Crypto Legacy: 3 Safe Wealth Plays

By Matthew Carr /// Financial Strategist

Picture this…

You’re sitting at your favorite coffee shop three months from now, casually checking your portfolio while sipping that $10 matcha latte.

Your Bitcoin investment?

Soaring from today’s levels.

Your friends who “waited for a better entry point”?

Well, they’re still waiting… still complaining… still missing out.

But you looked past the headlines…

Realized that the stars have aligned.

Well, it you may not need your imagination.

Today, if you play your cards right – and I’m about to give you a peek at the deck – come New Year’s you’ll have plenty to celebrate.

But first you have to cut through the dribble and outdated views of yester-year’s giants…

From Dorm Rooms to Buffett

Bitcoin is the one asset sure to trigger eyerolls.

But right now, it’s on an historic run.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency is trading above $100,000…. and it’s been doing so for more than 90 days!

This is a level unimaginable just a few years ago.

A price unfathomable in those early days of dorm room Bitcoin miners.

But we know – even today – that not everyone’s a fan of crypto.

Some outright despise it.

Others perpetually decry it as a scam.

But here’s the deal… economists and value investors don’t like things they don’t understand. And – as you’ll see – it often costs them dearly.

Well right now, the thing they don’t understand most is cryptocurrencies.

And the criticism is vocal.

“Bitcoin will be worthless in 10 years.”

That’s the claim by Eugene F. Fama, the Nobel Prize-winning economist.

He is one of many naysayers to throw cold water on cryptocurrencies.

But brainiacs like Fama have blind spots… and crypto is one of them.

Fama belittled Bitcoin as, “… it’s just paper. Not paper, it’s air, not even air.”

The economist joins an impressive list of financial know-it-alls who have a sour spot for cryptos… Warren Buffett, the late, great Charlie Munger, Peter Schiff, and Paul Krugman (another Nobel Prize-winning economist), just to name a few.

But this is a group of guys that generally deride what they don’t understand.

They tend to get stuck in the past… And investors who listen to them can easily suffer terribly.

Case in point, Krugman wrote in 1998, “By 2005 or so, it will become clear the internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s.”

In my opinion, this is one of the dumbest, most short-sighted views ever made by a Nobel Prize winner.

Today, the internet accounts for more than 12% of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). And from 2008 to 2021, the internet’s economic impact grew from $300 billion to $2.45 trillion.

It is the nation’s strongest economic engine.

And that’s just the U.S.

The once brilliant Buffett has underperformed for years… All because he refuses to invest in technology stocks.

Why?

He doesn’t understand them.

The once wealthiest man in the world is today hanging on to a spot in the top 10 by his fingernails.

His view of the markets is outdated. His legacy overshadowed by the fortunes of AI.

So, beware of these old men and their yesterday insights. They frequently view the world through a lens of a bygone era that no longer exists…

To $250,000 and Beyond

Over the last 20 years, I’ve made it my mission to uncover life-changing investment opportunities.

Many times, these are under-the-radar plays few investors have the guts to venture into.

But, back in July 2016 I made what is probably the biggest call of my career…

When bitcoin was trading for roughly $600 per coin…

And long before it was a household name…

I made a bold prediction.

I told investors that by the end of 2017, the price of this volatile digital currency was going to soar thousands of percent.

I was laughed at…

A friend at a dinner party chided me as a fool for believing in “magic internet money.”

But 17 months later – practically to the day – the ones who listened could’ve been sitting on a whopping 2,834.5% gain!

And since then, Bitcoin has going on to gain more than 17,500%!

For years I’ve been preaching about one thing – preparing investors for Bitcoin’s meteoric rise!

And whether you listened to me in 2016… or in 2023… 2024… or in 2025, you’re likely smiling with all your crypto gains.

But something new is on the horizon… something so packed with profit potential, it has the power to change lives.

We’re now on the cusp of an unbridled opportunity.

Already, the estimates are eye-popping…

Bitwise believes Bitcoin’s fair value could rocket to $230,000 by the end of 2025.

Standard Charter sees Bitcoin hitting $500,000 in the near future.

Fidelity Digital Assets research sees Bitcoin is on the precipice of an “acceleration phase.”

And Michael Saylor – the man leveraging the future of his company on Bitcoin – believes we’re headed for $1 million.

And Cathie Woods of ARK Invest agrees!

Bitcoin has already minted more than 182,000 millionaires.

In the first half of 2025, 26,758 new Bitcoin millionaires were created.

And you could be next.

Now, I believe everyone should own some Bitcoin… as well as Ethereum.

These are two must-owns for every portfolio.

They are no-brainers in my book.

Buy and hold for the long-term and establish a legacy for the future.

But there are other alternatives for Bitcoin, Ethereum and broader crypto exposure that you can tuck away in your IRA to avoid those bills from the tax.

And today, I’m going to share 3 Safe Ways to Build a Legacy from Crypto’s Meteoric Rise…

Pick #1: The Cryptocurrency Stronghold

Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam met on Reddit (RDDT).

The two self-described nerds shared a passion and a vision. They were both bullish on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. And they were on a mission to make crypto easy to use. They had this crazy idea of digital money in everyone’s wallet.

They decided to go into business together. And in 2012, launched a company headquartered in a two-bedroom apartment in San Francisco, California.

Now, the origins of Coinbase (COIN) are as unglamorous as any.

But its success is the stuff of legend. At the time of Coinbase’s founding, Bitcoin was trading for a mere $6. Few people had even heard of cryptocurrencies. The company launched a crypto wallet. Which then evolved into individual and institutional products. Within two years, it grew to 1,000 employees.

By 2017, Coinbase had 10 million users, and it was valued at $1.6 billion.

Today, Coinbase is at the epicenter of the cryptocurrency financial infrastructure. When most investors go to open a crypto wallet and account, they often head to Coinbase first.

It’s valued at more than $78 billion.

Beyond mobile wallets, it is the primary exchange for crypto trading. Think of it as the NYSE or Nasdaq of cryptocurrencies. But it also offers credit card services, as well as professional trading accounts.

Coinbase provides investors with access to 150 cryptocurrencies and sees more than $9.2 billion trading activity per day.

Where Bitcoin is Bought and Sold

Since Coinbase is the epicenter of the crypto universe, it’s probably not that surprising to see that it is by far the largest Bitcoin holder out there…

In fact, it holds nearly three times as much Bitcoin as MicroStrategy.

But that’s because those holdings are its clients.

And Coinbase also serves as the primary custodian for 17 of the 20 approved crypto ETFs.

The company does have its own Bitcoin coffers. But this stands around 9,500 Bitcoin, or a little less than $950 million.

But being the epicenter of the crypto universe has its advantages.

We can see that the daily network transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain has steadily ramped up over the past decade and a half…

These transactions represent business-to-business, as well as peer-to-peer.

But here’s the kicker… cryptocurrency payments are projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17% to 2029. Now, these transactions currently represent less than 1% of total transactions. Just think of how many times you use your credit card, debit card, or mobile pay system every day. But they are growing.

And this plays into Coinbase’s wheelhouse…

At present, the crypto exchange has more than 105 million users and more than 10 million people actively exchanging cryptos each month.

And every time someone uses it for a transaction, Coinbase collects a fee… on both sides of the trade. For example, the company collects a fee of 0.05% to 0.60% (depending on the size of the trade) when someone buys at market. It also collects fees for stablepair transactions, withdrawal fees, and converting to U.S. dollars.

Roughly 35% of its transaction volume comes from Bitcoin. Ethereum represents 16% and Solana 11%. The remainder is comprised of various other cryptos. But what you’re not going to find on Coinbase is “scam” coins.

And as Bitcoin rises in popularity, the use of “stablecoins” – these are cryptos pegged to another assets such as gold or a fiat currency – has boomed, in large part thanks to the passage of the GENUIS Act. The stablecoin coin market cap has grown for fourth consecutive quarters and now tops $265 billion.

There was a time when 90% of Coinbase’s revenue came from transaction fees. But that has fallen to around 65% as it has diversified its revenue streams into new products.

This has become one of the more compelling reasons for picking up shares.

In fact, in December 2024, Coinbase launched its Coinbase One community. This is a subscription product that offers a variety of trading perks. The basic plan is $4.99 per month, while a preferred plan is $29.99 per month with the premium version costing $299.99 per month.

This has also helped Coinbase become more profitable.

Coinbase has its hands in virtually every area of the cryptocurrency market, from retail trading to institutional trading. As Bitcoin soars to new heights, transaction volumes will soar right along with it. And not just for the world’s largest cryptocurrency, but the entire ecosystem.

For investors who want exposure to Bitcoin’s meteoric rise – and all the cryptos it will bring along with it – there are few better opportunities than Coinbase. It is literally the place where Bitcoin is bought and sold.

Action to Take: Buy shares of Coinbase Global (COIN). Use a 35% trailing stop to protect yourself.

Pick #2: P2P Crypto Powerhouse

Jim McKelvey was a St. Louis glass blower.

He made high-end, hand-crafted faucets and fixtures. The quintessential non-discretionary item.

But customers would instantly fall in love with them. And a lot of McKelvey’s sales were spur of the moment. The problem was, he only accepted cash at his studio because credit card companies charged exorbitant fees.

After losing out on a $2,000 sale because of this in 2009, McKelvey explained the problem to his friend Jack Dorsey. And the two quickly realized there was a larger opportunity here. A month later, they had a prototype. From there, it wasn’t long before Square’s sleek, white mobile card readers began appearing at boutique shops, cafes, and farmer’s markets.

And today, millions of small retailers around the world rely on Square technology to process payments and track inventory.

Block (XYZ) operates a digital payments processing ecosystem. One segment is Square, which offers point-of-sale (POS) products and services that allow retailers to process credit cards. The other is Cash App, which provides financial services and products to consumers.

In fact, during the 2024 Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping holidays, the company’s Afterpay, Cash App, and Square services processed a record 144 million transactions. This was a 17% increase over last year.

But Dorsey is always on the hunt for disruption. Remember, this is the man that launched Twitter in 2006. And he has had his eye on another disruptor for years… cryptocurrency.

First Mover Advantage

In 2017, Block’s Cash App began allowing the trading of Bitcoin. By the second quarter of 2020, cryptocurrency trading accounted for almost half of the company’s $1.92 billion in sales.

It became the first publicly traded company to offer Bitcoin as a product.

And on October 8, 2020, it put 1% of its total assets – roughly $50 million – into crypto by buying 4,709 Bitcoin. At the time of the announcement, Bitcoin was trading at $10,900. Today, Bitcoin is valued at approximately $100,000.

Doubling down on the future of cryptocurrency, the company changed its name from Square to Block in December 2021.

But Block’s future is brighter than just the potential of Bitcoin… though that does play a major role in our interest now.

The company’s goal is “making Bitcoin everyday money…”

Millions of consumers have used its Cash App to send more than $58 billion in Bitcoin.

Cash App has over 21 million active users using cryptos.

Through the first six months of 2025, Block generated $11.8 billion in revenue. And Bitcoin is always going to be a part of the company’s story. That’s for two purposes.

One is as a long-term investment.

The other is for facilitating customer transactions on Cash App. And through the first half of 2025, $4.45 billion of its revenue came from Bitcoin.

Block currently holds 8,692 Bitcoin. That makes it the 13th largest publicly traded holder of cryptocurrency.

And remember, the 4,709 Bitcoin it bought in 2020 was roughly $10,900. So, it’s already generated a massive return  on these.

As Bitcoin’s price continues to move higher and higher, so will Block’s fortunes.

CEO Jack Dorsey had the foresight to make the company one of the earliest adopters of Bitcoin. And his so invested in the future of cryptocurrency, he changed the name of his company to reflect that.

This is a name with a lot of upside that every crypto investor should know… and to be looking to build a legacy with.

Action to Take: Buy shares of Block (XYZ). Use a 35% trailing stop to protect yourself.

Pick #3: The Easiest Way to Play Crypto

On January 10, 2024, one of the largest catalysts in crypto’s history took place.

After a decade of fighting, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally gave the green light for 11 U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to be traded.

It was a watershed moment.

And one that is still paying dividends to this day!

In the first day of trading, $4.6 billion traded hands. And the race was on between these crypto ETFs to snag as much market share as possible.

But here’s the thing…

The naysayers on Wall Street underestimated the demand these ETFs would see.

Berstein expected the industry to see a mere $10 billion in flows for the entirety of 2024…

And Bitwise Investments estimated Bitcoin ETF inflows would be $55 billion over five years…

Every single one of them were wrong.

In the first day of trading, $4.6 billion Bitcoin ETF shares traded hands. And the race was on between these crypto ETFs to snag as much market share as possible.

In 2024, Bitcoin spot ETFs saw a staggering $35 billion net inflows, as they gobbled up 500,000 BTC.

And the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) – one of my favorite ways to play crypto – obliterated all ETF growth records. It reached more than $70 billion in assets under management (AUM) in a mere 341 days.

But here’s the real eyeopener…  fewer than 4% of all ETFs ever reach $10 billion in assets. BlackRock’s Bitcoin fund did it in just 37 days – the fastest in history.

For comparison, second-fastest ETF to reach that milestone was the SPDR Gold Shares (ETF) – which accomplished the feat in 1,691 days.

That means, Bitcoin demand growth was 5X faster than gold!

And total AUM for spot Bitcoin ETFs skyrocketed to $125 billion within the first 12 months… 20X faster than gold!

That breakneck, record-setting pace underscores how much demand there is for Bitcoin… not just from retail investors… and how much money is ready to flow into cryptocurrencies.

The launch of these ETFs had on Bitcoin’s price can’t be denied…

Bitcoin has soared more than 150% since their launch, setting new all-time highs!

And it’s outperformed traditional equities by more than 6X!

Best of all, this is a one stop shop of crypto investors – both for short-term and the long haul.

Action to Take: Buy shares of iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). Use a 35% trailing stop to protect yourself.

Final Thoughts

Over the years, I’ve made one constant refrain:

If your portfolio doesn’t contain crypto, you’re falling behind.

Bitcoin is the best performing asset over the past decade and a half. And not by a handful of percentage points. I’m talking about kilometers.

Since December 31, 2012, the world’s largest cryptocurrency has surged 981,418.5%!

That’s more than 10X the return of Nvidia (NVDA) over the same span.

Keep in mind… Nvidia’s run has turned everyday people into millionaires.

Bitcoin’s charge has created billionaires.

So, maybe you sat on your laurels in 2016 and 2017.

Maybe you thought it was an untenable ready to pop in 2020 and 2021…

And maybe when Bitcoin started soaring in 2024 you were afraid… And now in 2025 you’re afraid you’re too late…

Well, I’m here to tell you that you’re not.

But can your portfolio – can your financial legacy – afford sitting out on Bitcoin once again?

There are more ways than ever to build a legacy with Bitcoin… without ever holding the crypto itself.

And there may be no better time than now to add some of these names for long-term gains to your portfolio.   

Building a legacy one blockchain at a time,
Matthew Carr