Elon Musk can sometimes say controversial things and some of his ideas and ambitions may seem odd to many, but there is no doubt that when he speaks, the world listens.
The Tesla founder has strong opinions, but is not unwilling to reverse them, including when it comes to Bitcoin.
Mr Musk had previously stopped using Bitcoin or accepting payments in them in May this year, citing the environmental impact of mining and stating this was at odds with the goals of Tesla’s electric car development.
While this had a negative impact on the value of Bitcoin, he has now issued a new tweet stating that Tesla will start accepting Bitcoin payments again once it can be shown that the mining process does not place a heavy burden on the environment through excessive energy use. He said this will happen when over half the process is powered by green energy.
As a result, Bitcoin values have been soaring in the wake of the comments, reaching $40,000 for the first time in over a month.
Mr Musk made his latest statement on the issue in an exchange with Magda Wierzycka, the head of cybersecurity firm Syngia. She had accused him of “price manipulation” through the offloading of Tesla’s Bitcoin holdings.
In response, Mr Musk said Tesla had divested around ten per cent to show the currency could be “liquidated easily without moving market”.
All this may mean commemorative novelty Bitcoin collectors are not just dealing with a cryptocurrency that no longer has Elon Musk opposing it; a renewed link with Tesla might lead to some new versions, such as something connected with Mr Musk’s space adventures.
Who knows, perhaps there could even be a version themed on the eccentric tycoon’s planned mission to Mars.
It is not unusual for Elon Musk to make a u-turn on an issue. He has notably changed his mind on the question of vaccines against Covid19. Having previously expressed scepticism and declared he wouldn’t get the jab, he is now in favour.