Bill Gates is generally skeptical of Bitcoin, viewing it as a speculative "greater fool theory" investment with high energy use, lacking real-world value, and enabling illicit activities, though he acknowledges the underlying blockchain tech's potential for transparent, reversible digital transactions that the Gates Foundation explores. He doesn't own Bitcoin, preferring investments in tangible products, and warns average investors against crypto's volatility, contrasting it with Elon Musk's capacity to absorb losses.
Bill Gates has made it clear—he's not a fan of cryptocurrency. And he's not just skeptical; he flat-out thinks it has no value. "None," he told The New York Times in a January interview. That's a pretty bold stance coming from one of the most successful tech minds in history.
Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego, a billionaire from Mexico and one of the three richest people in the country, has put 70% of his wealth in bitcoin.
Billionaires betting big on Bitcoin include Israel Englander, Paul Tudor Jones, and Alan Howard.
As for Cuban, he has been a vocal Bitcoin backer for many years and even endorsed it as a superior alternative to gold during economic crises.
It does not have all the values of real or fiat currencies. Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, are different from stocks and real money. Crypto is not regulated like stocks or insured like real money in banks. Crypto's high risks can offer big rewards or huge losses.
Key Takeaways. The IRS treats cryptocurrency as property, meaning that when you buy, sell or exchange it, this counts as a taxable event and typically results in either a capital gain or loss. When you earn income from cryptocurrency activities, this is taxed as ordinary income.
As of June 2, 2025, 0.01 Bitcoin (BTC) is valued at approximately $1,042.48 USD, based on the current BTC price of $104,248. Various analysts and institutions have provided forecasts for Bitcoin's price in 2030: CoinCodex: Projects a range between $136,962 and $308,966.
In American president Donald Trump's first term, he had opposed cryptocurrency, calling it "not money" and "based on thin air". He had told Fox Business in 2021 that Bitcoin "seems like a scam" to compete with the U.S. dollar. In his second presidency, Trump campaigned for digital assets.
Tesla dumps 75% Bitcoin holdings
Despite this, Musk never entirely abandoned Bitcoin. He has repeatedly described himself as a supporter of “crypto in principle”, often distinguishing between its technological merits and its environmental footprint.
Meta $META (META) co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is ambitious about experimenting with cryptocurrency. His company once ventured into cryptocurrency development with a project called Diem, initially known as Libra.
A programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz famously bought two pizzas with 10,000 Bitcoin on May 22, 2010, marking the first real-world commercial use of the cryptocurrency, a day now celebrated as "Bitcoin Pizza Day". At the time, the Bitcoin were worth around $41, but today that amount would be worth hundreds of millions, making it arguably the most expensive pizza purchase ever, though Hanyecz has stated he has no regrets, as it demonstrated Bitcoin's utility.
Ramsey's Simple Three-Investment Rule
In a 2024 video, Ramsey said, "I have three investments — that's all I have: my business, paid-for real estate and mutual funds. I don't play single stocks. I don't screw around with gold. I don't mess with Bitcoin."
The United States holds the most government-owned Bitcoin, primarily from law enforcement seizures, followed closely by China, which holds seized Bitcoin despite bans, with the UK, Ukraine, and El Salvador also having notable reserves, though exact figures fluctuate. The US government's holdings, estimated around 200,000 BTC, are largely from seizing illicit funds, solidifying its top position as a state holder.
"We are concerned about rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and transactions," Musk explained in a tweet, "especially coal, which has the worst emissions of any fuel."
We've seen people quickly grow their wealth and change their life. And we've seen that success means different things to different people. So in this article, we meet many bitcoin millionaires, including an apprentice who bought a house, a retiree who can't stop smiling, and a student who was a millionaire by 18.