Bitcoin's lack of attention has come into focus as warnings grow about its long-term appeal. | Source: CCN.
Share
Key Takeaways
Philippe Laffont questions Bitcoin’s role.
Crypto traders are divided.
Other figureheads have had public outlook switches.
Billionaire hedge fund manager Philippe Laffont has raised doubts about Bitcoin’s long-term role and price projection, saying he is a “little bit more worried.”
The comments have prompted a divided reaction from traders on social media, as analysts continue to debate whether BTC’s current decline will continue.
Try Our Recommended Crypto Exchanges
Sponsored
Disclosure
We sometimes use affiliate links in our content, when clicking on those we might receive a commission at no extra cost to you. By using this website you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.
Speaking during an interview on CNBC, the billionaire investor said he was increasingly uncertain about Bitcoin’s future as alternative investment opportunities emerge.
“I don’t know what to think about Bitcoin anymore,” Laffont said.
The billionaire investor argued that Bitcoin previously benefited from a lack of alternative speculative opportunities available to investors.
“We have these big IPOs on one side, and then we have stablecoins on the other,” he said.
Laffont pointed to companies such as SpaceX and emerging AI businesses as examples of investments he finds easier to evaluate over the long term than Bitcoin.
“I’m a little bit more worried, and I would rather bet on SpaceX going to quadruple over the next 20 years, or these intelligence models,” he said.
Why He’s Worried About Bitcoin
Laffont’s concerns focus on its perceived purpose within the investment landscape.
According to the investor, Bitcoin may have originally filled a unique niche by offering an alternative to traditional financial markets.
However, he argued that the rise of stablecoins and other options has reduced Bitcoin’s exclusivity.
“When I speak to people about Bitcoin, it’s a bit like a cult — you’re either in or you’re not,” he said.
Laffont’s remarks triggered strong reactions from crypto traders and investors on X, with many rejecting the notion that Bitcoin’s relevance is fading.
One user wrote: “Funny, last year he couldn’t wait for the price to drop and now he doesn’t want to own it when it’s on sale…”
Others, however, said Laffont’s concerns reflected questions that many investors have been quietly asking.
“Exactly my take. Wall Street stripped the soul out of $BTC, and now even the billionaires are getting bored and looking at Space/AI,” another user wrote.
No One Cares About Bitcoin?
Bitcoin’s place in the financial system is increasingly being questioned, with some analysts arguing the crypto has lost momentum as investor interest fades.
Speaking on the All-In Markets podcast, SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci said Bitcoin is suffering from a severe lack of attention.
“The apathy is there — no one cares about it anymore,” Scaramucci said, pointing to declining Google search activity and subdued retail interest.
Scaramucci: Bitcoin's RSI is at an all-time low. Google searches are way down. Long-term holders now control a record 79% of supply.
Is this a dead asset or bottom signal?
Novogratz: "It will get its narrative back."
The debasement trade returns the moment the Fed pivots.
“It will get its narrative back,” he said. “The debasement trade returns the moment the Fed pivots.”
For long-term investors, Novogratz suggested waiting until “March of next year before you scratch your head.”
A Sharp Shift From Last Year’s Regret
Laffont’s latest comments mark a notable change in tone from the remarks he made just one year ago.
Speaking about BTC previously, the billionaire admitted on CNBC last year that he regretted not gaining exposure to the crypto during its rise.
“You know I have not gotten involved with Bitcoin. And I wake up every day at three in the morning and I’m like, why am I such an idiot? What have I been waiting for? Not being involved in it,” Laffont said at the time.
“And it just goes up and up in the past. I think this is interesting.”
The contrast between those comments and his latest assessment shows how rapidly investor sentiment around BTC can evolve.
Changing Outlooks
Laffont is not the first high-profile investor to dramatically change his stance on Bitcoin.
Kevin O’Leary, the chairman of O’Leary Ventures and a longtime “Shark Tank” investor, has repeatedly shifted his position on crypto over the years as the industry evolved.
In 2019, O’Leary described BTC as “garbage” and a “useless currency,” arguing that its volatility and limited use in large transactions made it unsuitable as an investment.
However, he later reversed course as governments, including Canada, Switzerland, and Australia, moved to embrace the sector.
“Facts changed,” O’Leary previously said.
Kevin O’Leary went from calling crypto “garbage” to being a defender of Bitcoin and Ethereum. | Source: CCN
O’Leary said growing policy support and interest from major financial institutions convinced him that crypto was developing into a legitimate asset class.
He subsequently invested in several crypto-related businesses, including collapsed exchange FTX, which he said gave him “an inside seat” in the industry.
The investment ultimately proved costly.
“I put about $9.7 million into crypto… I think that’s what I’ve lost. It’s all at zero,” O’Leary told CNBC in 2022.
“All the data, all the coins, everything,” he added.
Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
