Bitcoin’s roller-coaster days may be fading, and that shift could push the world’s largest digital asset into more professional portfolios, according to Coatue Management founder Philippe Laffont.
Bitcoin Edges Toward Mainstream Status, Says Coatue’s Philippe Laffont
Speaking at Coinbase’s State of Crypto Summit in New York, Laffont noted that BTC’s price swings have calmed noticeably even as the token has climbed roughly 13 % this year. “Its beta keeps sliding,” he said, adding that a lower risk profile makes the entry cost for institutions far more palatable.
Laffont pointed to BlackRock’s spot-ETF launch as evidence of a maturing market. He also highlighted Bitcoin’s relative strength during the market wobble that followed President Trump’s April tariff announcement: the Nasdaq fell more than 6 % while BTC slipped just 5 %. On-chain data reinforce the trend, with long-held coins changing hands at the slowest pace in years—a sign that holders are treating Bitcoin more like digital gold than a quick trade.
Even so, the cryptocurrency still represents only about 0.4 % of global wealth, Laffont said. He expects that share to grow, but cautioned investors against outsized bets: a modest, long-term allocation is “less stressful and ultimately more rewarding.” Reflecting on Coatue’s late arrival to Bitcoin, he admitted the firm over-engineered its analysis. “Value is often as simple as collective belief. We overlooked that,” he said.
Coatue has since backed firms from Dune Analytics to Hut 8 and AI powerhouse CoreWeave—evidence, Laffont claims, that the “crypto-shy” segment of investors is shrinking each year.
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