Warren Buffett’s Surprising Advice to eToro’s CEO Sparks Debate on Crypto Strategy

Warren Buffett, the legendary investor and longtime CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, may have stepped down after 60 years, but his influence endures—especially among a new generation of tech and finance leaders.

Yoni Assia, CEO and founder of eToro, revealed on CNBC’s 'Squawk Box' that Buffett personally influenced a major strategic decision for his company: to prioritize stocks over cryptocurrency. The statement came just one day after eToro debuted on the Nasdaq under the ticker ETOR, making waves with an opening price of $69.69, well above its IPO price of $52. The stock surged to $74.28 before settling around $64.40.

"He actually convinced me to focus more on stocks and less on crypto," Assia said, referring to Buffett, whose vocal skepticism of digital assets is well documented. Buffett has previously called Bitcoin "rat poison squared" and described it as a “gambling token.” True to form, Berkshire Hathaway has never invested in cryptocurrencies.

Assia shared that eToro was an early mover in crypto markets, launching regulated crypto trading in Europe well before most traditional financial firms. However, it was Buffett’s wisdom that partly influenced the firm’s strategic realignment. “Nobody doubts that crypto is here to stay,” Assia noted, but emphasized that stocks generated 75% of eToro’s revenue last year compared to crypto’s 25%.

He also reflected on eToro’s delayed IPO journey. A planned listing in 2011 was shelved in favor of a more mature market entry. "It was important to become profitable before going public," Assia explained. That decision, aligned with Buffett’s philosophy of long-term value and stability, now appears prescient.

As one of the most recognized names in finance, Buffett’s influence on young CEOs like Assia signals an ongoing clash—and possible convergence—between traditional investing and digital finance. With its hybrid model of stock and crypto trading, eToro embodies this intersection, and its evolving strategy could serve as a bellwether for the broader fintech landscape.