Does Warren Buffett Really Hate Crypto? His Berkshire Hathaway Tells a Different Story

When Bitcoin price dropping becomes headlines, one name inevitably surfaces: Warren Buffett. The Oracle of Omaha has built a legendary reputation as crypto’s most vocal skeptic, yet recent moves by his company Berkshire Hathaway reveal a more nuanced reality than his public statements suggest.

The Public Record: Years of Harsh Critique

Buffett’s opposition to cryptocurrency isn’t subtle. During a 2018 Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting, he delivered what became his most famous condemnation, calling Bitcoin “probably rat poison squared.” His longtime partner Charlie Munger didn’t mince words either, describing crypto trading as “just dementia.”

That same year, Buffett went further, warning investors to stay away entirely. “In terms of cryptocurrencies, generally, I can say with almost certainty that they will come to a bad ending,” he declared to CNBC. The message was crystal clear: avoid digital assets at all costs.

His dismissal remained consistent into 2022. When Bitcoin hit extraordinary milestones, Buffett doubled down on his skepticism. “If you told me you own all of the Bitcoin in the world and you offered it to me for $25, I wouldn’t take it because what would I do with it?” he said during another shareholders meeting. “It isn’t going to do anything.”

The Contradiction: Indirect Crypto Exposure

Here’s where the story gets interesting. While Buffett publicly scorns cryptocurrency, Berkshire Hathaway has quietly built exposure to the sector through strategic investments. In 2021, the company invested $500 million in Nu Holdings, a Brazilian digital banking firm, followed by an additional $250 million. The significance? Nu operates its own cryptocurrency platform.

That’s not the only connection. Berkshire Hathaway holds 433,558 shares of Jefferies Financial Group Inc., a company with substantial holdings in iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF—the world’s largest spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund. This indirect positioning contradicts Buffett’s public dismissal.

Bitcoin Price Dynamics and Market Sentiment

Bitcoin’s recent surge to $100,000 marks a turning point that even skeptics must acknowledge. The cryptocurrency’s trajectory reflects broader market acceptance, particularly following political developments that have shifted institutional sentiment. While Bitcoin price dropping concerns investors regularly, the long-term trend demonstrates resilience that challenges Buffett’s earlier predictions of a “bad ending.”

What This Really Means

The gap between Buffett’s rhetoric and Berkshire Hathaway’s actions suggests a pragmatic acknowledgment: cryptocurrency, whether philosophically embraced or not, represents a significant economic force. The company’s measured exposure—substantial enough to matter but small relative to its $1 trillion valuation—reflects calculated risk management rather than ideological conviction.

Buffett may never personally endorse Bitcoin, but his firm’s positioning indicates Berkshire Hathaway is hedging against the scenario Buffett repeatedly predicted won’t happen. Whether this represents a philosophical shift or simply fiduciary prudence remains unclear, but the evidence suggests that dismissing crypto entirely has become a luxury even the world’s most famous investor may no longer afford.