The Clash of Old and New Capital: The Game Between Crypto and Political Power

After Trump won the election, the relationship between Crypto, Web3, and real-world politics has entered a new phase. Beyond the apparent series of crypto-friendly individuals who may be appointed to key positions, some influential figures behind the scenes are also decisive factors that cannot be ignored, including Peter Thiel.

Peter Thiel is not only a well-known technology investor but also a low-key yet highly influential political participant. If a certain well-known entrepreneur is the leading actor in this "Trump Trading" drama, then Peter Thiel is more like the strategist behind the scenes. His influence may profoundly affect the voice and decision-making participation of technology capital in the political arena of the United States and even globally in the coming years.

In 2011, Peter Thiel criticized society's blind adherence to traditional career paths during a university lecture, emphasizing that technological innovation should address real problems rather than pursue superficial prosperity. This statement deeply influenced the student J.D. Vance, who was present at the time, prompting him to rethink his career plans.

As a result, J.D. Vance gave up his traditional legal career and joined Peter Thiel's venture capital firm, starting his foray into the field of venture capital. During this time, J.D. Vance wrote the memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," which detailed his upbringing in a working-class family. After its publication, the book quickly became a bestseller and was seen as revealing the mindset of Trump supporters.

Interestingly, as Trump's current deputy, J.D. Vance initially held a critical attitude toward Trump. However, under the introduction of Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance gradually established a connection with Trump. Peter Thiel not only arranged meetings between the two but also provided significant support for J.D. Vance's political career, including large political donations.

With the support of Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance was successfully elected as a senator and chosen by Trump as his vice presidential running mate. This reflects Peter Thiel's key role in shaping J.D. Vance's political career and illustrates the influence of certain conservative forces in the tech industry on American politics.

However, this is not just a personal power struggle story, but rather a structural upheaval and a game of interests within the entire capitalist system.

This year's U.S. presidential election is more like the prelude to a power reshuffle within capitalism. The "new capital," represented by tech moguls, is challenging the "old capital," represented by traditional finance, in a bid for greater discourse power and profit distribution rights.

The rise of the new technology elite is not a coincidence. Over the past decade, emerging fields represented by AI and Crypto have become the engines of economic growth. These emerging industries emphasize efficiency, innovation, and decentralization, calling for "less regulation" as a common demand. From Web3 to AI, "decentralization" and "liberalization" have become their core narratives, and this vision is simple yet appealing: higher technological efficiency, more capital flow, and even the possibility of redefining the rules of wealth creation.

The new technology elites do not want to strive for a fairer distribution of resources under the existing rules, but rather attempt to reshape the rules themselves. They hope to promote a capitalism centered on "efficiency" and advocate for "less regulation." For these emerging forces, regulation and rules represent constraints that hinder free innovation and the expansion of technological boundaries.

But the problem is that this path of liberalization and deregulation is bound to further strengthen the advantages of tech giants and capital giants. Technologies such as AI and Crypto will more efficiently concentrate wealth, accelerating the widening gap between the rich and the poor, while also further marginalizing the interests of traditional industry workers and other groups. This inherent contradiction may become a deep-seated driving force for societal division in the future.

From a longer-term perspective, whether the American political and economic system can find a balance between "new capital" and "old capital" in the coming years, or even over a longer period, will directly determine the ultimate direction of this power reshuffle.

For the "old capital," they need to adapt more flexibly to the social changes brought about by new technologies, while also defending their core position in rule-making. On the other hand, for the "new capital," they need to persuade a broader society to accept the costs of wealth redistribution brought about by technological expansion.

The outcome of this struggle is not only related to the political and economic landscape of the United States but will also profoundly affect the future direction of global capitalism. This may also be a microcosm of the transformation of global capitalism. In short, a new era characterized by greater globalization of capital and technological drive is approaching, and its key lies in how to redefine the distribution model of power, resources, and rules.

Crypto and AI will undoubtedly be the main battleground. The entire Crypto field is not only a symbol of so-called decentralized finance and capital liberalization, but also a key tool for tech capital to counter traditional finance and reshape the rules.

It is precisely for this reason that the future is also full of opportunities. Whether it is AI, Crypto, or other emerging fields, their core narratives remain attractive: freedom, efficiency, innovation. This process will also test whether all parties can find a compromise in the midst of conflicting interests.

From "Trump Trading" to the behind-the-scenes layout, what we see is not just an election, but a struggle for the rules of the future. This is destined to be a profound contest over resources, power, and rules.