Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Bill Gates said he has a “neutral view” on bitcoin, but does support the digitalization of money as a way to bring transaction costs down.
Speaking in an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, Gates said he had a neutral view on bitcoin. He revealed that he did not own any bitcoin and was not shorting the crypto asset.
"I don't own #Bitcoin. I'm not short Bitcoin," says @BillGates. "I do think moving money into a more digital form and getting transaction costs down, that's something the Gates Foundation does in developing countries." pic.twitter.com/DDe5X196ax
— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) February 18, 2021
Gates, who recently released a book on the prevention of global climate change, has been leading the Gates Foundation alongside his wife Melinda since leaving Microsoft. He explained the Foundation was working to create greater transparency with money and reversing charges, rather than protecting anonymity.
Gates commented the price volatility of bitcoin was being driven by “mania” in the markets and that it would be difficult to predict the crypto asset’s trajectory.
The tech billionaire’s recent comments represent an evolution of bitcoin. In May 2018, Gates famously said he would short bitcoin “if there was an easy way to do it,” and said he had quickly sold the BTC he received for a birthday present.
