On stage at the Bitcoin Conference 2024 today, Jan van Eck announced that way over 30% of his portfolio is in Bitcoin.

Van Eck, CEO of the investment management firm VanEck, frequently compares Bitcoin to gold, viewing it as “digital gold” and a potential store of value. In an environment where global monetary stimulus erodes purchasing power, van Eck suggests that Bitcoin could outperform traditional currencies. Furthermore, he emphasizes Bitcoin’s role as an uncorrelated asset in investment portfolios, offering diversification benefits.

VanEck has made several notable predictions about Bitcoin’s potential value, asserting that it could potentially reach $2.9 million by 2050. He remains bullish on crypto markets, particularly Bitcoin, citing its limited supply and increasing demand as key drivers.

As the CEO of VanEck, managing around $100 billion in assets and offering spot Bitcoin investment products, van Eck has keen insights into Bitcoin ETFs. He emphasizes the importance of considering which ETF provider truly supports the Bitcoin ecosystem when investors choose a Bitcoin ETF.

Interestingly, van Eck has recently shifted focus from Bitcoin to the broader implications of blockchain technology. He believes that transaction fees and network activity are a more critical story than Bitcoin or Ethereum ETFs. Van Eck highlights the unpredictability of transaction fees on Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains as a barrier to building applications in these ecosystems. He praises solutions like Solana and Layer 2 protocols for offering more affordable and predictable transaction costs, which he sees as crucial for the future development of useful applications in the crypto space. VanEck filed for a Solana ETF with the SEC as a bet on Trump winning the election and continuing to be friendly toward crypto.

Van Eck advises investors to approach the asset class with a long-term perspective while also cautioning about the risks of investing in cryptocurrencies. He emphasizes the importance of understanding Bitcoin’s unique characteristics and potential role in a diversified investment portfolio. He appears to be ‘putting his money where his mouth is’ by investing over a third of his own funds into Bitcoin.