John McAfee – the ever-controversial figure responsible for bringing one of the world’s leading antivirus platforms to fruition – has admitted that his whole push for bitcoin to reach $1 million was simply a tactic to move the cryptocurrency into mainstream territory, though he now thinks stronger and more efficient digital currencies will replace it.
McAfee Says the Whole Thing Was an Act
McAfee has been saying for nearly three years that bitcoin was likely to reach the $1 million mark by the year 2020. Well, 2020 is here and bitcoin – while doing better at press time – still has a way to go before it reaches such a price, and the idea that it will do so in the next 11.5 months is a bit far-fetched at this stage.
McAfee has come out and mentioned on Twitter that he never really thought bitcoin could hit such a point in so short a period. This was simply a tactic to push the currency into the limelight and garner newfound attention for what was, at the time, still a relatively new asset. Bitcoin only just hit its ten-year anniversary, and McAfee was eager to see how people would react to it.
The antivirus mogul has often joked that he would eat his own d*ck if his bitcoin price prediction didn’t come true. It seems McAfee might be a little worried about losing his parts now that bitcoin is underperforming. In a recent tweet, he states:
Eat my d— in 12 months? A ruse to onboard new users. It worked. Bitcoin was first. It’s an ancient technology. All know it. Newer blockchains have privacy, smart contracts, disrupted apps and more. Bitcoin is our future? Was the model T the future of the automobile?
Allegedly stepping away from bitcoin, McAfee is now introducing a new blockchain platform designed for American politics. In a separate statement, he explains:
We’re applying blockchain to the political process by tokenizing political leaders. We’ll show, scientifically, how power grows, accumulates and flows throughout politics. We’ll link news, decisions and actions to perceptions in the minds of American voters.
Politics and Crypto Fit Together
McAfee has never been shy about politics and has recently announced his bid to enter the arena via a run for president in 2020 (which is now here). His campaign might be a little difficult, however, considering he lives in the communist country of Cuba – a known enemy of the United States – after failing to pay income taxes for the past eight years.
And while McAfee may be claiming that bitcoin is “old news,” other mega figures in the industry seem to disagree. Tim Draper, for example, has stated that bitcoin is likely to hit $250,000 this year, while others like Charles Hoskinson – the co-founder of Ethereum – are also confident that BTC is likely to strike six-figure territory in the year 2020.