Ray Dalio is sounding the alarm on the future of digital money.
In a recent interview, the billionaire hedge fund manager said central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are likely inevitable. He acknowledged that they could make payments faster and more convenient, but warned that the trade-offs could be significant.
According to Dalio, a fully programmable, government-issued digital currency could give authorities unprecedented visibility into financial activity. While that could help combat crime and tax evasion, it also raises concerns about privacy, political debanking, and direct control over people’s money.
His comments come at a time when dozens of countries are testing or developing CBDCs, even as the United States has paused its own efforts.
The big question now isn’t just whether CBDCs will arrive—but what kind of financial system they’ll create once they do.