Bitcoin has ‘died’ no less than 431 times

Who doesn’t love a good obituary? A fitting end to a life well lived. Yet, even the best eulogies in the world lose their shine somewhat when the subject isn’t deceased. According to the latest data from Bitcoin Is Dead, the internet’s most comprehensive database tracking Bitcoin death declarations, the number-one digital asset has ‘died’ a mindblowing 431 times.

And if you had invested $100 each time, you’d have a whopping $118,739,991 today.

Peter Schiff tops the Bitcoin critic rankings

Bitcoin was first declared dead when it was trading at around 11 cents back in October 2010 by the Underground Economist, who said the only thing that had kept Bitcoin alive that long was its “novelty.”

Since then, the list of Bitcoin critics has continued to grow to include notable economists, such as Nouriel Roubini, legendary value investors like Warren Buffett, and everyone’s favorite goldbug, Peter Schiff, who incidentally tops the Bitcoin critic rankings, having pronounced the asset’s death a whopping 18 times.

Schiff’s latest scathing critique likens the 2008 financial crisis from which Bitcoin was born to the 2025 economic climate, stating:

Bitcoin is dead (again)

Bitcoin Is Dead records every time Bitcoin has been pronounced “dead” by its critics since 2010. And it’s a long list, at 431 times.

Indeed, the phrase “Bitcoin is dead” has become something of a meme among the Bitcoin community, drawing on the barrage of premature obituaries issued every time the asset faces any headwinds.

Each fresh wave of doubts, whether sparked by market crashes, regulatory crackdowns, or technological issues, has aged incredibly badly, with Bitcoin rising like a veritable phoenix from the ashes every time, leaving its critics for dust.

Just ask Harvard professor Kenneth Rogoff, a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who recently admitted that his 2018 prediction of Bitcoin being “more likely” to drop to $100 than climb to $100,000 fell far from the mark.

Bitcoin’s resilience has become the stuff of legends, shaking off the harsh condemnations like water off a duck’s back, from concerns about volatility, energy consumption, and criminal use, to its lack of tangibility and ‘Ponzi scheme’ dynamics.

The Bitcoin critic rankings

Bitcoin’s most vocal critic by far is Schiff, who has called curtains for Bitcoin on numerous occasions, labeling it everything from the “biggest bubble in history” to a flash in the pan. He said in February 2022:

Following in second place is Warren Buffett, who, despite calling Bitcoin a “gambling token” with “no intrinsic value” and even “rat poison squared,” has been notably more subdued in recent years; his latest public attack calling on Bitcoin’s demise was in 2023.

Jamie Dimon narrowly misses scooping up third place, despite his highly publicized rants about Bitcoin, calling it everything from a criminal tool to a worthless Ponzi. Even Dimon’s scathing attacks have cooled in recent years, as JPMorgan expands its suite of Bitcoin and crypto-related services.

It’s unlikely he’ll become a Bitcoin cheerleader any time soon, if past obituaries are any guide, but even if the eulogies keep coming, so will Bitcoin.