Since apparently, there are some stackers here who haven't watched Mr. Robot in 2023/2024, here is another great scene. This time it's about Bitcoin vs Ecoin, a corporate digital currency which should be backed by the federal government - so very related to what we now call CBDCs.

Keep in mind that this show is from 2015-2019. And this is the eleventh episode of Season 2 (eps2.9_pyth0n_pt1.p7z) which was broadcast on September 14, 2016.

Jack: "I cannot do it. It's unconstitutional."

Price: "We're talking about rolling out Ecoin loans. I fail to see how the Constitution fits into this logic. Look. With Ecoin equal to one dollar, it will free up the economy. It will give you some breathing space."

Jack: "You knew this was going to happen from the get-go. And you're hitting me with this while there is an energy crisis across the Eastern seaboard."

Price: "Oh, yeah. I am coming to you first."

Jack: "Don't give me that. The only reason why you're here first is because you don't want to get slapped with regulations. But if you are indeed asking, then I am saying no. It's unconstitutional. You can't make your own currency. That is the federal government's job! [pounds desk]. We simply cannot let you make big loans in Ecoin that you wouldn't make in dollars."

Price: "[sighs] Jack. Look at me. I am not the problem here. The problem here is hard cash is fading rapidly. That’s just the way of the world right now. And Bitcoin is spreading. And if Bitcoin takes over, we are all in a world of hell. It is unregulated. It has already reached its transaction volume maximum. And, it is partly controlled by Chinese miners!”

Jack: “You just accepted two trillion dollars from them!”

Phillip Price: “Yes, yes, and now I want to use it against them. With Ecoin we control the ledger... and the mining servers. We are the authority! I will make sure you have visibility into every single wallet that’s open, every loan, every transaction; which means we can start making new assets, which means we can start rebuilding the banking sector without you having to inject even more politically unpalatable federal funds into it.”

Jack: "The president will laugh in my face."

Price: "But he'll know this is the right thing to do. This is going to be controlled by a good old-fashioned American company. You want to regulate it, be my guest. Regulate the shit out of it. I'll give you a back door, side doors, tracing — whatever you want! Just don't shut it down."

[...]