‘Heads bankers win, tails taxpayers lose’: Robert Kiyosaki explains why the system is rigged

Bestselling author and financial commentator Robert Kiyosaki has issued a stark warning about who pays the price during economic downturns, arguing that the global financial system is structured to shield banks while passing losses on to ordinary taxpayers. 

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Rich Dad Poor Dad author said the world economy was facing renewed stress and claimed that bankers ultimately “win” regardless of whether markets rise or fall. “Heads bankers win… tails bankers win… but you lose,” Kiyosaki wrote, framing the system as one in which financial institutions retain profits during boom years while the public absorbs losses during crises. 

‘Privatise wins, socialise losses’ 

Kiyosaki argued that the core dynamic of modern finance can be summed up as “privatise our wins… socialise our losses”. According to him, when banks perform well, profits are kept private, but when they incur losses, governments step in — often funded by taxpayers — to stabilise the system. 

He pointed to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis as a prime example, saying that when banks lost billions, the public effectively paid the bill through higher taxes and government bailouts. “That is why the name of the game is heads bankers win… tails bankers win… taxpayers lose,” he said. 

Cash flow and control 

The author claimed that bankers wield outsized influence because they control global cash flows, allowing them to shape economic outcomes in their favour. This control, he suggested, leaves everyday taxpayers exposed during periods of financial instability, particularly when governments intervene to rescue large institutions deemed “too big to fail”. 

Turning away from the system 

Kiyosaki said he has chosen not to “play that game”, advocating instead for legally minimising taxes and holding tangible assets outside the traditional banking system. He highlighted investments such as physical gold and silver, as well as cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as alternatives to bank-dependent financial assets. 

He also promoted Tax-Free Wealth, a book by his adviser Tom Wheelwright, which focuses on legal tax strategies. Kiyosaki framed tax planning as a matter of financial education rather than avoidance, urging readers to “get smarter with your money”. 

Historical reference and broader claim 

Invoking the Boston Tea Party of 1773, Kiyosaki said the United States was founded in opposition to excessive taxation, adding that, in his view, wealthy individuals in many countries legally pay less tax due to how systems are structured. “Don’t be a loser,” he concluded in his post, encouraging followers to rethink their approach to money as economic uncertainty grows.