Bitcoin, AI, and the unstoppable deficit train

Welcome to Slate Sundays, CryptoSlate’s new weekly feature showcasing in-depth interviews, expert analysis, and thought-provoking op-eds that go beyond the headlines to explore the ideas and voices shaping the future of crypto.

Lyn Alden is an exceptional human.

Broadly recognized as one of the top minds in macroeconomics, during a conversation with Lyn, you can feel some of her vast intellect rubbing off on you; I swear my IQ increased several points by the time our chat was over.

Even navigating heavy topics like the fiscal deficit and the onset of AI, she does so with a smile on her face and more eloquence and poise than an Olympic gymnast executing a triple backflip.

Founder of Lyn Alden Investment Strategy and general partner at venture firm Ego Death Capital, alongside other industry heavyweights like Jeff Booth and Preston Pysh, Lyn has earned her stripes over the years as one of the most respected macro analysts in the space.

She’s also one of the most solicited for interviews, thanks to her razor-sharp insights and depth of market knowledge.

As a prolific content creator, Lyn offers a free investing newsletter and frequents the virtual corridors of Crypto Twitter daily, amassing three-quarters of a million followers who rely on her timely commentary and finely-edged wit: beyond the undeniable words of wisdom and investment advice, Lyn’s something of a master when it comes to memes.

Nothing stops this train

Lyn is perhaps best known for her book Broken Money, which provides a comprehensive view of the history of money and a well-illustrated critique of the global monetary system. She’s also highly vocal about her thesis on the U.S. fiscal deficit, AKA, ‘Nothing stops this train’.

Sky-high levels of U.S. spending are rising at a pace that far outstrips the government’s ability to pay for it, creating what Lyn dubs a “slow-motion runaway train.” She explains:

“Large U.S. fiscal deficits are going to continue for the foreseeable future, five, 10 years, any sort of investable time horizon. There are a bunch of reasons why, and a lot of them have to do with political polarization. It’s very hard to either massively raise taxes or massively cut spending in a very polarized situation, as well as mechanically the kind of debt levels they find themselves in.”

The total amount of money the U.S. government owes to its lenders currently amounts to an eye-watering $36.9 trillion, representing over 120% of GDP, and growing by around $1…