How Ethical Monetary Systems Can Regain Trust Throughout Global Finance and Drive Crypto Mainstream Adoption

By Jai Bifulco

Crypto’s promise has always been twofold: technological innovation and financial empowerment. Yet mainstream audiences see only volatility and scandal

According to a 2024 report from the Pew Research Center, 63 percent of Americans characterize themselves as “not at all” or “not very” confident in cryptocurrencies, while 18 percent say they are “somewhat” confident in them. Only five percent report being “very” or “extremely” confident.

This lack of confidence has translated into a lack of adoption. A 2025 Gallup poll found that only 14 percent of Americans own Bitcoin or another digital asset. Meanwhile, 60 percent of respondents said they aren’t interested in ever buying it.

At the same time, multiple economic trends have exposed the fragility of the current global financial system, but these problems could be an opportunity in disguise. New ethical monetary systems can win the general public over by aligning the efficiency of blockchain with the reliability of assets they already trust.

An untrustworthy global financial system

As core inflation resurges in the US and experts predict future price increases, many people are losing trust in the US dollar. Some evidence currently indicates that the international community has started turning away from the American greenback, which has long underpinned global finance.

However, the erosion of trust runs even deeper. It is the cumulative effect of decades of short-term monetary interventions in which currencies have expanded to cushion crises at the cost of long-term stability. The global system, built around the US dollar as reserve, amplifies this fragility. When confidence in one nation’s fiscal discipline falters, the ripple effects are global.

Furthermore, the financial system has suffered blows to its reputation. The 2008 crash revealed how opaque practices can destabilise economies, and the COVID-19 pandemic showed how easily unprecedented money creation can dilute savings. Recent bank failures reinforced the sense that the system is reactive rather than resilient.

Meanwhile, the digital asset world, which should have been a corrective, has too often mirrored these failures. So-called “stablecoins” lose value just as much as the fiat currencies to which they are pegged due to inflation. Worse yet, pump-and-dump schemes feature tokens untethered from any real value. Some exchanges have collapsed under mismanagement.

To regain trust, finance must return to first principles. Money must be anchored in something real, accountable, and fair. Sound, ethical monetary systems, transparently tied to tangible value, present one of the few credible routes back to that trust.

A new Gold Standard

Gold and silver have a millennia-long history of credibility as stores of value. Precious metals have long been regarded as a reliable hedge against inflation. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the gold and silver markets are currently seeing great interest from investors and ordinary people alike, and these precious metals have recently gained a lot of value.

Now, imagine a cryptocurrency backed by gold, silver, or a combination of the two. Digital currencies backed by precious metals are not simply a revival of the Gold Standard; they are its evolution. The Gold Standard tied paper money to bullion, but it was rigid, costly to operate, and eventually abandoned under political pressure

Today’s technology allows us to combine the enduring stability of precious metals with the flexibility, efficiency, and reach of digital assets. In practice, this means a unit of digital currency corresponds directly to a specific weight of gold or silver held in reserve, giving it tangible worth and protection against inflation, while retaining the speed and accessibility of blockchain.

How the new money works

Governance and transparency are paramount to the creation of this sound, ethical new monetary system. When a physical bar of gold is tokenized, it is removed from the open market and placed under secure, independent custody, and the digital unit becomes its sole representation. Immutable blockchain records ensure every unit is traceable, while regular independent audits confirm the underlying reserves.

This structure eliminates the risk of duplication. The gold cannot be sold twice because its physical status is fixed. It is no longer a commodity for trade but rather the collateral underpinning the digital system. The digital and physical are locked together, and checks and balances ensure that link is never broken.

The result is not just better than the Gold Standard, but a re-engineered form of money designed for modern use. When physical gold is removed from the market, held in a secure location with independent oversight, and converted into a digital asset, it becomes a medium that is instantly transferable, borderless, and secure. At the same time, none of the stability of the precious metal is sacrificed

A currency that is both familiar in its foundation and modern in its functionality is something people can confidently use for remittances, everyday payments, or long-term savings. For the average household or business, that functionality matters more than speculation.

Ethics and stability will unleash the future of digital currency

Money does not have to be unstable, extractive, or opaque. The crises of recent decades were not inevitable; they were consequences of systems that prioritized expediency over integrity

We now have the tools to do better. By combining the enduring trustworthiness of tangible assets with the transparency of modern technology, we can design monetary systems that restore confidence, protect value, and distribute benefits more fairly.

This is not just an alternative for a niche audience. It’s a blueprint for how finance as a whole can evolve. Ethical monetary systems represent more than a new asset class; they represent the opportunity to rebuild trust in money itself. Ethics and stability are more than abstract ideals. By reducing fear and increasing usability, they are the practical enablers of adoption. Digital money transforms from a gamble into a dependable tool.

That shift is what will restore confidence in the global financial system and drive mainstream adoption of digital assets. In a world where that trust has steadily eroded, nothing could be more urgent.

Author Bio

— Jai Bifulco, Chief Commercial Officer and one of the founding members of Kinesis Money*, promotes worldwide adoption of precious metal-backed ethical monetary systems. Through his executive and advisory experience in FinTech, mining, and financial services, Bifulco demonstrates strategic leadership skills that drive continuous commercial expansion. Through his extensive knowledge of marketing, product development, and financial technology, he turns innovative concepts into successful solutions. Bifulco detects profitable international market prospects and builds powerful commercial alliances.*