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In episode 2 of Shoot the Sht Pod*, the Messari team dives into the challenges and opportunities facing DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks), exploring how to scale both supply and demand while tackling tough problems like verification and infrastructure financing. They unpack the implications of new tariffs on global markets and debate whether crypto, particularly Bitcoin, is showing signs of real decoupling from traditional finance. The episode also covers the growing trend of super apps on Solana, vertical integration in DeFi, the state of on-chain activity, and the evolving economics of Web3 gaming—offering sharp insights into what might be next for the ecosystem.

Watch the full discussion now on Youtube, Spotify, or Apple.

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By: Mohamed Allam

Imagine a world where the US dollar is no longer the backbone of global trade. Honestly, why imagine? That is clearly the direction things are heading.

Take a look at what is happening with tariffs. I am not here to pick sides. I have always said I am nonpartisan and just go with the flow, but it is rather interesting how calm everyone seems right now. There is a quiet game being played behind the scenes, and we are pretending that it is business as usual.

If you have been following these newsletters for a while, you might remember a piece I wrote called “Death by a Thousand Cuts.” It was about how BRICS nations have been slowly chipping away at Western dominance. Not in one sweeping move, but through slow and deliberate actions. Small cuts. Strategic stabs. Now it feels like the final blow might not even come from BRICS, but from the United States itself.

The latest round of proposed tariffs, including a potential 125% tariff on all goods produced in China, is being framed as tough on trade. It could backfire hard. Tariffs do not exist in isolation; they add pressure to supply chains, accelerate inflation, and force manufacturing to shift elsewhere. Here is the key question: where does that manufacturing go? Vietnam, Cambodia, parts of Africa or Latin America—all of these regions are increasingly influenced by China and, by extension, the broader BRICS bloc. Even if supply chains are rerouted, they will not necessarily escape the gravitational pull of BRICS-aligned interests. It might only entrench that influence further.

This brings me back to something I have been writing about for months now. BRICS Pay. I think we are getting closer to seeing it become a reality as tariffs intensify and trade relations deteriorate. Russia and China already settle 95% of their trade transactions in rubles and yuan. Brazil and India are experimenting with local currency settlement mechanisms. If a BRICS-wide settlement system like BRICS Pay goes live at scale, that will be a direct challenge to the dollar’s role in global trade. 

At the same time, the United States is exploring its own central bank digital currency. Combine this with rising monetary tensions and the geopolitical reordering already underway. We are moving toward a future where the dollar weakens and centralized digital money becomes the new norm. 

Historically, fear has been one of the most reliable tools of control. If a CBDC system rolls out in the name of security or efficiency, it becomes much easier for institutions to restrict access to your funds. Accounts can be frozen. Spending can be tracked or limited. Financial privacy can quietly vanish. This is where crypto, and especially Bitcoin, starts to matter more than ever.

A Bull Case for Bitcoin

In a system built around centralized digital money, Bitcoin offers an alternative that does not require permission. It is global, decentralized, and resistant to censorship. You do not need approval to hold it. You do not need a third party to transact with it. You do not risk being locked out for holding the wrong view or making the wrong move. That kind of neutrality is rare and is becoming more valuable with each passing month.

This is not about price speculation. It is about having an opt-out. In a world shifting toward surveillance-driven finance, Bitcoin gives individuals a way to step outside that system. That alone should be enough to make people rethink how they protect their financial future.

We can still hope the United States preserves the freedoms it was built on. That is the outcome most of us want. But hope alone is not a strategy. The global landscape is shifting. Trade routes, currency rails, and power structures are all being reconfigured. In that kind of environment, having exposure to Bitcoin is not just smart. It might be necessary.

As always, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn if you want to discuss this newsletter, and stay tuned for next week!