Bitcoin and the $630 trillion shake-up as Harvard’s Harry Dent predicts crypto disruption
TOI World Desk | Aug 26, 2025, 15:35 IST
Harvard economist Harry Dent predicts Bitcoin and cryptocurrency could disrupt $630 trillion in global financial assets. Despite warning of a looming market correction, Dent views crypto as a transformative force still in its early stages, capable of decentralizing finance and challenging the current global system built on debt and artificial stimulus.
Harvard Business School graduate and well-known market forecaster Harry Dent has made a bold prediction about the future of global finance, stating that Bitcoin and cryptocurrency could upend as much as $630 trillion in global financial assets. Known for his historically bearish views on markets, Dent's latest remarks mark a rare optimistic stance on digital assets.
Speaking on the Rich Dad Radio Show with author Robert Kiyosaki, Dent described crypto as a transformative force that is still in its early stages. “When I heard that crypto is basically about decentralizing and automating finance, I’m like, oh, that’s going to be a really big thing. No question. And it is, and it’s in its infancy still,” he said, as reported by The Street.
He highlighted that the current financial system, built on excessive debt and government stimulus, is unsustainable. Since 2008, he noted, over $29 trillion in stimulus has been injected into the global economy. “And people think, oh, we’re doing good. We’re growing two to three percent. No, we should be growing at seven to ten percent with that much stimulus,” Dent said.
According to Dent, the scale of the disruption could be enormous. He estimated the financial services industry to be worth $630 trillion globally, five times the world’s GDP, and believes crypto could transform this space entirely. “It is crypto that’s going to transform the entire financial services industry and how much money, how much financial assets there are in the world. I’m the only guy that knows. $630 trillion and growing. It’s the biggest number in the world,” he said.
He compared the impact of crypto to that of artificial intelligence, arguing that just as AI automates labor, crypto automates and decentralizes finance. He also pointed to the technology’s ability to cut through bureaucratic barriers. “It’s always been difficult. It’s always been hard to reach a bureaucrat. Crypto makes it direct,” Dent said.
Despite his optimism for the long-term potential of Bitcoin and blockchain, Dent warned of a near-term correction. He identified Bitcoin, Nvidia, and the Nasdaq 100 as assets currently accelerating within a declining channel, signaling a possible downturn. “We’re getting ready for a shakeout, which always occurs at a certain stage in the industry life cycle,” he cautioned.
Dent’s unexpected endorsement of crypto adds a significant voice to the growing chorus of experts who see digital assets as more than a speculative trend. With the financial world facing mounting structural pressures, crypto may be positioning itself as a serious alternative to traditional finance.
Speaking on the Rich Dad Radio Show with author Robert Kiyosaki, Dent described crypto as a transformative force that is still in its early stages. “When I heard that crypto is basically about decentralizing and automating finance, I’m like, oh, that’s going to be a really big thing. No question. And it is, and it’s in its infancy still,” he said, as reported by The Street.
He highlighted that the current financial system, built on excessive debt and government stimulus, is unsustainable. Since 2008, he noted, over $29 trillion in stimulus has been injected into the global economy. “And people think, oh, we’re doing good. We’re growing two to three percent. No, we should be growing at seven to ten percent with that much stimulus,” Dent said.
According to Dent, the scale of the disruption could be enormous. He estimated the financial services industry to be worth $630 trillion globally, five times the world’s GDP, and believes crypto could transform this space entirely. “It is crypto that’s going to transform the entire financial services industry and how much money, how much financial assets there are in the world. I’m the only guy that knows. $630 trillion and growing. It’s the biggest number in the world,” he said.
He compared the impact of crypto to that of artificial intelligence, arguing that just as AI automates labor, crypto automates and decentralizes finance. He also pointed to the technology’s ability to cut through bureaucratic barriers. “It’s always been difficult. It’s always been hard to reach a bureaucrat. Crypto makes it direct,” Dent said.
Despite his optimism for the long-term potential of Bitcoin and blockchain, Dent warned of a near-term correction. He identified Bitcoin, Nvidia, and the Nasdaq 100 as assets currently accelerating within a declining channel, signaling a possible downturn. “We’re getting ready for a shakeout, which always occurs at a certain stage in the industry life cycle,” he cautioned.
Dent’s unexpected endorsement of crypto adds a significant voice to the growing chorus of experts who see digital assets as more than a speculative trend. With the financial world facing mounting structural pressures, crypto may be positioning itself as a serious alternative to traditional finance.