You can be on Entrepreneur’s cover!

Charlie Munger Slams 'Stupid' and 'Evil' Bitcoin, Says Communist China's Leader Was Right to Ban It During Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholders meeting, Munger and Warren Buffett ripped into the cryptocurrency.

By Amanda Breen

entrepreneur daily

It's no secret that Berkshire Hathaway and its owner/CEO Warren Buffett aren't ardent backers of Bitcoin; just a few years ago, the billionaire investor referred to the cryptocurrency as "rat poison squared." But at the conglomerate's annual shareholders meeting on Saturday, Buffett gave the most comprehensive reason yet for his distrust of Bitcoin, and vice chairman Charlie Munger had some choice words for it too, CNBC reports.

Despite a rocky market in recent months, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies remain attractive to some investors. But Buffett said that Bitcoin isn't a productive asset, as it doesn't produce anything tangible. Although he couldn't say for sure if Bitcoin would be up or down in a decade's time, he did note its appeal, saying, "It's got a magic to it, and people have attached magic to lots of things."

Bitcoin's staunchest advocates generally consider the cryptocurrency a passive asset to be bought and held, hoping its price climbs over time. But some investors have turned to alternative, less mainstream cryptocurrencies that can be used for lending or as collateral. Of course, those coins are highly speculative.

Related: Warren Buffett Makes More Than $120 Billion on Apple's $3 Trillion Milestone

Buffett used a real estate example to explain his stance. "[If] you offer me 1% of all the apartment houses in the country and you want another $25 billion, I'll write you a check, it's very simple," Buffett said. "Now if you told me you own all of the bitcoin in the world and you offered it to me for $25 I wouldn't take it because what would I do with it? I'd have to sell it back to you one way or another. It isn't going to do anything."

At one point, Buffett held up a $20 bill, saying, "There's no reason in the world why the United States government … is going to let Berkshire money replace theirs."

Munger, Buffett's so-called right-hand man, expressed a similar sentiment. "In my life, I try and avoid things that are stupid and evil and make me look bad in comparison to somebody else – and bitcoin does all three," he said. "In the first place, it's stupid because it's still likely to go to zero. It's evil because it undermines the Federal Reserve System ... and third, it makes us look foolish compared to the Communist leader in China. He was smart enough to ban bitcoin in China."

Related: Warren Buffett Just Announced His Biggest Deal in Years

Bitcoin was up nearly 1% this morning, trading at just under $39,000.

Berkshire Hathaway's Class A shares were up 0.15%, trading at more than $485,000.

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

He Took His Side Hustle Full-Time After Being Laid Off From Meta in 2023 — Now He Earns About $200,000 a Year: 'Sweet, Sweet Irony'

When Scott Goodfriend moved from Los Angeles to New York City, he became "obsessed" with the city's culinary offerings — and saw a business opportunity.

Business News

Some Costco Stores Are Now Selling a Frozen Item That Looks Just Like a Trader Joe's Fan Favorite

The Frozen Kimbap is a Trader Joe's cult favorite, and now a version can be found at Costco, too.

Science & Technology

AI Will Radically Transform the Workplace — Here's How HR Teams Can Prepare for It

HR intrapreneurs are emerging as key drivers of AI reskilling, thoughtful organizational restructuring and ethical integration, shaping an inclusive future where technology enhances both efficiency and employee development.

Marketing

Why This One Unique Marketing Approach is the Key to Business Growth

Adopting this approach now will help you succeed and see consistent, measurable growth over the long term.

Health & Wellness

How This Millionaire Investor Overcame Opioid Addiction to Become the World's Fastest Marathoner Over 50

Ken Rideout shares five invaluable lessons for achieving peak performance physically and mentally.