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9 Reasons Suze Orman Loves Bitcoin as an Investment

Here’s why one famous financial advisor tells you not to sleep on investing in Bitcoin.

By Holly Humbert

Edited by Laura Ratliff

Updated Dec. 17, 2024

Suze Orman is “America’s favorite financial advisor,” author, and podcast host. She’s written 11 books on personal finance, covering everything from retirement mistakes to financial abundance.

However, unlike other big names in finance like Dave Ramsey, Orman is pro-bitcoin and has been vocal about her reasons for investing in the cryptocurrency.

Here, we share nine reasons Orman says you should start investing in Bitcoin. But, keep in mind, this is not investment advice and all investments carry risk, especially crypto.

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Historical performance

Orman highlights Bitcoin's solid historical performance, with a 117% increase over the past 12 months — compared to the S&P 500's 36% YTD.

While she doesn't recommend putting all your eggs in the Bitcoin basket, she cites its massive potential as a reason investors should consider adding it to their portfolio.

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Appeal to younger generations

About 70% of cryptocurrency is owned by Gen Z and millennials. Orman believes that Bitcoin’s popularity with these age groups will likely drive future demand.

Bitcoin has a limited supply of just 21 million coins, meaning increased demand could push its price higher as these young investors age.

High-risk, high reward

Orman sees Bitcoin as a high-risk asset that could lead to substantial gains — for those willing to accept its volatility. She advises investing only as much as you can afford to lose, suggesting a cautious approach despite the potential payoff.

Financial experts typically recommend allocating no more than 5% to high-risk investments to avoid overextending yourself.

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Ability to invest in ETFs

To avoid some of the complexities and risks of holding Bitcoin directly, Orman recommends investing through a Bitcoin spot ETF.

This way, you don’t need a separate passcode or a crypto wallet. You can also see all your investments, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs in one place.

Store of value

For Orman, the possibility of Bitcoin as a long-term store of value is not part of why she likes or recommends it.

However, the resilience of Bitcoin as an asset is the draw for many crypto investors. Bitcoin is often called digital gold because, like precious metals, there is a limited supply worldwide.

Currency potential

Orman does not believe Bitcoin will be used as everyday currency. However, over 15,000 businesses worldwide now accept Bitcoin as a form of payment, and more businesses are expected to start accepting it.

Even if your local grocery store doesn’t accept Bitcoin, third-party apps exist that allow you to use your cryptocurrency with the ease of a debit card.

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Protection against inflation

Some people view Bitcoin as a way to protect against currency collapse and inflation. Even though cryptocurrency is more volatile than other investments, it's regarded as an excellent long-term investment to combat inflation because it holds its value for an extended period.

Transparent currency

Because Bitcoin is decentralized, it isn’t controlled by third parties like a government or financial institution. Millennials and Gen Z are excited about crypto's transparency.

Despite potential ups and downs, young investors are happy about cryptocurrency's potential to even the financial playing field against big banks and Wall Street firms.

Acknowledgement of volatility

Orman is the first to suggest that Bitcoin is an “all-or-nothing” investment. She knows that Bitcoin and cryptocurrency carry considerable risks.

She told Yahoo Finance, “This is an investment that you’re either going to lose it all, or you’re going to let it run until it’s worth $100,000 or $200,000.” Orman’s interest in Bitcoin is due to market demand, not foundational financial principles.

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Words of caution

Orman’s basic advice is, “Everybody should absolutely have exposure to Bitcoin.” She then follows that suggestion with a warning, “But in case I’m wrong — and I’ve been wrong — you gotta be OK with losing that money.

So put as much money in there as you’re OK losing.” Bitcoin is currently performing well in the market, but all investments come with risks.

Bottom line

Orman likes Bitcoin because it’s popular with the aging Millennials and Gen Z generations. As these investors continue to earn and invest more, Orman is hedging her bets that the demand for Bitcoin will skyrocket, along with her net worth.

While some investors hope to build wealth by investing in Bitcoin, financial experts are still concerned about the volatility of crypto and the risks it poses to other financial markets.

Along with Orman, they warn investors to proceed cautiously regarding Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

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