Speaking to FOX Business on January 2, Thiel highlighted Bitcoin’s remarkable resilience, noting that the cryptocurrency has experienced annual price declines in only three of the last 14 years. He suggested retail investors consider adopting an “invest-and-forget” approach, stating, “Put just a little bit away every month in Bitcoin and forget about it. Over time, it grows.”

Bitcoin’s historical performance supports Thiel’s advice. The cryptocurrency has consistently delivered annual price increases, averaging between 29% and 50%, with very few exceptions such as during the global economic downturn because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Catalysts for Future Growth

Thiel was upbeat about Bitcoin’s future growth and outlined a few elements that could boost it even more into 2025, including a U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, the wider institutional acceptance on-set by Bitcoin ETFs, and regulatory treatment expected to turn more friendly under President-elect Donald Trump.

Source: X

He also pointed out the deeper inroads of cryptocurrencies into traditional financial markets. Major players like Fidelity, Vanguard, and E-Trade have started offering crypto trading services, and according to him, it will further help Bitcoin adoption for both retail and institutional investors.

MARA’s Commitment to Bitcoin

Marathon Digital Holdings has adopted a long-term strategy in Bitcoin. The company adopted a policy of retaining all the mined Bitcoin, which substantially increased its reserves. At the end of December 2024, MARA held 44,394 Bitcoin valued at about $4.3 billion. This is an increase of 192.5% from the 15,174 Bitcoin held at the beginning of the year.

MARA CEO Fred Thiel during a January 2 interview on FOX Business. Source: FOX Business

The company intends to add 700-900 Bitcoin per month through mining operations, a factor that shows its commitment to reserve building. Thiel said that Bitcoin is a strategic asset that aligns with the long-term growth objectives of MARA.

Global Adoption Gathers Steam

Bitcoin is increasingly finding itself as a world reserve asset. El Salvador and Bhutan have made inclusions of Bitcoin in their respective national financial policies. In Asia, Wu Jiexhuang, Hong Kong’s legislator, has called for the inclusion of Bitcoin in the regional national reserves. In a similar way, Germany’s Free Democratic Party wanted the European Central Bank to include Bitcoin in order to increase monetary resilience.

The discussion around Bitcoin reserves has gained traction in the U.S., fueled by President-elect Trump’s proposal to classify Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset. Ohio recently joined the trend by adding Bitcoin to its treasury reserves.

The Risks and Rewards

Despite its impressive long-term performance, Bitcoin remains a highly volatile asset. Thiel acknowledged this risk, noting that the “invest-and-forget” strategy might not suit all investors. However, he emphasized that disciplined, consistent investment over time could mitigate short-term fluctuations and yield substantial rewards.

Much upside could still be realized, with Bitcoin’s deeper integration into traditional financial systems and recognition as a strategic asset. Thiel’s advice to retail investors underlines the transformative potential of Bitcoin, as well as the importance of a patient, long-term approach to often volatile cryptocurrency and altcoin markets.

However, the fact remains, for new investors wondering what cryptocurrency to buy for the most gains, Bitcoin, while not without risk, is the safest, most reliable choice in the volatile crypto markets. It is likely to stay that way.