Except they don't need customers. They need growth. They need the line to go up. Once we get to the point where the masses become obsolete, they'll just fabricate some excuse to push us to the margins and/or eliminate us and then they'll pivot their investments into purely speculative ventures.

Whether it's some kind of crypto-currency, or real estate, or just betting on clouds, they'll find a way to induce "growth" in their portfolios, even as the underlying investments and the money they represent become increasingly meaningless. The number is just a convenient way for them to sort themselves into a hierarchy.