Michael Green: The “Real” Poverty Line, Bitcoin’s Fatal Flaw & the Passive Investing Time Bomb
Fri Feb 06 2026
The market narrative you think you’re trading might be the one that breaks your portfolio.
In this episode of Futures Edge, Jim Iuorio and Bob Iaccino sit down with Michael Green (Chief Strategist & Portfolio Manager, Simplify Asset Management) for a wide-ranging conversation that connects the dots between Bitcoin’s structural problem, the controversy around the U.S. poverty line, gold/silver narrative trades, and the growing risk that passive investing distorts markets in ways traders aren’t prepared for.
Michael explains why “divisible” isn’t the same as “elastic” (and why that matters for Bitcoin long-term), why the official poverty line may be radically outdated, and how modern markets can fail when liquidity disappears exactly when you need it. Plus: what he’s watching for 2026—from tariffs and fiscal dynamics to Taiwan/semiconductors and the geopolitics reshaping global capital flows.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro + sponsors
01:03 Michael in Annapolis + Naval Academy story
03:01 Bitcoin debate: divisible vs elastic money
09:18 “Just in case we’re wrong?” BTC vs ETH/SOL
11:53 The poverty line controversy: what people missed
18:05 Absolute vs relative poverty (and why it matters)
28:43 2026 outlook: tariffs, deficits, and volatility
33:51 Silver & gold: narrative trades and momentum dynamics
35:15 The Fed: rules vs discretion + unintended consequences
39:51 2008: “cash became non-cash” and the liquidity spiral
43:26 Passive investing: why the distortion matters
48:15 China/Taiwan risk + semiconductors
53:46 Gold as reserves diversification + de-dollarization incentives
58:40 What Simplify does + how their ETF strategies work
Follow along on social media:
Twitter: https://x.com/bob_iaccino
Twitter: https://x.com/jimiuorio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-iaccino/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-iuorio/
Newsletter: http://theunfilteredinvestor.com/
This episode is sponsored by:
Independence Ark: https://www.independenceark.com/
Code: F U
AmerGold https://www.amergold.com/
Code; F U
More
The market narrative you think you’re trading might be the one that breaks your portfolio. In this episode of Futures Edge, Jim Iuorio and Bob Iaccino sit down with Michael Green (Chief Strategist & Portfolio Manager, Simplify Asset Management) for a wide-ranging conversation that connects the dots between Bitcoin’s structural problem, the controversy around the U.S. poverty line, gold/silver narrative trades, and the growing risk that passive investing distorts markets in ways traders aren’t prepared for. Michael explains why “divisible” isn’t the same as “elastic” (and why that matters for Bitcoin long-term), why the official poverty line may be radically outdated, and how modern markets can fail when liquidity disappears exactly when you need it. Plus: what he’s watching for 2026—from tariffs and fiscal dynamics to Taiwan/semiconductors and the geopolitics reshaping global capital flows. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro + sponsors 01:03 Michael in Annapolis + Naval Academy story 03:01 Bitcoin debate: divisible vs elastic money 09:18 “Just in case we’re wrong?” BTC vs ETH/SOL 11:53 The poverty line controversy: what people missed 18:05 Absolute vs relative poverty (and why it matters) 28:43 2026 outlook: tariffs, deficits, and volatility 33:51 Silver & gold: narrative trades and momentum dynamics 35:15 The Fed: rules vs discretion + unintended consequences 39:51 2008: “cash became non-cash” and the liquidity spiral 43:26 Passive investing: why the distortion matters 48:15 China/Taiwan risk + semiconductors 53:46 Gold as reserves diversification + de-dollarization incentives 58:40 What Simplify does + how their ETF strategies work Follow along on social media: Twitter: https://x.com/bob_iaccino Twitter: https://x.com/jimiuorio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-iaccino/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-iuorio/ Newsletter: http://theunfilteredinvestor.com/ This episode is sponsored by: Independence Ark: https://www.independenceark.com/ Code: F U AmerGold https://www.amergold.com/ Code; F U