Anthony Pompliano, the founder of Pomp Investments, appeared on Fox Business’s “Making Money With Charles Payne” on 8 December 2023. The discussion revolved around various aspects of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, regulatory concerns, the role of stablecoins, and the financial outlook for 2024.
The interview commenced with a focus on the criticisms leveled against cryptocurrencies by influential figures like JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon and Senator Elizabeth Warren. Dimon’s skepticism was centered around the use of crypto in illegal activities.
Pompliano responded to these criticisms by highlighting that the misuse of financial tools is not exclusive to cryptocurrencies. He pointed out the significant fines paid by JP Morgan over the past 15 years, suggesting that the traditional fiat system is also prone to misuse.
Pompliano then delved into the possible reasons behind the crypto criticism from figures like Dimon. He proposed that this could be due to a lack of understanding or a perception of cryptocurrencies as a threat to the traditional financial system. He discussed the concept of regulatory capture, where established financial entities might use regulation to hinder emerging competitors like cryptocurrencies.
The conversation shifted to the performance of Bitcoin, which has shown remarkable growth, outperforming traditional assets such as gold and the S&P 500. Pompliano noted Bitcoin’s 150% increase since the start of the year, attributing this to market illiquidity, the increased conviction among Bitcoin holders, and a rise in retail investment.
Pompliano also touched upon the role of stablecoins in the U.S. Treasury market. He observed a decline in traditional buyers like China and Japan, suggesting that stablecoin issuers could emerge as significant holders of U.S. treasuries.
Looking towards the future, Pompliano expressed a bullish outlook for Bitcoin. He anticipates a robust market driven by various factors, including interest rate cuts, changes in monetary policy, ETF approvals, and the upcoming Bitcoin halving.
The interview ended with Pompliano:
“I think this rally is just a warm for what’s going to happen in this Bitcoin bull market.“
On 6 December 2023, at the Senate Banking Committee hearing titled “Annual Oversight of Wall Street Firms,” Jamie Dimon, the Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co., voiced his strong disapproval of cryptocurrencies. He suggested that the government should contemplate shutting down the crypto industry, citing concerns over its potential to evade government oversight and its attractiveness to malicious entities.
Dimon stated:
“I’ve always been deeply opposed to crypto, bitcoin, etc … If I was the government, I’d close it down.”
This stance is consistent with his previous remarks on digital currencies, where he has advised against investing in Bitcoin and called for more stringent regulations on stablecoins.
These comments were made in a context of increasing regulatory focus on the cryptocurrency industry in Washington. As reported by Sarah Wynn for The Block, Senator Elizabeth Warren is advocating for the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act. This legislation seeks to expand the application of Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations to various entities in the crypto sector.
In the course of the hearing, Warren engaged with several other leading bank CEOs, including Charles Scharf of Wells Fargo, Brian Moynihan of Bank of America, and David Solomon of Goldman Sachs, querying their views on crypto regulations. All four CEOs were in agreement on the necessity of applying the same anti-money laundering standards to the crypto industry as are applied to traditional financial institutions.
Senator Warren underscored the rare consensus on this issue, noting her infrequent agreement with the heads of major banks. She emphasized that this issue is a matter of national security, necessitating a united front.
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