Bitcoin’s 50% سقوط Is Just the Beginning, Kevin O’Leary Says “It’s Game Over When Quantum Computers Arrive”

▲ Bitcoin (BTC) decline / ChatGPT-generated image

Bitcoin (BTC) has plunged 50% from its peak, spreading fear across the market. In response, renowned investor Kevin O'Leary offered an analysis suggesting that this downturn reflects more than a simple price correction, pointing instead to structural changes and potential technological threats.

According to cryptocurrency media outlet The Crypto Basic on February 17 (local time), Kevin O'Leary, chairman of O'Leary Ventures, said in a recent interview that a 50% drop in Bitcoin is not unprecedented in the asset’s history. He emphasized that the real focus should be on institutional investor behavior and security risks posed by quantum computing. O'Leary assessed that as institutional capital has become deeply involved in what was once a retail-driven speculative market, fundamental changes in risk management practices have taken place.

O'Leary identified the market crash last October as a critical turning point. At the time, many altcoins fell 80–90% and failed to recover their value, while institutional investors restructured their portfolios by concentrating capital into Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH). He explained that institutions have now adopted a data-driven approach, selecting only high-quality assets with liquidity, scale, and proven resilience instead of engaging in indiscriminate speculation.

Behind this cautious institutional stance lies the long-term technological threat of quantum computing. Although currently theoretical, O'Leary noted that concerns about quantum computers potentially breaking blockchain encryption systems are influencing institutional investment decisions. As a result, many large institutions are reportedly limiting their Bitcoin exposure to around 3% of their total portfolios while waiting for greater clarity regarding technological uncertainties.

Bitcoin is currently trading near $68,000 after declining more than 28% over the past month, reflecting ongoing volatility. However, O'Leary believes that rather than short-term price swings, the key determinants of Bitcoin’s long-term value will be whether it can evolve with quantum-resistant encryption technology and how institutional supply-demand structures stabilize. He advises investors to look beyond simple price fluctuations and instead recognize the broader transformation underway in the market.

Ultimately, Bitcoin is facing the rigorous risk management standards of institutional finance along with new technological challenges. O'Leary’s analysis suggests that Bitcoin must continue evolving beyond the concept of digital gold into a sophisticated software project. As global institutional capital intensifies its selection of viable assets in the cryptocurrency market, attention is focused on whether Bitcoin can overcome these technical hurdles and firmly establish itself as a core institutional asset.

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