Why Bitcoin’s Future Isn’t About Speculation, It’s About Access
Lorenzo Rey has spent his career building technology around Bitcoin — from developing tools that make it easier to use, to leading innovation as Chief Technology Officer at Athena Bitcoin.
Beyond the office, he’s also a recognized voice in the Bitcoin community, over a hundred thousand followers on TikTok (lorenzoreybitcoin) where he breaks down complex topics into approachable insights for everyday users. That combination of technologist and educator makes him uniquely positioned to talk about where Bitcoin is really headed.
“Every form of money in human history has endured a volatile early stage before stabilizing. Percentage-wise, Bitcoin’s volatility is already shrinking as adoption grows.”
People call Bitcoin speculative because they don’t understand money. Every new form of sound money in history looks unstable at first — until it doesn’t. Gold was volatile. Yes, Bitcoin is volatile. But so was gold when it first emerged as a monetary standard, the difference is that people mistake early volatility for its permanent identity. “Every form of money in human history has endured a volatile early stage before stabilizing. Percentage-wise, Bitcoin’s volatility is already shrinking as adoption grows.”
Speculators will always speculate — on gold, on stocks, on real estate, on anything with a price tag. But speculation isn’t what gives Bitcoin meaning. Access does. “Anyone with a phone and internet connection can access Bitcoin regardless of where they live or what their government thinks,” Rey explains. “For the freedom of humanity, you need money that allows you to exercise that freedom.”
That freedom used to exist with gold. A coin minted in China could still buy you bread in Europe. Today, fiat has walled us into national silos — pesos, dollars, euros, yen — and the exchange rates and fees that divide us. Rey calls it the “fiat currency prison.” Bitcoin is the jailbreak.
“Billions of people using Bitcoin in small amounts will create far more volume than a handful of Wall Street whales.”
But this isn’t just theory. Bitcoin is going through the same three stages every money goes through: first as a store of value, then as a medium of exchange, and finally as a unit of account. “Right now, we’re still in the store of value phase,” Rey says. “But long-term, everyday use is definitely more important than investment hype. Billions of people using Bitcoin in small amounts will create far more volume than a handful of Wall Street whales.”
And that’s where Athena’s role matters. Billions of dollars still move in cash every single day. Without bridges, those people are locked out of the Bitcoin economy. “Bitcoin ATMs allow everybody who uses cash to acquire the most solid and important asset of this century,” Rey says. “They also give people the ability to send remittances directly through the Bitcoin network without needing a bank.”
Remittances are one of the clearest examples of Bitcoin as access, not speculation. In Latin America, where many of Rey’s TikTok followers live, people often depend on money sent from relatives working abroad. Instead of paying punishing fees to middlemen, families can receive funds instantly over Bitcoin’s Lightning Network. “For me, it’s just as exciting to see a village in Africa or a school in El Salvador use Bitcoin as it is to watch Michael Saylor buy a billion dollars worth,” Rey says.
Of course, critics love to harp on scams. Rey doesn’t deny the attempts — he points out that any business handling money faces scams. The difference? Athena fights back. “We’ve built one of the best compliance systems to prevent them. We catch thousands of scams before they happen. People don’t know that story.”
Wall Street’s arrival with ETFs is headline-worthy, but Rey isn’t distracted. “ETFs are expected. They make Bitcoin easier for traditional investors. But Bitcoin’s true strength is in the mom saving for her child’s education in Colombia or the worker in Chicago sending money home. That’s what access looks like.”
And for him, the real heart of Bitcoin is even simpler. “The system is rigged against savers,” Rey says. “Fiat punishes people who try to build for the future. Bitcoin flips that script — it rewards saving. Don’t see Bitcoin as a risky bet. See it as the fix for broken savings.”
This isn’t about the whales or the traders. It’s about billions of people who deserve money that works. The future of Bitcoin isn’t speculation. It’s freedom through access.
Follow Lorenzo Rey on TikTok
@lorenzoreybitcoin Cómo prevenir estafas, phishing, tips para evitar que te roben, no caigas! #bitcoin #btc #cripto ♬ original sound - Lorenzo Rey
@lorenzoreybitcoin La manera más fácil de PERDER tus Bitcoin y la manera más segura de GUARDARLOS #bitcoin #btc ♬ original sound - Lorenzo Rey
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