Buffett's Warned 'Casino Market'... Is the End of the Coin Speculation Game a Crash?

▲ Warren Buffett, Bitcoin/ChatGPT generated image ©

Warren Buffett, the 95-year-old investment guru and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, likened the current market to 'a church with a casino attached,' issuing a strong warning against speculative assets such as virtual assets (coins) and one-day options. Amidst this, news that the International Bank for Financial Settlement officially confirmed XRP (Ripple) as a settlement network highlights a stark contrast between a market that has devolved into extreme speculation and the virtual asset industry's efforts to prove its practical utility.

According to cryptocurrency media Finbold on May 4 (local time), Chairman Buffett lamented in an interview with economic media CNBC, recorded at Berkshire Hathaway's 2026 annual shareholder meeting, that investors have never been so deeply engrossed in gambling as they are now. When asked about macroeconomic market valuations, he strongly criticized the current market sentiment, asserting that buying and selling one-day options is pure gambling, not investment.

Buffett's hostile view on virtual assets remained firm. He maintained his stance from the 2018 shareholder meeting, where he fiercely criticized Bitcoin (BTC) as "rat poison squared," repeatedly emphasizing that virtual assets are purely speculative assets that do not generate cash flow, urging investors to exercise extreme caution.

However, while wary of speculative gambling, Chairman Buffett frankly admitted that young investors hold a true advantage in the technology sector. He stated that he had not learned about new industries for many years and would never be able to surpass the younger generation who have directly used and grown with Web3 technologies and products.

Under this philosophy, Berkshire Hathaway maintains an extremely cautious stance on investing in emerging technology industries. Under the leadership of CEO Greg Abel, who took the helm in January 2026, the company's cash reserves reached an all-time high of $397 billion, but not a single penny was invested in virtual asset investment products approved by regulators, such as Bitcoin spot ETFs.

Nevertheless, Chairman Buffett's long-standing investment philosophy, that the best opportunities are born amidst extreme macroeconomic fear, remains valid. Considering that major stock indices have been hitting new all-time highs recently, while the virtual asset market has experienced a steep decline over the past year, an analysis suggests that the panic that will follow the clearing of speculative bubbles could be a ripe time for new investments.

*Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only, and we are not responsible for any investment losses based on it. The content should be interpreted for informational purposes only.*