Digital currency is a new form of money that China, the European nations, and the United States are aggressively exploring. This form of money could then replace our paper dollars and metal coins. The rewards for the nation which successfully dominates this competition are total worldwide control of the financial markets, businesses, and eventually the finances of everyone on the earth. The purpose of this article is to explain why the emergence of this technology could be the prophetic fulfillment of the mark of the beast described in Revelation 13:15-18.
Prophecy of a One World Currency
To begin, we should read the prophecy. Revelation 13:1-10 describes a beast which symbolizes the antichrist. Then in verse 11, another beast is mentioned. This is the false prophet (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10), who establishes a one-world government and gains control of the financial markets of the world. The prophecy in Revelation 13:16-17 states,
And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Revelation 13:16-17 (NASB)
The prophecy states that at some point in the future an alliance of nations, led by the antichrist will gain control of the world’s economy and regulate everyone’s finances. Now for the first time in the history of the world, it is possible to understand how this prophecy could be fulfilled. Since digital currencies will be electronically controlled, the finances of the world’s population can be controlled from a computer keyboard by a future world leader sitting in an office somewhere in the world.
Digital Currency vs Cryptocurrencies
The term, digital currency, refers to money that does not have a physical form such as banknotes, paper money, and metal coins.[1] The term digital currency is the umbrella term that also includes specific cryptocurrencies. Coinmetro.com explains that,
Digital currencies are centralized, meaning that transaction within the network is regulated in a centralized location, like a bank. Cryptocurrencies are mostly decentralized, and the regulations inside the network are governed by the majority of the community.[2]
According to Investopedia, the ten most important cryptocurrencies listed in order currently are Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Cardano, Polkadot, Bitcoin Cash, Stellar, Dogecoin, Binance Coin, Tether, and Monero.[3] Those are just the top ten cryptocurrencies. These forms of digital currency are currently decentralized and are not controlled by governments or a central place.
China’s Digital Currency Efforts
One example of the first centralized digital currency was created by China in 2014. They have created a payment system known as Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DCEP).[4] It is a digital version of the yuan. The BBC News has reported,
The Chinese government believes that if some other countries can also use the Chinese currency, it can break the United States’ monetary sovereignty.[5]
China wants to create a cashless society where the money is controlled by a central bank. In April 2020, China began slowly rolling out DCEP for testing in the three cities of Shanghai, Chengdu and Beijing.[6] China will have the ability to regulate the finances of businesses and people. For example, China will have the ability to monitor everything that its citizens and companies buy and sell. China has stated that it wants to eliminate all cryptocurrencies and become the world’s reserve currency. That is, it wants to control the finances of the world.
Werner Vermaak of CoinMarketCap.com gives us an idea how China could use the digital yuan to control the world’s financial markets and the finances of every individual. He wrote,
The government has already instituted the notorious Social Credit System. This system ranks individuals based on their behaviors and gives them rewards or punishments for following the rules set by the party.
The government watches for any sign of dissent, including associating with “low score” individuals, and uses this as a way to crack down on dissent. The digital yuan could make the government’s control even tighter.
China can already screen for transactions, but the purpose of the e-yuan is to replace the cash in circulation. Paper money still represents one of the few untraceable ways that individuals in China use. If the government phases out cash, it will give them complete control over who can spend money and where they can spend it.
To understand how this control would work, let’s look at the Social Credit System and how it could interact with the e-yuan.
Let’s suppose that you make some purchases at a store run by someone with a low credit score. This innocent act then lowers your Social Credit points below the government-defined “threshold.” Now, you can’t purchase necessities because the government has banned your wallet from functioning. You cannot even buy these things with cash anymore, because cash does not exist.
It is the ultimate tool for controlling dissidents in your country.[7]
United States’ Digital Currency Efforts
In April 2022, President Biden of the United States issued an executive order directing various federal departments to investigate the potential of adopting a digital currency, just like that being tested in China. On March 17, 2022, the Brookings Institute stated the executive order encouraged the federal government
“. . . to continue research and report” on its work to potentially create a central bank digital currency (CBDC).[8]
So, China’s digital currency is called the DCEP and the United State’s prospective digital currency does not have a name yet. But it will be a CBDC that is controlled by a centralized digital bank in the United States. The article goes on to state,
The dollar is the currency of the world. The White House clearly wants that to remain the case as the world digitizes and new forms of digital assets challenge government-sponsored currency. Let’s hope that the various stakeholders can work collaboratively and correctly to get this emerging digital system right.[9]
This means the world’s two superpowers are on a race to institute a digital banking system which would eventually result in a world that no longer uses cash to buy or sell anything. Whoever wins will have the ability to do what is already emerging in China. They will have the ability to control your money. They can zero out your checking account, savings account, investment portfolio, and your retirement account. Without paper or metal money, you are no longer in control of your finances. The only alternative might be to own cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin since it is a decentralized currency. But then that means someone must be willing to accept your Bitcoins. The question remains, how will that work in a world controlled by a digital currency, since the Bitcoins would be purchased using that digital currency?
Prophecy of the Mark of the Beast
But what about the reference to the mark of the beast at the end of the prophecy in Revelation 13:18? It says,
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. Revelation 13:18 (NASB)
How could this be fulfilled? Many people are now aware that microchips have been implanted under the skin of animals for the purposes of tracking. On April 21, 2022 multiple news media around the world reported on a new development in the technology. Here is the report from FoxNews8 out of High Point, North Carolina,
The future is here. Those tired of taking out their wallet or phone to pay for things could soon skip that step entirely, thanks to a new implantable payment chip.
The British-Polish company Walletmor has created a microchip that can be implanted inside a person’s hand and used as one would tap a credit card for payment. The technology is only currently allowed to be sold in the European Union and the U.K.
“The implant can be used to pay for a drink on the beach in Rio, a coffee in New York, a haircut in Paris – or at your local grocery store,” founder and chief executive Wojtek Paprota told the BBC. “It can be used wherever contactless payments are accepted.”
. . .
But just how many people are all right with the idea of having essentially a credit card placed in their body? Walletmor said in a press release that so far at least 200 people have purchased its technology.
According to a 2021 survey, which talked to 4,000 people across Europe, nearly 51% said they would consider an implant of some type . . .[10]
This is now currently in use in Poland and in other European nations. It has been referred to as the replacement for your wallet. No one will need a wallet again. Your identity credentials, and financial information will be right in your hand.
Forkast.com reports that China is designing their digital currency to work with a “phone free” e-RMB wallet. It looks much like a credit card. They are doing this because 700 million people of China are too poor to own a mobile phone or have internet connections. Some have wondered if China has considered microchips.[11]
The next step is obvious as the digital currency technology is being developed! Maybe some nation will marry its digital currency with a microchip on people’s hands. When that occurs, every piece of the prophecy could be fulfilled.
For now the Atlantic Council has reported that ninety-one nations around the world are at various stages of investigation and development of digital currencies.[12] The nations of the world are rushing to develop the technology and establish security protections.
Conclusion
So, the push is on. Fulfillment of the prophecy is closer than ever. The actual technology that is used in the fulfillment of the prophecy may take a different form, but it is now clear that the fulfillment will soon be possible. All of the pieces of the prophecy in Revelation 13:15-18 are coming together, step-by-step. It may or may not occur in our lifetime.
There are three ways Christians should respond to this news. First, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 explains that believers should expect the vast population of the world to think the development of a one-world digital currency is a wonderful idea. It states that the wicked will be deceived in the end times because they did not love the truth so as to be saved.
And with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (NASB)
God has told Christians what will happen so that they are not uninformed (Matthew 24:25-26; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).
Second, these developments should increase every believer’s confidence in the truthfulness and accuracy of the Bible. Deuteronomy 18:21-22 tells us that we can know God has spoken when a prophecy comes true.
“You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. “Deuteronomy 18:21-22 (NASB)
The current developments reveal the fulfillment is near.
The third way Christians should respond is to remember that Scripture teaches Jesus Christ will rapture Christians from the world before these events occur. That is, believers will be removed from the earth before this prophecy actually occurs. For those people who become believers after the rapture, during the tribulation, this prophecy will help them understand God’s plan and gain confidence in Him and in the Bible. The fulfillment of the prophecy in Revelation 13 will occur in the last part of the tribulation. So if you are a Christian, be encouraged. God has told us these things so that we will understand what we are seeing and not worry. The next major events in God’s plan for the future are the rapture, the tribulation, the second coming of Christ, and the millennial kingdom are all near. This is an exciting time and an exciting future awaits believers!
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Is Digital Currency the Mark of the Beast?
References:
1. “Digital Currency Vs. Cryptocurrency – What’s The Difference?” Coinmetro.co,. 08.04.2019.
2. Ibid.
3. Adam Hayes. “10 Important Cryptocurrencies Other Than Bitcoin.” Investopedia. March 14, 2022.
4. Danny Vincent. ” One day everyone will use China’s digital currency.” BBC News. 22 September 2020.
5. Ibid.
6. Evan Freidein. “China’s digital currency takes shape.” the interpreter. 8 Sept 2021.
7. Werner Vermaak. “Why China’s DCEP Experiment Should Scare Cryto Evangelists.” coinmarketcap.com. December 2020.
8. Aaron Klein. Brookings.edu. “How Biden’s executive order on cryptocurrency may impact the fate of digital currency and assets.” March 17, 2022.
9. Ibid.
10. Laura Morrison. ” New microchip implant lets you pay with a swipe of your hand.” FoxNews8. April 18, 2022.
11. Dan Lundberg. ” China tests new phone-free DCEP e-RMB card for helping rural poor.” Forkast.com (forkast.news/china-dcep-ermb-card-digitalyuan/).
12. Atlantic Council. “Central Bank Digital Currency Tracker.” December 2021 (www.atlanticcouncil.org/cbdctracker/).