Vitalik and Balaji's Top 10 Predictions: Crypto, AI, and the Future Order
Original Author: Marine, MC² Finance Founder
Original Translation: Plain Blockchain

1: Balaji Calls Ethereum the Crypto Left Wing.
· Vitalik is dedicated to building public goods. He pursues programmable equity, decentralized institutions, and fair coordination.
Balaji is on the middle right. He pursues exit to choice, sovereignty. Ethereum has become the home of the "techno-bureaucrat left."

2: DeFi is Getting Safer, But Not Totally Safe Yet.
· Vitalik: "Risk is approaching traditional finance."
· Balaji: "You are risking 100% loss for a 5% yield." Protocols are truly secure only post-crisis, not just through audits. Time > total value locked.

3: The Dollar Is Not as Safe as You Think.
"Only invest what you can afford to lose in dollars." This may sound like a meme. But for billions in Argentina, Nigeria, Lebanon, it's already reality. Stablecoins are now infrastructure (not experiment).

4: The Definition of DeFi Is Evolving.
Balaji: "It's a takeover post-system." Not an upgrade, but replacement. Always-on, borderless, composable. DeFi isn't just a better pipe. It's a different physics of value. (Cue applause)

5: Cryptocurrency Won't Undermine the Dollar, But It Will Expose the Dollar.
Vitalik: 99% of stablecoins back the dollar. But this cements the dollar's dominance until it doesn't. Once a fiat first goes digital, it loses its geographical monopoly. Fiat will die like newspapers (slowly, then all at once).

6: Tipping Will Endure.
Balaji: "Coding in English is a power tool." It's not a solution, but a skill. AI won't replace humans, but will amplify the sharpest ones. Clarity = leverage.

7: AGI? Not God, Just a Founder.
· Vitalik: "When AGI builds a profitable company, it becomes real." This is quantifiable. Practical.
· Balaji agrees: AI is not about seeking purpose, but pattern matching. The world still runs on human intent.

8: DeSci = DeFi in Medicine.
Today's healthcare system profits from sickness. DeSci disrupts this. Truth above all. Peer review. Science as code, not pharma marketing. Balaji's bet: DeSci is the true alternative to institutional decay.

9: Ethereum Needs a Pole Star. DAU? Price? TVL?
· Vitalik: Just get people to use it.
· Balaji: DeFi is beyond the statutory matrix. Once value is on-chain, everything can trade. Liquidity without banks. A market without borders. (Asked many questions, can't reveal xD)

10: Systems won't reform. They will be rebuilt.
Balaji sees the internet as opposed to DC. Vitalik sees cryptocurrency as a system with fairer rules. Both agree: the old world is collapsing. The next one won't be built on DC. It will be coded. On-chain.
You may also like

Key Market Intelligence for February 5th, how much did you miss out on?

Wintermute: By 2026, crypto had gradually become the settlement layer of the Internet economy

Tether Q4 2025 Report: USDT Market Cap Nears $190 Billion, Multiple Metrics Reach All-Time Highs

Kyle Samani's about-face, one of the biggest believers in web3, has also left the industry

Bhutan Quietly Sells Over $22M in Bitcoin, Drawing Speculation Over Possible Moves
Key Takeaways Bhutan has transferred over $22 million in Bitcoin from sovereign wallets in the past week. The…

BitMine Endures a $7B Unrealized Loss as Ethereum Dips Below $2,100
Key Takeaways BitMine is facing a significant financial challenge with an unrealized loss of over $7 billion in…

Trump-Linked World Liberty Financial Under Scrutiny Following $500 Million UAE Stake
Key Takeaways A U.S. House investigation is examining a $500 million UAE stake in Trump-related World Liberty Financial.…

Asia Market Open: Bitcoin Tumbles as Asian Equities Reflect Global Tech Retreat
Key Takeaways: Bitcoin’s price plunged by 6% to $72,000, reflecting the spillover effects from the global tech sector’s…

Crypto Firms Propose Concessions to Banks as Stablecoin Disputes Stall Key Crypto Bill
Key Takeaways: Crypto companies are attempting to navigate stablecoin disputes with banks but agreements remain elusive. Industry representatives…

CoolWallet Introduces TRON Energy Rental to Minimize TRX Transaction Costs
Key Takeaways CoolWallet has integrated TRON’s energy rental services, offering users lower transaction fees while maintaining asset security.…

CFTC Officially Withdraws Biden-Era Proposal to Ban Political and Sports Prediction Markets
Key Takeaways: The CFTC has rescinded a 2024 proposal and subsequent 2025 advisory that aimed to prohibit event…

Binance Says Assets Rose Amid Alleged Bank Run Attempt
Key Takeaways: Binance reported an unexpected increase in assets during a community-driven withdrawal campaign, challenging conventional expectations of…

Same Macro Tape, Different Bid – Gold Absorbs Flows as Bitcoin Swings
Key Takeaways: Gold is experiencing significant demand growth, especially via ETFs and central banks, projecting a robust performance…

Crypto Price Prediction Today, February 4 – Focus on XRP, Cardano, and Dogecoin
Key Takeaways Bitcoin is facing significant pressure, affecting the entire cryptocurrency market, including heavyweights like XRP, Cardano, and…

Vitalik Buterin Urges Ethereum Builders to Innovate Beyond Clone Chains
Key Takeaways Vitalik Buterin criticizes the trend of creating copy-paste EVM chains, encouraging developers to focus on truly…

Best Crypto to Buy Now February 4: XRP, Solana, Hyperliquid Picks
Key Takeaways XRP remains one of the top picks for cross-border transactions due to its high speed and…

XRP Price Prediction: Ripple Quietly Unlocks a Billion Tokens – Is a Price Shock Coming in the Next Few Hours?
Key Takeaways Ripple has released one billion XRP tokens into the market, potentially causing a shift in XRP…

Google’s Gemini AI Predicts the Price of XRP, Ethereum, and Solana By the End of 2026
Key Takeaways Google’s Gemini AI forecasts significant growth for XRP, anticipating a price of up to $8 by…
Key Market Intelligence for February 5th, how much did you miss out on?
Wintermute: By 2026, crypto had gradually become the settlement layer of the Internet economy
Tether Q4 2025 Report: USDT Market Cap Nears $190 Billion, Multiple Metrics Reach All-Time Highs
Kyle Samani's about-face, one of the biggest believers in web3, has also left the industry
Bhutan Quietly Sells Over $22M in Bitcoin, Drawing Speculation Over Possible Moves
Key Takeaways Bhutan has transferred over $22 million in Bitcoin from sovereign wallets in the past week. The…
BitMine Endures a $7B Unrealized Loss as Ethereum Dips Below $2,100
Key Takeaways BitMine is facing a significant financial challenge with an unrealized loss of over $7 billion in…