- In an interview with Lesley Stahl, Jamie Dimon reaffirmed his long-standing opposition to Bitcoin, a stance he has maintained since as early as 2014.
- Dimon reiterated his belief that Bitcoin lacks intrinsic value, emphasizing his concerns over its speculative nature and association with illegal activities.
JPMorgan Chase’s CEO Jamie Dimon has been one of Bitcoin’s most outspoken critics for years. Despite Bitcoin’s increasing popularity and value, Dimon remains skeptical, consistently citing concerns over its extreme volatility, use in illegal activities, and lack of regulatory oversight.
In a recent interview with CBS, Dimon reiterated his stance, saying, “I just don’t feel great about Bitcoin.” Despite acknowledging Bitcoin’s growing influence, he added that BTC has become heavily associated with illegal activities, including sex trafficking, money laundering, and ransom payments. “Bitcoin itself has no intrinsic value,” Dimon stated, but the CEO emphasized that its use in illicit practices is one of the reasons why he remains uncomfortable with it.
Dimon made an interesting comparison, likening his feelings toward Bitcoin to that of smoking. While he recognizes people’s right to engage in Bitcoin trading, he stated, “I applaud your ability to wanna buy or sell it. Just like I think you have the right to smoke, but I don’t think you should smoke.”
Despite his reservations about Bitcoin, Dimon has shown support for blockchain technology, the underlying infrastructure behind cryptocurrencies. He has praised blockchain for its potential to revolutionize data transfer and financial transactions, acknowledging that JPMorgan has already integrated blockchain for various uses within the bank. “The use of blockchains for money, moving money, moving data, we already use it,” Dimon explained.
Perhaps most surprising is JPMorgan’s involvement in Bitcoin, as Dimon’s bank serves as an authorized participant of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, a spot Bitcoin ETF. This highlights a clear contradiction in Dimon’s views.
Dimon’s criticisms of Bitcoin are not new. Back in 2017, he infamously called Bitcoin a “fraud” and threatened to fire any JPMorgan employees caught trading the cryptocurrency. Last year, Dimon once again advised against investing in Bitcoin, urging people to avoid getting involved in the volatile digital asset.
Bitcoin’s Rise in Value
In contrast, Bitcoin’s market trajectory tells a different story. From being valued at $0 in 2009, the cryptocurrency hit milestones like $69,000 in November 2021 and an all-time high of $108,135 in December 2024. These price surges were driven by key developments, including Bitcoin halving events, the approval of Bitcoin Spot ETFs in January, and Donald Trump winning the 2024 elections against Kamala Harris. Currently, each unit of BTC is trading at 90,597 reflecting a slight decrease of 3.87% in the last 24 hours.
The growing adoption of Bitcoin has prompted discussions in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas, as well as countries like the Czech Republic, about establishing Bitcoin reserves. Despite Dimon’s ongoing criticisms, Bitcoin’s ascent to a projected $150,000 underscores its increasing acceptance as a store of value.
