In a highly anticipated interview on Monday evening, former President Donald Trump and X CEO Elon Musk touched on a range of critical issues but notably omitted any mention of Bitcoin or cryptocurrency. The two-hour-long conversation, broadcast on X (formerly Twitter), attracted over one million listeners despite a significant delay attributed to a “massive distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack,” according to Musk.
The interview had been the subject of much speculation, especially among the crypto community. On Polymarket, a prediction market platform, bettors placed over $600,000 on the likelihood of Trump mentioning “crypto” during the discussion, with the odds peaking at 65%. A separate market focused specifically on the mention of “Bitcoin” reached a high of 69%, with approximately $330,000 staked. However, despite the high expectations, neither topic was brought up.
The lack of discussion on digital assets was surprising given Trump’s recent participation in the BTC 2024 conference in Nashville, where he announced his crypto policy. Bitcoin and cryptocurrency have become increasingly important in political discourse, with many viewing them as key issues in the upcoming election. Trump’s decision to sidestep the topic during such a high-profile event raises questions about the future of crypto in mainstream political conversations.
The interview, which also covered topics like illegal immigration, the economy, artificial intelligence, and global warming, was delayed by over 45 minutes. Musk attributed the delay to a DDoS attack on X, stating, “As this massive attack illustrates, there’s a lot of opposition to people just hearing what President Trump has to say.” However, this claim was met with skepticism. A report from The Verge, citing an unnamed source, questioned the validity of Musk’s statement, suggesting a “99 percent chance Musk was lying” about the attack. Additionally, cybersecurity watchdog NetBlocks reported international outages on X Spaces but did not confirm whether they were caused by a DDoS attack.
The prediction markets on Polymarket did not just focus on crypto. Bettors also wagered on other words Trump might say, with over $250,000 bet on whether he would mention “Tesla.” Although Trump avoided the word “Tesla,” referring instead to “your cars” when speaking to Musk, he did mention other anticipated terms like “MAGA,” “illegal immigrant,” and “tampon.” One user, known as ‘bama1234,’ walked away with just over $1 million in winnings, largely due to correctly betting that Trump would not mention “crypto,” earning $336,918 from that single prediction.
While cryptocurrency has gained traction as an election issue, its omission from mainstream discussions like the Trump-Musk interview highlights the uncertain role it will play in the broader political landscape. As the 2024 election approaches, the question remains whether digital assets will continue to be a niche topic or if they will break into the mainstream political dialogue.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. The author’s views are personal and may not reflect the views of Chain Affairs. Before making any investment decisions, you should always conduct your own research. Chain Affairs is not responsible for any financial losses.
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