Ray Dalio said the post-World War II rules-based order has “officially broken down,” describing a shift toward a “law of the jungle” era where power, not rules, drives outcomes.
Dalio’s warning on disorder
In a post outlining both external and internal pressures, the Bridgewater Associates founder said major powers are stuck in a persistent “prisoner’s dilemma” across trade, technology, capital flows, and military flashpoints.
Dalio warned that this dynamic can make what he called “stupid wars” easier to trigger.
Money creation and debasement risk
Dalio also argued that external conflict often collides with internal stress.
He said that when economies are strained and wealth gaps widen, governments tend to reach for higher taxes and “big increases in the supply of money,” devaluing claims rather than opting for explicit defaults.
Liquidity charts cited by bitcoin advocates
Separate data cited in the discussion pointed to a sharp rise in global liquidity.
Econovis data said global broad money rose from $26 trillion in 2000 to an estimated $142 trillion in 2025.
Market commentators also pointed to M2 expansion as a recurring backdrop during bitcoin rallies.
Asymmetry said:
“The next wave is building.”
‘Neutral money’ and financial rails
Dalio’s framework highlighted how states use tools such as asset freezes, capital market bans, and embargoes.
Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley summed up the argument for a permissionless alternative, a narrative often tied to bitcoin’s fixed supply and issuance schedule.
Horsley wrote:
“Is anyone working on global, permissionless, apolitical monetary assets and financial rails?? Could be important.”
