November 4, 2025
Swipe right for your social score
BlackRock's Larry Fink: "Tokenization", Digital IDs, & Social Credit
BlackRock’s boss pushes digital IDs; commenters yell “social credit” and vow to pay in cash
TLDR: BlackRock’s Larry Fink hyped a future of digital IDs and turning assets into online tokens, sparking fears of a China-style “social credit” system. Commenters fired back with cash-only rebellion, crypto irony, and corporate power angst—arguing whether this is progress or a polished control scheme that could decide access to life’s basics
Larry Fink, the head of BlackRock and now interim co-chair at the World Economic Forum, is talking up a future where everything we own becomes a digital chip on a shared list, verified by a digital ID. Fans call it efficient; critics hear “social credit score” and see a Black Mirror rerun. One line claiming “digital footprints are the new credit scores” set the tone. The crowd’s vibe? Suspicious, spicy, and very online.
The top clapback: “You first, Larry,” with users saying any “social score” would make elites untouchable. A cash rebellion ignited as one commenter urged, “Use cash… spend it local,” treating paper bills like the new protest sign. Crypto got roasted too—people joked the “bank-free future” accidentally built the blueprint for this, with terms like “tokens” and “ledger” now corporate lingo. Others dragged past corporate activism, calling ESG (environmental, social, governance rules) “creepy,” and slammed index funds—those passive stock baskets—for wielding massive voting power while “renting success.” Politics bubbled up with side-eyes over big-money ties and who’s really steering the ship.
Translation for non-nerds: “Tokenization” means turning assets into tradable digital receipts; a “digital ID” is one login for your life; “social credit” is a score that could decide what you can access. The drama? Whether this is slick modernization—or a velvet-glove control grid. The internet came ready with jokes, panic, and plans to tip in cash anyway
Key Points
- •The article reports Klaus Schwab’s departure from the WEF and the appointment of André Hoffmann and Larry Fink as interim Co-Chairs.
- •Hoffmann and Fink issued an August statement describing a “pivotal transition” and reaffirming the WEF’s mission of public-private collaboration.
- •Larry Fink is cited as asserting that the financial sector is at the beginning of tokenizing all assets.
- •The article discusses digital identity and suggests that digital payment footprints act as modern credit scores for small merchants.
- •BlackRock is described as overseeing nearly $13.5 trillion and influencing thousands of companies valued at $4.35 trillion; the article notes Trump’s good relationship with BlackRock.