Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary says the debate over whether Bitcoin has intrinsic value is already over for institutional investors.
In an interview with Yellow.com, he argued that 16–17 years of non-zero performance and the ability to generate yield have pushed BTC into the same category as other long-term portfolio components, regardless of what skeptics like Peter Schiff continue to claim.
Bitcoin’s Critics 'Are Just Noise,' O’Leary Says
O’Leary dismissed the idea that opponents such as Schiff still shape the asset’s long-term trajectory.
“There are people that will never own it,” he said, noting that some investors still believe quantum computing could break the chain. “But that to me is not the signal, it’s just noise.”
He emphasized that portfolio construction, not ideology, determines how institutions will treat digital assets.
If critics insist Bitcoin will go to zero, O’Leary says the solution is simple diversification.
“Even if it goes to zero, it doesn’t wipe you out.”
His own BTC position sits under 5%, similar to long-held allocations he uses for gold.
Why Institutions Will Still Buy BTC Despite Skeptics
O’Leary argues that 17 years of data matter far more than personal belief. “It was never zero,” he said.
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Instead, Bitcoin now resembles an early-stage commodity with a track record long enough for institutional analysis.
He expects that once regulation such as the Clarity Act is finalized, allocators will treat BTC and ETH like any other portfolio components, judged on liquidity, volatility bands, and yield potential.
O’Leary further said that wrapped BTC and ETH already offer modest yield, making them more attractive than gold in some cases.
He added that his broader crypto infrastructure portfolio, including exchanges and power companies, is currently outperforming Bitcoin itself due to AI-linked growth in data-center demand.
Diversification, Not Maximalism
O’Leary rejected both the “zero-value” view and the idea that investors should go all-in. His core point: institutions only care about compliant diversification.
“Your mantra is preservation of capital with yield,” he said. “There’s only so many things you can do without taking inordinate risk.”
Asked whether he would debate Schiff directly, O’Leary didn’t rule it out but said the conversation would ultimately be about portfolio theory, not ideology. “People should listen to him,” he said of Schiff. “But so far he’s been wrong.”
He added that listening to critics is part of the process, it’s why he limits BTC and ETH to low single-digit weights.
But he stressed that for institutions, the question is no longer whether Bitcoin is real, but where it fits.
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