Robert Kiyosaki Slams ‘Fake Money,’ Urges Bitcoin as Hedge Against Inflation

Bitcoin believer and Rich Dad Poor Dad author, Robert Kiyosaki, has intensified his criticism of traditional finance. Speaking on a podcast on Wednesday, he argued that the U.S. education system trains young people to depend on dollars that continually lose value. 

Kiyosaki called the traditional financial system a “criminal” to teach children to work for what he describes as an “inflationary, fake currency.” 

“Poor people are poor because they have no idea what real money is,” Kiyosaki said. “Go to school, get a job, work hard, save money, and invest in a 401(k) full of garbage.” He labeled central banks “criminal organizations” and “Marxists.” 

He further explained that printing more dollars enriches the wealthy while eroding the wealth of the middle class and poor.

Inflation Versus Bitcoin Price Surge

Kiyosaki’s critique coincides with decades of U.S. inflation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a person holding $1,000 since August 2000 has lost nearly 47% of its purchasing power. The Federal Reserve targets 2% annual inflation, but headline inflation in August stood at 2.9%, with core inflation at 3.2%.

In contrast, Bitcoin has rallied more than 900% in the past five years, rising from about $11,670 to roughly $117,200, according to CoinGecko. Kiyosaki began buying Bitcoin when it traded near $6,000 and now holds about 60 BTC—worth around $7 million. He added that he uses rental property income to accumulate oil, gold, silver, BTC, and Ethereum.

The author, who once warned that gold, silver, and Bitcoin could all “bust,” predicts BTC could reach $1 million within the next decade. He cautioned investors about relying on exchange-traded funds, calling them “paper assets” vulnerable to systemic shocks, but acknowledged that ETFs remain the simplest entry point for retail buyers.

Global Lessons on Currency Erosion

Kiyosaki’s warning resonates in countries facing severe inflation. In Venezuela, where annual inflation has surged to about 229%, residents increasingly use stablecoins such as Tether for daily transactions. The bolívar’s value has plunged from 51.95 per U.S. dollar at the start of the year to 161.74 per dollar today, according to currency processor Xe.

Elsewhere, Bitcoin Standard author Saifedean Ammous expects Argentines to abandon the peso for U.S. dollars and Bitcoin amid ongoing devaluation. Real Vision CEO Raoul Pal has similarly urged investors to hold crypto and NFTs to defend against “exponential currency debasement.”

For Kiyosaki, these examples underscore his belief that sound money lies outside government control. “Every time you print money,” he said, “guys like me get richer, but the poor middle class get poorer.”