Elon Musk has predicted that money's role in everyday life will eventually become obsolete, suggesting that energy and Bitcoin may replace it as the most important measures of wealth and power. During a recent podcast interview with Indian entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Musk stated his belief that eventually, "money disappears as a concept."
JUST IN: Elon Musk says Bitcoin is a true currency based on energy.
"You can't legislate energy." pic.twitter.com/jabklmsYL4
— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) November 30, 2025
Money Will Be Obsolete in a Future Where Anyone Can Have Anything
Musk described a future where money is no longer an important part of daily life as a "strange" idea to comprehend. He argued that in a future where "anyone can have anything," people will no longer require money as a "database of labor allocation."
He linked this vision to the rapid advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and robotics. "If AI and robotics are big enough to satisfy all human needs then, then money is no longer... its relevance declines dramatically," he said.
Influencing Musk’s vision of a future where money is not necessary are the Culture series books by Scottish author Iain Banks, which the billionaire recommended. In the future depicted in those books, characters do not have money, "and everyone can pretty much have whatever they want," Musk stated.
Energy Will Be the New Money
While money might diminish in importance in the future, certain forms of value will retain their significance. Musk posited that these "fundamental currencies" will be "physics-based."
He connected this concept to energy, which the billionaire argued is "the true currency." Musk highlighted that Bitcoin is "based on energy," giving it a significant advantage over traditional fiat currencies that governments can print at will.
True.
That is why Bitcoin is based on energy: you can issue fake fiat currency, and every government in history has done so, but it is impossible to fake energy.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 14, 2025
Bitcoin's energy-based nature is derived from how the Bitcoin network achieves consensus without relying on centralized intermediaries. Specialized hardware, known as miners, continuously monitor the network and process transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain. This process is inherently energy-intensive.
For their work in validating transactions, miners are rewarded with newly created BTC and a portion of the network fees collected over a specific period.
"You can’t legislate energy," Musk stated. "You can’t just, you know, pass a law and suddenly have a lot of energy." He further elaborated that generating energy, especially in a "useful way," is difficult.
"We probably will just have energy, power generation as the de facto currency," he said.
Consequently, he added, whoever controls the most efficient energy and possesses the most abundant energy resources will effectively control the strongest "currency."
Bitcoin Price Tumbles
Following Musk’s pronouncements, the Bitcoin price has experienced a decline of over 4% in the past 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap. This movement occurs amidst a broader crypto market pullback, which some analysts attribute to thin liquidity.
