At the DealBook Summit 2025, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink openly addressed how far his thinking on Bitcoin has moved over the years. In 2017, he was among the loudest critics of Bitcoin, linking it mainly to illegal activity and misuse. By his own account, that position no longer reflects how he sees the asset today.
Fink explained that his shift did not happen overnight. During the COVID period, he spent time speaking directly with people who believed in Bitcoin’s long-term role. These discussions, combined with changing global financial conditions, pushed him to re-evaluate his stance between 2021 and 2022. He now sees Bitcoin as having real future use cases, especially in a world facing rising debt and currency concerns.
That change in thinking is now visible in BlackRock’s actions. The firm, founded in 1988 and now managing around $13.5 trillion, operates the largest Bitcoin ETF in the market. For Fink, this move stands as a clear and public example of how his outlook evolved after testing his own assumptions.
Bitcoin Seen as Hedge Amid Institutional Adoption
The conversation brought together two individuals from differing finance eras. Brian Armstrong founded Coinbase in 2012 and is currently managing the largest crypto exchange in the USA, boasting almost half a trillion dollars in assets on his platform. Armstrong and Fink had previously disagreed on cryptocurrency trends but trust where it’s headed currently.
None of these leaders is concerned about another long bear run in the crypto market. Armstrong explained that traditionally established institutions first reject new innovations, then, when convinced of their merits, integrate them into their systems.
Some of these traditional institutions fight the innovations using regulation, while others already utilize stablecoins, custody solutions, and blockchain-based trading platforms. Fink pointed out that Bitcoin can be used as a hedge when people are afraid, due to financial trouble or political threats.
It may have high volatility with over 20% devaluations lately, but it always serves as a hedge rather than an investment for long-term investors. Increasing involvement from sovereign wealth funds and large financial organizations shows that this attitude is gaining popularity.
Tokenization Seen as the Next Financial Shift
Aside from Bitcoin, the two leaders also expressed their views on the future of finance through tokenization. Fink discussed how a system can be created wherein stocks, bonds, and even properties are tokenized so that assets can be transferred immediately from digital wallets into an investment without multiple middlemen.
With over $4 trillion already residing in digital wallets, he considers it an efficiency problem waiting to be solved. Armstrong agreed that stablecoins and tokenized assets could simplify payments, borrowing, and raising money.
Armstrong is convinced that banks will turn to these services, rather than resisting their implementation. Though the US has made progress through some legislation, they both feel that other countries, like India and Brazil, are forging ahead.
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