Michael Green: The “Real” Poverty Line, Bitcoin’s Fatal Flaw & the Passive Investing Time Bomb

Michael Green: The “Real” Poverty Line, Bitcoin’s Fatal Flaw & the Passive Investing Time Bomb

58:34 Feb 6, 2026
About this episode
The market narrative you think you’re trading might be the one that breaks your portfolio.In this episode of Futures Edge, Jim Iuorio and Bob Iaccino sit down with Michael Green (Chief Strategist & Portfolio Manager, Simplify Asset Management) for a wide-ranging conversation that connects the dots between Bitcoin’s structural problem, the controversy around the U.S. poverty line, gold/silver narrative trades, and the growing risk that passive investing distorts markets in ways traders aren’t prepared for.Michael explains why “divisible” isn’t the same as “elastic” (and why that matters for Bitcoin long-term), why the official poverty line may be radically outdated, and how modern markets can fail when liquidity disappears exactly when you need it. Plus: what he’s watching for 2026—from tariffs and fiscal dynamics to Taiwan/semiconductors and the geopolitics reshaping global capital flows.Timestamps: 00:00 Intro + sponsors01:03 Michael in Annapolis + Naval Academy story03:01 Bitcoin debate: divisible vs elastic money09:18 “Just in case we’re wrong?” BTC vs ETH/SOL11:53 The poverty line controversy: what people missed18:05 Absolute vs relative poverty (and why it matters)28:43 2026 outlook: tariffs, deficits, and volatility33:51 Silver & gold: narrative trades and momentum dynamics35:15 The Fed: rules vs discretion + unintended consequences39:51 2008: “cash became non-cash” and the liquidity spiral43:26 Passive investing: why the distortion matters48:15 China/Taiwan risk + semiconductors53:46 Gold as reserves diversification + de-dollarization incentives58:40 What Simplify does + how their ETF strategies workFollow along on social media: Twitter:    https://x.com/bob_iaccinoTwitter:   https://x.com/jimiuorioLinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-iaccino/LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-iuorio/Newsletter:  http://theunfilteredinvestor.com/This episode is sponsored by: Independence Ark: https://www.independenceark.com/Code: F U AmerGold https://www.amergold.com/Code; F U
Select an episode
0:00 0:00