đ„ What the FIRE Movement Gets Wrong About Bitcoin
FIRE BTC #35 - Six takeaways from the Bitcoin 2025 FIRE + BTC panel
At Bitcoin 2025, I had the privilege of moderating a panel called "What the FIRE Movement Gets Wrong About Bitcoin," joined by Jim Crider, Brian Harrington, and Morgen Rochard. It was an incredibly lively discussion in front of a packed room.
The FIRE and bitcoin communities are quite different in a lot of ways, but they share common DNA: long-term thinking, intentional living, and a deep skepticism of the fiat system (even if the FIRE folks donât realize it).
Thereâs a lot that each group can learn from the other. And this panel explored a few of those spicier topics from different perspectives.
As Morgen, Jim, Brian, and I prepped for the panel, I asked them not to hold backâto really bring the âfireâ đ ⊠I think the front row needed some aloe vera by the end of the session.
Here are six takeaways from our panel conversation, but make sure you watch the full 25 minutes (linked at the bottom of this issue)âyou wonât want to miss it!
đ€ FIRE and bitcoin share more than they think
Both movements attract people who want to reclaim their time and sovereignty. FIRE folks do it through disciplined saving and budgeting; Bitcoiners do it through stacking sats and holding long-term. As Brian Harrington said, "Bitcoin's already in your movement. It's in your spreadsheet, your ETF, your index fund. Welcome."
Itâs OK to be skeptical, but donât cut off your nose to spite your face. Bitcoin is a perfect fit for a FIRE plan.
đȘ€ Beware the "Retire Early" trap
Jim and Morgen both challenged the RE part of FIRE. What happens when someone retires at 35 and realizes they have no purpose? Backpacking through Bali only gets you so far. As Jim put it, âYou want the beach house because you want to make memories with your family. Not because you want another roof to maintain.â
True independence is having the freedom to work on things that matter, not necessarily quitting work altogether.
đž FIRE needs bitcoin more than it realizes
Morgen didnât hold back: "FIRE influencers are spending their lives tracking every penny... and they donât even own the right money."
Ouch. But sheâs right. You can follow the perfect FIRE plan, but if the money is broken, your savings are built on sand. A 25x savings goal denominated in dollars assumes those dollars will hold value, or at least that your investments will keep up with a constantly increasing cost of living. Bitcoin offers a monetary foundation that aligns with the very goals FIRE folks chase.
â ïž Index funds are not a savings account
Jim made a powerful point: we've confused investing with saving. Because fiat is broken, FIRE practitioners are forced to "save" using investment assets like VTI and VTSAX. But if bitcoin monetizes, those assets could lose real purchasing power. What if the monetary premium embedded into the stock market gets siphoned off into bitcoin? Weâre already seeing this happen to some extentâŠ
Saving should mean saving. Bitcoin makes that possible.
đ€š Yield chasing and real estate aren't magic bullets
A big portion of the FIRE movement loves dividends and rental income. But as Morgen explained, income can also come from capital gains, and sometimes that's the smarter (and more tax-efficient) path. Meanwhile, real estate isn't passive incomeâit's running a business. Do it if you want to be a landlord, not because you were promised mailbox money.
đïž How much bitcoin do you need to retire?
We closed with a provocative question: does the 4% rule apply to bitcoin? Morgen argued noâbitcoin's volatility, emerging monetary status, and high expected returns mean you should draw down far less. Her recommendation? Plan with a 2% withdrawal rate and aim to preserve your stack for future generations.
I have a different take, which Iâve written about here:
Final Thoughts
FIRE needs bitcoin, and many bitcoiners can benefit from a FIRE approach to their personal financial lives. Both offer powerful frameworks to truly own your financial future. The more these two worlds learn from each other, the stronger both become.
If youâre a bitcoiner without a plan, FIRE has tools you can use. If youâre a FIRE follower without bitcoin, your freedom plan may be more fragile than you think.
Letâs fix that.
You can (and should) watch the full panel, linked below. There are some great nuggets that I didnât cover above.
Thatâs it for this week. Thanks for reading!
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Until next time,
Trey âïž
Saw this live! Good stuff
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