While financial advisers warn of the risks, these families argue their children’s long investment horizons make the volatility worth it, Bloomberg reports.
Bitcoin’s meteoric rise—surging over 500% since late 2022 and surpassing US$100,000 in December—has fueled their confidence. For some, it’s a hedge against stagnant stock market gains. Others see it as a way to diversify.
Many, however, are true believers, certain Bitcoin’s price has much further to climb.
Jim Crider, a 35-year-old financial planner from Texas, wants each of his four children to own one full Bitcoin by the time they turn 18. Though he acknowledges the risks, he believes Bitcoin will hit US$1 million within a decade.
“I think it’s incredibly risky to have 0% exposure to Bitcoin,” Crider said.
Some parents are making even bolder moves. Travis Headley, a 43-year-old doctor from Louisiana, converted his entire paycheck to Bitcoin and recently pulled his kids’ 529 savings, taking the tax penalty to reinvest it in crypto.
“If I’m doing it for my personal savings, why not for my kids?” he said.
“They have even longer to recover if it all blows up.”
Professional soccer player Alex Crognale took a similar approach when his daughter was born, believing Bitcoin will create better long-term opportunities than a 529 plan.
Yet for some families, Bitcoin has become more than just a strategic investment but a way of life.
Chris Bobay from Nashville, a longtime crypto enthusiast, wrote a children’s book called “Bitcoin for Kiddos” to teach his kids about digital assets. His seven-year-old already tracks Bitcoin’s price daily and wants to invest his Tooth Fairy money in it.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Stranko, a 33-year-old from Iowa, has taught her 10- and 13-year-old children how to mint NFTs and manage their own crypto wallets. Her kids discuss meme coins and altcoins with their friends and consult her before making trades.
“They can choose what they invest in, but they’ll run it by me first,” she said.
“We try to do it as a family.”
Despite growing enthusiasm, financial advisers warn against going all-in on crypto. Filip Telibasa, owner of Benzina Wealth, acknowledges that some crypto exposure for kids isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, he still prefers 529 plans, which offer state tax deductions, tax-free growth, and guaranteed education benefits—advantages Bitcoin lacks.
Stanford professor Annamaria Lusardi agrees that high-risk investments make sense for young investors with long time horizons, but she favors Roth IRAs over Bitcoin due to their simplicity and tax advantages.
Still, even cautious parents may struggle to keep their kids away from crypto. With Bitcoin’s mainstream acceptance growing, many children are already exploring it—with or without their parents’ approval.
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