Renowned investor and author Robert Kiyosaki has expressed his distrust of Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), branding them as tools of the financial elite.

The ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ author labeled the Bitcoin (BTC) investment product as “bankster's money,” stressing that it undermines the cryptocurrency's independent spirit

Renowned investor and author Robert Kiyosaki expressed his distrust of Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), branding them as tools of the financial elite.

The ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ author labeled the Bitcoin (BTC) investment product as “bankster’s money,” stressing that it undermines the cryptocurrency’s independent spirit, according to an X post on March 1.

He grouped Bitcoin ETFs with gold and silver ETFs, dismissing them as extensions of the same alleged corrupt financial machine he has long criticized. As previously reported by Finbold, Kiyosaki had vowed not to invest in Bitcoin ETFs, terming them ‘fake. ’ 

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Instead, Kiyosaki urged investors to protect wealth by holding physical gold, silver, and Bitcoin itself, free from what he views as manipulative intermediaries.

“Please protect yourself from the banksters. Buy real gold, silver, and Bitcoin. No gold, silver or Bitcoin ETFs…. Which are bankster’s money,” he said. 

Bitcoin and centralized financial systems 

His philosophy of investing in alternative assets aligns with his longstanding skepticism about centralized systems. In this case, the financial educator took aim at the U.S. dollar, the Federal Reserve, and the broader banking industry.

Kiyosaki suggested that Bitcoin might have questionable aspects, but it pales compared to the flaws he sees in the traditional financial system. 

For instance, he accused the Fed and banking leaders of shielding their failures, bailing out institutions after massive losses instead of facing consequences.

At the same time, Kiyosaki concluded his outlook by warning of a possible imminent collapse of the financial system and encouraging people to take steps to shield themselves from the fallout. 

Is BITCOIN a SCAM?It might be …But not as big a scam as the US Dollar and the US Banking System … Starting with the Fed. They are BANKSTERS. For example when they F U and lose billions the criminals at the Fed bail them out They should go to jail That’s what happens in the US

Kiyosaki's thoughts on Bitcoin and the financial system.

The S&P 500 price chart with Rober Kiyosaki’s crash predictions up to 2021. Source: @fintwit_news

Overall, Kiyosaki believes that Bitcoin, gold, and silver can be used to protect investor wealth during market crashes.

Kiyosaki’s Bitcoin outlook

His latest remarks come when Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency market are witnessing significant capital outflows, with the leading digital asset losing key support levels.

To this end, the author noted that declining Bitcoin prices should be viewed as a ‘sale’ and an opportunity to accumulate more of the asset, as he maintains a bullish outlook.

In particular, Kiyosaki sees Bitcoin hitting a new record high in 2025, predicting that the cryptocurrency will likely trade between $175,000 and $350,000 this year.

Notably, this outlook appears to be a downgrade compared to his prediction for November 2024, when he projected that BTC would reach $500,000 in 2025 while leveraging an unnamed artificial intelligence (AI) tool.

Considering Bitcoin’s current rough path, Kiyosaki’s prediction might seem ambitious. However, given underlying fundamentals such as the current pro-cryptocurrency administration, how the asset will trade remains to be seen.