Known for his love of royalty deals, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary is now exploring areas he once criticized. He has undergone a major shift in his investment strategy; once a vocal critic of cryptocurrency, he now speaks in favor of it, particularly Bitcoin and Ethereum.
He believes owning only Bitcoin and Ethereum is enough to capture most of the market’s swings and potential gains.
In other words, it is like investing in the stocks of Berkshire Hathaway or Tesla. Odds are more often and likely to be in your favor than not. In today’s volatile day and age of tariffs and political unrest, this goes a long way toward the peace of mind of the investor.
Kevin’s Word of Crypto Wisdom
O’Leary recently said on record that chasing multiple smaller tokens in the market is a waste of time. He advised focusing on Bitcoin and Ethereum as the best way to unlock the real potential of cryptocurrency. To quote him, “You could own Bitcoin and Ethereum, and you would capture more than 90% of the alpha or price volatility of the entire crypto market.”
who once dismissed crypto entirely, now believes that chasing multiple smaller tokens is a waste of time. Instead, he focuses on Bitcoin and Ethereum to capture the majority of the market’s gains.
The growth of tokenized assets, stablecoins, and digital payment systems shows how deeply Wall Street is moving into blockchain. And according to Kevin, the clearest way to benefit from that growth is by holding ETH. He considers ETH to be the strongest product in the space.
The New Landscape of Finance
Kevin has also put money into companies like Circle, Coinbase, and Robinhood as a way to invest in the infrastructure that supports the industry.
He elucidated on the same, saying, “I don’t just buy the asset; I buy the infrastructure. That means the exchanges: so I own Robinhood, I own Coinbase, I own WonderFi…The great thing about an exchange in crypto, you make money regardless of the asset price or the volatility.”
Mr. Wonderful said his strategy is like the businesspeople during the Gold Rush who sold tools and supplies instead of hunting for gold. He focuses on supporting the infrastructure rather than chasing the reward directly.
“Everybody needed those, and if afterwards someone found gold, you could buy it from them at spot prices, which is what I do. But I like the infrastructure.”
He also pointed out that Gen Z investors are blending cryptocurrency like Bitcoin and Ethereum with traditional stocks. He reflected that such eclectic opportunities weren’t available when he first started investing.
Kevin O’Leary on Bitcoin Previously
Kevin O’Leary has been famously noted to dismiss bitcoin earlier in his career. He had called it “garbage” to be more precise.
Fast forward a few years, and nearly 20% of his portfolio is now in crypto-related assets. His enthusiasm for the same goes beyond holding coins. When you are Kevin O’Leary, you can also invest in companies and platforms that make the crypto market work.
He credited the growing acceptance of cryptocurrency by governments and regulators for his change of heart.
From Setback to Comeback in Crypto
Earlier, the Shark Tank investor supported FTX as a paid spokesperson. The exchange later collapsed in 2022 as its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, was convicted of fraud.
The collapse of FTX also hit O’Leary personally, costing him the full $15 million from his endorsement. He said he had fallen into a “groupthink” hole. Lawsuits targeted him and other celebrity promoters like Tom Brady and Larry David, but most of the claims were dismissed in court.
Kevin’s comments on the incident were: “It’s unfortunate what happened. That caused me a lot of grief, and I got a lot of scrutiny for it…I just told the truth, which ended up being the truth, and that’s how it ended.”
Even after his past misstep, O’Leary has returned to promoting crypto. He credited his return to the lack of “cowboys” in the industry. “They’re all in jail, they’re felons, or whatever it is.”
Lessons from Mr. Wonderful’s Approach
Kevin O’Leary’s journey shows that even seasoned investors can change course when the landscape evolves. In his typical Mr. Wonderful style, he looks beyond quick wins. This involves focusing on assets and the platforms that sustain them. One can say that this is reflective of his affinity for royalty-based deals.
Mr. Wonderful’s approach reflects a balance of strategy and adaptability that younger investors are already embracing. It is the value of thinking long-term and staying grounded, even in fast-moving sectors like crypto.
