I don't understand why someone in Buffet's position would outright never buy bitcoins. So what if it's risky? If you put 100.000 USD into it, and Bitcoin just collapses, so what? You probably have more money between your coach cussions. It's not like you'll be on the street, dancing for nickles. On the other hand, if Bitcoin goes mainstream big-time, the upside is astronomical. I don't understand this attitude.
The issue
isn't that bitcoins are risky. The issue is that bitcoins are at best an instrument/currency/commodity/tool. Buffet invests in stocks because stocks are shares of companies, and companies do things - build things - constantly produce real value by plying a trade that he can model in his head and see why it constitutes economic over-unity. Whereas, you buy a million BTC and put it in an address, and the value might go up but those bitcoins aren't
doing anything. They're just sitting there like a big fried egg.
But he could invest indirectly in bitcoin them by buying up bitcoin companies... Hopefully gox!
That'd certainly be something to see. I'd be surprised if it was Gox, though, given how much hot water they've hopped into lately (losing their ability to send wires, trade engine malfunctions...)
Buffet invests in stocks because stocks are shares of companies
Wrong, Buffet buys companies not stocks, he has said it numerous times, his purchase mechanism happens to be via stock.
He has also said often enough that he wishes he could buy smaller companies, but can't.
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/08/buffet-investing.aspSmall Investments, High Returns
During a shareholders meeting in 1999, Warren Buffett lamented that he could generate 50% returns if only he had less money to invest. He couldn't compound $100 million or $1 billion, at a 50% rate. That's because it's the smaller, faster growing companies that typically offer the highest returns. Small capitalization stocks, however, can't help Warren Buffett. For example, if Buffett invested in a $240 million market cap company and its value doubled, the impact would increase Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio by just 0.3%. Considering the amount of research involved, it may not be worth his while. Buffett stays away from small cap stocks, despite their potential for high returns because he neither wants to cause a run up in the price of a small cap stock, nor does he want a controlling stake. (Find out why small caps have more potential for growth, read Small Caps Boast Big Advantages.)
