Let's be blunt: This isn't about securing America's financial future. It's about securing votes. It's economic bribery, plain and simple. The Trump administration’s crypto reserve initiative to position the U.S. as a global “crypto capital” sounds like a bait and switch. This perfect storm might be particularly bad news for Gen Z. Yet this generation, more than any other in history, is shouldering the burden of crippling student debt. They’re facing an unpredictable job market and struggling to afford life’s necessities. And now we’re maybe about to inherit a national reserve that was constructed on the back of those kinds of volatile, speculative assets such as Bitcoin.

The facts are these: The reserve is supposed to start with 200,000 seized Bitcoins, and maybe some Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano thrown in for good measure. No taxpayer money, they say. Budget-neutral, they claim. What will be left when they inevitably begin to liquidate assets such as gold? In practice, they intend to regularly inflate the Bitcoin reserve all the while pretending it’s not public money. It’s a shell game, and Gen Z is set to be the sucker.

Oleg Itskhoki nailed it. This “crypto reserve” is an open invitation to flagrant graft. Picture this: administration officials—or, more likely, their family members—quietly accumulating crypto assets, then using the power of the government to pump up the value by adding it to the national reserve. It's insider trading on a national scale. Think the Swamp was bad before? This is the Mariana Trench.

A potential right at risk of abuse is a big deal. We’ve made this problem even worse without clear guidelines or oversight. This is more than just the dollars and cents — it’s the loss of faith in our government’s institutions that’s really disheartening. So how can we expect young people to trust the system? They see transactional corruption occurring at the very top, and it’s difficult for them to reconcile any justice in seeing that.

Even bitcoin, as Itskhoki himself underlined, has no fundamental value. It’s a digital tulip bulb, a speculative asset fueled by hype and artificial scarcity, not actual utility in the real world.

Why would you base a country’s economic security on something that is so volatile.

Creating a national reserve on Bitcoin would be building a house on sand.

And the administration was well aware of how risky it was. When the reserve was announced, prices plummeted. This is not merely a critique of ivory tower economic dogma, but a warning based on real life, for jobs and lives. If this reserve goes bad, who do you think is going to pay the price on that? The wealthy elites who orchestrated this scheme? No. It’s Gen Z, the generation stuck with the economic fallout.

  • It's volatile.
  • It's risky.
  • It's not a safe store of value.

This isn’t only a financial issue, it’s a matter of our future. We can no longer allow this administration to play chicken with our economic security. We must better demand transparency, accountability and full roll back of this dangerous policy.

This isn't a drill. This is a warning. If we don't act now, we risk being saddled with the consequences of this administration's reckless gamble for years to come. So Gen Z, let’s go out there and advocate for the environment and our future. The time to act is now.

And the administration knew exactly the risk of it. When the reserve was announced, Bitcoin prices dropped. This isn’t just about abstract economic theory; it’s about real-world consequences. If this reserve goes south, who do you think will suffer the most? The wealthy elites who orchestrated this scheme? No. It's Gen Z, the generation inheriting the economic fallout.

Gen Z: Time To Fight Back

This isn't just about money; it's about our future. We can't afford to let this administration gamble with our economic well-being. We need to demand transparency, accountability, and a complete reversal of this reckless policy.

Here's what we can do:

  • Get educated: Understand the risks associated with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
  • Contact your representatives: Tell them you oppose the crypto reserve and demand greater oversight.
  • Support progressive candidates: Elect leaders who prioritize economic justice and responsible financial policies.
  • Organize and protest: Make our voices heard. Let the administration know that we won't stand for this.

This isn't a drill. This is a warning. If we don't act now, we risk being saddled with the consequences of this administration's reckless gamble for years to come. Gen Z, it's time to fight for our future. The time to act is now.