Coindesk Logo

Bill Gates Says He's 'Neutral' on Bitcoin

Bill Gates Says He's 'Neutral' on Bitcoin

Bill Gates Says He's 'Neutral' on Bitcoin

Gates has previously criticized cryptocurrencies and said he'd short bitcoin "if there was an easy way to do it."

Gates has previously criticized cryptocurrencies and said he'd short bitcoin "if there was an easy way to do it."

Gates has previously criticized cryptocurrencies and said he'd short bitcoin "if there was an easy way to do it."

AccessTimeIconFeb 18, 2021, 3:25 PM
Updated Aug 19, 2021, 7:21 AM

Presented By Icon

Election 2024 coverage presented by

Stand with crypto

Bill Gates has said he has a "neutral view" on bitcoin, but does recognize the importance of bringing down the costs of moving money.

  • In an interview with CNBC Thursday, Gates said, "I don't own bitcoin. I'm not short bitcoin."
  • The Microsoft co-founder said that digitizing money and bringing down transaction costs is "something the Gates Foundation does in developing countries."
  • The Foundation takes a focus on reversing charges and adding greater transparency, rather than protecting anonymity, he added.
  • Gates further pointed to the volatility of bitcoin driven by "mania" and the difficulty of predicting how prices will progress.
  • He previously said in May 2018 that he would short bitcoin "if there was an easy way to do it" and that he had been given a bitcoin as a birthday present but sold it shortly after.
  • Crypto enthusiasts were less than happy during a 2018 Reddit AMA when Gates claimed the anonymity of cryptocurrency had "caused deaths in a fairly direct way".

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information have been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of the Bullish group, which owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish group equity-based compensation. Bullish was incubated by technology investor Block.one.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.