consumes as much electricity each year as some small countries. As the price rises and more miners join the network, that energy demand keeps climbing. On that point, Bitcoin’s structure lines up closely with Musk’s view that energy functions as the real base of value.
Musk has not fully stepped away from crypto
Musk’s public enthusiasm for crypto is lower than it was during the peak of the Covid period, but he has not exited the discussion. The report says he continues to express support for Bitcoin and has repeatedly mentioned Dogecoin as his favorite cryptocurrency.
After stepping away from White House-related matters, Musk also said his “America Party” would favor Bitcoin over the U.S. dollar. In his view, the dollar and other government-issued fiat currencies backed by debt are “hopeless.”
Bitcoin stays under pressure, but Musk’s remarks revive debate
With Bitcoin still hovering at lower levels and market sentiment remaining cautious, Musk’s prediction that money could lose its importance by 2036 has stirred a new round of debate over Bitcoin’s long-term place in the financial system.
Whether that vision becomes reality or not, the remarks have pushed Bitcoin back under the spotlight. In a future shaped by robots and AI-driven abundance, the report argues, the asset that anchors value may no longer be traditional fiat money, but a digital asset more tightly tied to energy.