The Most Prolific Bitcoin Obituary Writer? Peter Schiff Leads an Unlikely Hall of Fame

Bitcoin has been written off more times than a failed startup founder. According to Bitcoin Is Dead—a meticulously maintained database chronicling every premature death declaration of the world’s most resilient cryptocurrency—the asset has received the “dead” verdict 431 times since 2010. Yet here’s the kicker: had you bet $100 on each declaration and simply held through all the carnage, you’d be sitting on roughly $118.7 million today.

The data paints a humbling picture for crypto skeptics. Each funeral notice, delivered with absolute certainty by economists, investors, and commentators, has been systematically disproven by Bitcoin’s subsequent rallies. It’s become less an asset and more an instrument for stress-testing the prediction accuracy of financial elites.

The Usual Suspects: Who’s Killing Bitcoin (Again and Again)

Peter Schiff stands alone atop the Bitcoin death-caller leaderboard with an astounding 18 declarations. The legendary goldbug, whose father was convicted for tax evasion, has positioned himself as Bitcoin’s most vocal executioner. His recent rhetoric draws striking parallels between the 2008 financial crisis—the very catalyst for Bitcoin’s creation—and 2025’s economic headwinds, suggesting history is about to repeat itself through digital asset collapse.

Just behind Schiff sits Warren Buffett, who has dismissed Bitcoin as “rat poison squared” and labeled it a “gambling token” devoid of intrinsic value. Yet Buffett’s barbs have notably softened since 2023, his last public critique now several years distant. Whether this represents a shift in thinking or mere fatigue from being consistently wrong remains unclear.

Economist Nouriel Roubini and Harvard’s Kenneth Rogoff round out the roster of notable skeptics. Rogoff’s 2018 prediction—that Bitcoin would fall to $100 rather than climb to $100,000—has aged particularly poorly, serving as exhibit A for why the smartest people in finance shouldn’t make cryptocurrency forecasts.

Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan’s CEO, deserves mention for his theatrical dismissals, calling Bitcoin a “criminal tool” and “worthless Ponzi scheme.” Yet as his own institution expands its crypto services division, Dimon’s rhetoric has grown noticeably quieter—suggesting even institutional skepticism has limits when revenue opportunities emerge.

Why Every “Dead” Bitcoin Bounced Back

The pattern is unmistakable. Bitcoin faces volatility spikes, regulatory crackdowns, or technological challenges. Critics emerge from the woodwork declaring the experiment over. Months later, Bitcoin rebounds, frequently reaching new highs, leaving the doomsayers scrambling for fresh angles.

Each cycle has weathered the same tired critiques: environmental concerns, volatility, lack of tangibility, supposed Ponzi dynamics, and connections to criminal activity. Yet the asset persists, suggesting that either the criticism misses something fundamental, or that Bitcoin’s value proposition simply transcends the objections leveled against it.

The $118.7 million hypothetical return speaks volumes. It’s not just a number—it’s a monument to the cost of being wrong about technology on the wrong side of history.