Fidelity CEO Abigail Johnson has reiterated her long-term confidence in Bitcoin.
She recently told attendees at the Founders Summit 2025 that she personally owns Bitcoin and sees it as a permanent asset in global savings strategies.
Johnson described Bitcoin as the “gold standard” of the crypto world, noting that its durability, network strength, and longevity continue to strengthen its role as a foundational digital asset.
“Bitcoin Is the Gold Standard”
Notably, Johnson explained that her conviction comes from both early exposure and Bitcoin’s proven resilience over time. She noted that while she doesn’t hold a “ton of coins,” Bitcoin remains the asset she is most comfortable holding long-term.
According to her, Bitcoin’s persistence and system design make it a core savings instrument for many people. Moreover, she noted it will remain integral to Fidelity’s future plans.
Johnson also highlighted Bitcoin’s early user experience challenge. She suggested that despite its brilliance, Bitcoin “could have used some IDEO resources” to help the general public engage with it more easily in its formative years.
JUST IN: Fidelity CEO Abigail Johnson says she holds Bitcoin
"It will continue to play a role in the savings hierarchy." pic.twitter.com/vkchuQLFr7
— Bitcoin Archive (@BitcoinArchive) December 5, 2025
How Fidelity Entered BTC in the First Place
During the session, Johnson also reflected on the firm’s journey into crypto. Notably, the decision began not with hype but with internal curiosity.
Around 2013, she and several senior leaders met regularly to understand Bitcoin’s mechanics. After months of study, the team concluded that Bitcoin was not only real but capable of driving “radical changes” in Fidelity’s business.
That realization launched a series of internal brainstorming sessions that produced 52 potential crypto use cases. One of these ideas — accepting Bitcoin donations into Fidelity’s charitable gift fund — became a breakthrough moment.
Bitcoin Donations Put Fidelity on the Crypto Map
According to Johnson, enabling Bitcoin donations was a simple concept but transformative for the company. At the time, virtually no major financial institution was willing to accept Bitcoin. Fidelity’s move earned early credibility within the crypto ecosystem and became a bridge to more serious involvement.
This initiative led Fidelity to launch its own mining operations. Johnson insisted that if Fidelity was going to participate in Bitcoin, it had to do so “from the ground up,” which meant mining directly.
The mining experiment became the single highest-returning business line in Fidelity’s portfolio during that era. Their early purchase of Antminers in 2013 eventually paid off in a way few had expected.
A Decade Later, Fidelity Is Still Building
Bitcoin remains central to Fidelity’s mission of offering customers meaningful options in the evolving financial landscape. The firm launched a Bitcoin ETF in January 2024 and has attracted $12.07 billion in investments, making it the second-best-performing Bitcoin ETF after BlackRock’s IBIT.
Ultimately, Fidelity is not stepping back from Bitcoin. Instead, it sees a future in which Bitcoin plays an even bigger role in long-term savings. And Institutions like Fidelity are helping to make it more accessible to the next wave of users.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
