Moments of Candor from Charlie Munger: From Bitcoin to Jack Ma and Elon Musk, He Was 'Not Impressed'

比推Published on 2025-12-12Last updated on 2025-12-12

Abstract

Charlie Munger, the renowned investor, expressed strong criticisms of Bitcoin and Elon Musk while reflecting on his investment missteps with Alibaba. He described Bitcoin as "stupid, evil, and disgusting," arguing it undermines national currency systems and has no intrinsic value, likely to eventually become worthless. He praised China’s ban on cryptocurrency and compared trading Bitcoin to trading "turds" or "baby brains." Regarding Elon Musk, Munger acknowledged his genius but warned against his overconfidence, stating he would neither invest in nor short Tesla stock. On Alibaba, Munger admitted it was one of his biggest mistakes, criticizing both the company's retail nature and founder Jack Ma’s arrogance toward Chinese regulators. Munger emphasized the importance of independent thinking and learning from errors.

Charlie Munger has commented on Bitcoin and Elon Musk. Looking back today, some of his views may have been right, some wrong, and some of his reflections on mistakes may not be entirely accurate (for example, his failed investment in Alibaba, which he attributed to it being a damn retailer); some still require further verification.

Compiled as follows:

Munger's comments on Bitcoin:

  • Munger stated: "Bitcoin is stupid, evil, and makes people feel foolish."

    • "In my life, I try to avoid things that are stupid, and evil, and make me look bad in comparison to someone else, and bitcoin does all three."

  • Munger stated: "Bitcoin is very likely to go to zero, and it undermines the integrity of the Federal Reserve and the national currency system."

    • "It’s stupid because it’s very likely to go to zero, and it’s evil because it undermines the Federal Reserve System and national currency system, which we desperately need to maintain its integrity and government control and so on."

  • Munger said: "China's leaders wisely banned Bitcoin, and with all our presumed advantages of civilization, we are a lot dumber than the communist leader in China."

    • "He was smart enough to ban bitcoin in China, and with all our presumed advantages of civilization, we are a lot dumber than the communist leader in China."

  • Munger said: "Bitcoin is disgusting and contrary to the interests of civilization.”

    • "Bitcoin is disgusting and contrary to the interests of civilization.”

  • Munger said: "Trading cryptocurrencies is nauseating, like trading excrement."

    • “It’s like somebody else is trading turds and you decide, ‘I can’t be left out’.”

  • Munger also analogized: "If you could make money by trading freshly harvested baby brains, would you do it? Bitcoin is almost equally repulsive."

    • “Imagine if you could profit from trading freshly harvested baby brains. You wouldn’t engage in that, would you? It’s an abhorrent idea. To me, Bitcoin is nearly as objectionable. I see it as a mix of insanity and immorality. Those promoting it are a disgrace.”

  • Munger said: "I am not proud of my country for allowing this crypto garbage — it's worthless, very crazy, and absolutely harmful."

    • "I'm not proud of my country for allowing this crap — well, I call it crypto shit. It's worthless, it's crazy, it's not good, it ..."

Munger's comments on Elon Musk:

  • Munger said: "I wouldn't buy his stock, nor would I short it."

    • "I wouldn’t buy his stock, nor would I short it."

  • Munger on Musk: "He is a genius, but overconfident; never underestimate a man who overestimates himself."

    • “Never underestimate the man who overestimates himself.”

Munger's comments on Alibaba:

  • Munger said: "I consider investing in Alibaba one of the biggest mistakes I ever made."

    • "I regard Alibaba as one of the biggest mistakes I ever made."

  • Munger said: "At the time, I was charmed by their position in the Chinese internet sector and didn't realize that at its core, it was still a damn retailer. The internet industry is fiercely competitive; it won't be a cakewalk for everyone."

    • "I got charmed by their position in the Chinese internet; I didn't stop to realize they're still a goddamn retailer. It's going to be a competitive business, the internet — it's not going to be a cakewalk for everybody."

  • Munger criticized Jack Ma for being "very arrogant" in dealing with the Chinese government, stating that his public criticism of regulators was a "very stupid" move.

    • "Jack Ma was — made mistakes in dealing with the Chinese government. I think he was very arrogant for publicly taking shots at Chinese regulators. Pretty stupid, it's like poking a bear in the nose with a sharp stick. It's not smart. And Jack Ma got way out of line by popping off the way he did to the Chinese government. And of course it hurt Alibaba."

  • Munger admitted to constantly reflecting on his investment in Alibaba: "I keep reminding myself of the mistakes I've made because I think it's good for me."

    • "I keep rubbing my own nose in my own mistakes like I'm doing now because I think it's good for myself."

This further tells us that everyone should be an independent thinker. Blind faith in books is worse than having no books at all.


Twitter:https://twitter.com/BitpushNewsCN

Bitpush TG Discussion Group:https://t.me/BitPushCommunity

Bitpush TG Subscription: https://t.me/bitpush

Original article link:https://www.bitpush.news/articles/7595194

Related Questions

QWhat was Charlie Munger's overall opinion on Bitcoin according to the article?

ACharlie Munger considered Bitcoin to be 'stupid, evil, and makes people feel stupid.' He believed it was likely to go to zero, undermined the national currency system, was disgusting, and contrary to the interests of civilization.

QHow did Charlie Munger describe trading cryptocurrencies?

AHe described trading cryptocurrencies as 'disgusting' and compared it to 'trading turds' or the abhorrent idea of trading 'freshly harvested baby brains.'

QWhat was Charlie Munger's view on Elon Musk and his stock?

AMunger stated he 'wouldn’t buy his stock, nor would I short it.' He acknowledged Musk as a genius but also said he was overconfident, advising to 'never underestimate the man who overestimates himself.'

QWhy did Charlie Munger consider his investment in Alibaba a mistake?

AHe considered it a mistake because he was initially charmed by their position in the Chinese internet but later realized it was essentially a highly competitive retail business. He also criticized Jack Ma for being 'very arrogant' and 'stupid' in publicly criticizing Chinese regulators.

QWhat did Charlie Munger say about China's decision to ban Bitcoin?

AHe praised the decision, stating that China's leader was 'smart enough to ban bitcoin' and that, in comparison, the U.S. was 'a lot dumber' for allowing it.

Related Reads

Samsung Bets on Mobile HBM: AI Moves from Cloud to Palm, a New Frontier in Semiconductor Investment?

Samsung is betting on bringing high-bandwidth memory (HBM) technology from servers to mobile devices, aiming to enable powerful on-device AI features in smartphones and tablets. This move is driven by the booming AI market, where HBM demand from data centers has fueled Samsung's record profits, with HBM4 already in mass production. By integrating mobile HBM, Samsung seeks to transform user AI experiences—making tasks like image generation and real-time translation faster, seamless, and more private by processing data locally. Strategically, this allows Samsung to leverage its vertical integration in memory, advanced packaging, and Exynos processors to differentiate its Galaxy devices against competitors like Apple and Qualcomm. It also opens a new consumer growth avenue, reducing reliance on volatile server HBM demand alone. The initiative is expected to benefit the broader supply chain, boosting demand for advanced packaging materials, thermal solutions, and other components. While promising, risks include potential delays in mobile HBM mass production beyond 2027, high initial costs, and the cyclical nature of the memory market. Nonetheless, Samsung's push signals a broader industry shift toward hybrid cloud-edge AI computing, positioning it as a key player in defining the future of AI-powered devices and presenting a potential long-term investment theme in semiconductors.

marsbit5m ago

Samsung Bets on Mobile HBM: AI Moves from Cloud to Palm, a New Frontier in Semiconductor Investment?

marsbit5m ago

Trillion-Dollar Banking Giant Adjusts Portfolio: Buys XRP Heavily, Clears Out Solana

In a significant portfolio rebalancing move, Italian banking giant Intesa Sanpaolo, with $1.1 trillion in assets, has made a notable shift in its cryptocurrency holdings. According to disclosures from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026, the bank's total crypto exposure surged from $100 million to approximately $235 million. The most striking action was its first-time establishment of an XRP position, investing around $18 million through the Grayscale XRP Trust. This marks a milestone as one of the first major European banks to adopt XRP via a regulated investment vehicle. This move is part of a broader, systematic digital asset strategy. The bank also substantially increased its Bitcoin exposure via ETFs and initiated its first Ethereum investment through a staking trust. In a contrasting strategic pivot, Intesa Sanpaolo drastically reduced its Solana holdings by over 99%, nearly exiting its position in a Bitwise Solana staking ETF. This shift is interpreted as reflecting a institutional preference for assets perceived with lower regulatory and operational risk, especially following Solana's network stability issues and improved clarity for XRP after its legal settlements. The bank's actions highlight key drivers for institutional adoption: clearer regulations, the availability of compliant ETF products, and the search for portfolio diversification. This trend signifies crypto's evolving status from a niche experiment to a recognized component of mainstream asset allocation, with institutions favoring gradual, regulated entry points over direct token ownership.

marsbit1h ago

Trillion-Dollar Banking Giant Adjusts Portfolio: Buys XRP Heavily, Clears Out Solana

marsbit1h ago

Base Native Leveraged Prediction Market OmenX Officially Launches on Mainnet

Base-native leveraged prediction market platform OmenX has officially launched on mainnet. It currently supports up to 5x leverage, with plans to increase to 10x based on platform liquidity and market conditions. Unlike traditional prediction markets where users fully collateralize YES/NO positions and wait for settlement, OmenX aims to create a trading platform-like experience. Users can open leveraged positions on event outcomes, and actively trade, adjust, or hedge these positions before the event concludes for greater capital efficiency. Alongside the mainnet launch, OmenX introduced a "Hedge-to-Earn" campaign targeting existing users of other prediction markets (initially Polymarket). This initiative allows users to claim incentives or hedging benefits on OmenX based on their existing positions, aiming to introduce them to leveraged trading and active risk management. OmenX positions itself as a derivatives trading platform for prediction market assets. The team believes that as platforms like Polymarket mainstream prediction markets, event outcomes are becoming a new tradable asset class. The next phase of demand will focus on leverage, liquidity, and advanced trading tools. Post-launch, OmenX plans to expand supported market types, optimize liquidity, and develop APIs and additional trading tools. The team is also in discussions with investors and partners to secure resources for further development.

链捕手1h ago

Base Native Leveraged Prediction Market OmenX Officially Launches on Mainnet

链捕手1h ago

Trading

Spot
Futures

Hot Articles

How to Buy ELON

Welcome to HTX.com! We've made purchasing Dogelon Mars (ELON) simple and convenient. Follow our step-by-step guide to embark on your crypto journey.Step 1: Create Your HTX AccountUse your email or phone number to sign up for a free account on HTX. Experience a hassle-free registration journey and unlock all features.Get My AccountStep 2: Go to Buy Crypto and Choose Your Payment MethodCredit/Debit Card: Use your Visa or Mastercard to buy Dogelon Mars (ELON) instantly.Balance: Use funds from your HTX account balance to trade seamlessly.Third Parties: We've added popular payment methods such as Google Pay and Apple Pay to enhance convenience.P2P: Trade directly with other users on HTX.Over-the-Counter (OTC): We offer tailor-made services and competitive exchange rates for traders.Step 3: Store Your Dogelon Mars (ELON)After purchasing your Dogelon Mars (ELON), store it in your HTX account. Alternatively, you can send it elsewhere via blockchain transfer or use it to trade other cryptocurrencies.Step 4: Trade Dogelon Mars (ELON)Easily trade Dogelon Mars (ELON) on HTX's spot market. Simply access your account, select your trading pair, execute your trades, and monitor in real-time. We offer a user-friendly experience for both beginners and seasoned traders.

2.9k Total ViewsPublished 2024.03.29Updated 2025.03.21

How to Buy ELON

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of ELON (ELON) are presented below.

活动图片