BlackRock CEO: Bitcoin Could Take The Dollar’s Role As World Reserve Currency

Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, claimed in a recent letter that Bitcoin and crypto could damage the dollar’s international standing. If investors treat Bitcoin as an inflation hedge to the dollar, it could precipitate serious trouble.

However, he was also adamant that the industry offers a lot of advantages, particularly through tokenization.

Larry Fink Sees Opportunity in Crypto

BlackRock is the leading Bitcoin ETF issuer in the US, and its CEO Larry Fink has long been bullish on Bitcoin. However, as Fink described in his most recent Annual Chairman’s Letter to investors, crypto’s best interest doesn’t always align with TradFi or the dollar.

“The US has benefited from the dollar serving as the world’s reserve currency for decades. But that’s not guaranteed to last forever. By 2030, mandatory government spending and debt service will consume all federal revenue, creating a permanent deficit. If the US doesn’t get its debt under control… America risks losing that position to digital assets like Bitcoin,” he said.

To be clear, Fink insisted that he supports crypto and listed some practical problems that he believes it can solve. He expressed a particular interest in asset tokenization, claiming that a digital-native infrastructure would improve and democratize the TradFi ecosystem.

Despite these advantages, Fink recognizes the danger that crypto can present to the US economy if not properly managed. He addressed the longstanding practice of using crypto to hedge against inflation, a wise practice for many assets.

However, if a wide swath of investors think Bitcoin is more stable than the dollar, it would threaten USD’s status as the world reserve currency. A scenario like that would be very dangerous to all of TradFi, and Fink has a particular interest in protecting BlackRock. Such an event would doubtlessly impact crypto as well.

“Decentralized finance is an extraordinary innovation. It makes markets faster, cheaper, and more transparent. Yet that same innovation could undermine America’s economic advantage if investors begin seeing Bitcoin as a safer bet than the dollar,” Fink added.

He didn’t offer too many specific solutions to this growing problem, but Fink isn’t the only person concerned with the issue. President Trump recently suggested that stablecoins could promote dollar dominance worldwide. Even if the dollar is seen as unstable, its adoption within a rapidly growing global industry like stablecoins could help reinforce its strength and relevance.

Of course, there are also drawbacks to Trump’s plan. Larry Fink acknowledged a possible threat from crypto, but continues to espouse its utility. Its benefits are too good to ignore.