Between closed-door meetings, headline speeches, and viral side moments, one thing became clear at this year’s World Economic Forum: the global financial system that shaped the last few decades is under pressure, and leaders are no longer hiding it.
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From concerns about AI concentrating wealth, to blunt statements that globalization has failed, to the growing acceptance of gold and Bitcoin as stores of value — and even a shift from climate priorities towards racing to secure energy for AI — Davos reflected a world moving away from old assumptions and toward something far less certain.
But beneath the caution and anxiety, another story is unfolding — crypto is emerging as a practical response to many of the risks Davos highlighted.
The Old Financial Order Is Being Quietly Hedged
CNBC’s coverage captured the mood well.
Economists and policymakers openly discussed what they called the end of the current financial order — a reference to the fiat-based system that has dominated global markets for decades.
This doesn’t mean fiat currencies disappear overnight. But it does mean confidence is shifting.
Gold prices remain high. Central banks are still buying hard assets. And Bitcoin — once dismissed as fringe — is now openly discussed at Davos as a long-term store of value, not just a speculative asset.
The message is subtle but important: trust in traditional monetary systems is weakening, and capital is adjusting.
Globalization Isn’t Paused — It’s Breaking Into Pieces
One of the most talked-about moments came from U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who bluntly said that “globalization has failed,” echoing a broader push toward domestic production, trade realignment, and national resilience.
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That statement landed hard in a forum built on global cooperation.
Reactions varied. European leaders defended rules-based trade. China called for renewed dialogue. India positioned itself as a future growth engine.
The takeaway was clear: globalization isn’t ending — it’s splitting into regional and strategic blocs.
For markets, this matters. Capital flows, supply chains, energy policy, and technology investment are now shaped as much by geopolitics as by economics.
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AI Raises a Hard Question About Wealth
AI dominated Davos — with growing concern over the risks it may bring. Without limits, AI could concentrate wealth, as early benefits flow to large companies that control data and computing power.
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and others pointed out a familiar issue: "Capitalism has never distributed gains evenly, and AI could make that imbalance worse."
Job displacement, wage pressure, and the growing gap between corporate profits and household incomes came up repeatedly — reinforcing the idea that technology alone won’t fix inequality.
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The Counterpoint Davos Barely Addressed: Crypto Changes the Dynamic
This is where the Davos narrative feels incomplete. AI on its own may concentrate power—but paired with crypto, the outcome looks very different.
AI demand isn’t slowing down. Nvidia’s projected $65 billion in 2026 revenue shows how fast compute demand is growing — and that scale requires global, always-on financial infrastructure.
Crypto provides exactly that.
We’re already seeing crypto payments spread worldwide — from everyday coffee purchases to major retailers like Walmart. Stablecoins now quietly power remittances, merchant settlement, exchange payouts, and cross-border trade.
Banks aren’t pushing back. They’re racing to keep up — integrating stablecoins, tokenized assets, blockchain settlement, and onchain rails to stay relevant in a faster, more fragmented world.
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Banking the Unbanked at Internet Scale
While Davos focused on inequality risks, crypto continues to deliver one of its most important — and often overlooked — outcomes: banking the unbanked.
For billions of people, especially in emerging markets, crypto enables direct access to:
Global payments
Digital savings
Cross-border commerce
Financial participation without traditional banks
Where legacy systems required permission, location, or intermediaries, crypto offers access by default.
In this light, AI and crypto aren’t opposing forces. They work together. AI boosts productivity and intelligence. Crypto ensures value, ownership, and payments can move freely.
Together, they expand participation instead of restricting it.
Whether through Bitcoin as a hedge, RWAs as a bridge, or onchain finance as a new financial rail, the direction is clear: capital is preparing for a more fragmented, digital, and multipolar future — and this time, Davos isn’t denying it.
