Billionaire Bill Miller IV says proof‑of‑stake blockchains such as Ethereum and Solana are unlikely to “win at the end of the day,” arguing that Bitcoin’s proof‑of‑work design confers a durability other networks can’t match.
In a July 28 interview with CNBC’s “Closing Bell,” the billionaire investor said recent US policy moves may give proof‑of‑stake assets a short‑term boost, but not a lasting edge over Bitcoin.
Miller assessed how market structure proposals define decentralization:
“If you look at the way the legislation [the CLARITY Act] was written, it allows technologies like Ethereum and Solana blockchains to be classified as ‘decentralized,’ when they are actually not.”
He added that if those chains launched today, “they would go through a much different process.”
His core objection is governance, describing proof of stake as whoever has a big stake in the blockchain gets to “say what happens.”
In Miller’s view, “that’s exactly how society works today, it’s not really a technological revolution.” By contrast, he called Bitcoin’s proof‑of‑work consensus “a game‑changing technology,” arguing that the energy cost tied to creating new bitcoin underpins network integrity rather than entrenching large token holders.
Regulatory-driven rally
Miller linked recent market gains in Ethereum to Washington’s policy calendar, pointing to the signing of the GENIUS Act and the advance of the CLARITY Act.
President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law on July 18, creating the first federal framework for dollar‑backed stablecoins.
The House cleared it on July 17 after bundling it procedurally with CLARITY and an Anti‑CBDC measure the prior day. The Senate then approved the consolidated version before the bill went to the White House.
While CLARITY moved as part of that package to speed floor action, the enrollable text that ultimately became law was the GENIUS stablecoin framework.
Miller’s point is that policy momentum can lift assets based on proof of stake, but he doubts it alters the long‑run race with Bitcoin. He added:
“People need to start thinking what problems these various blockchains solve. And the answer is: most of them actually don’t solve any real problems except for Bitcoin.”
Solving accountability
He framed Bitcoin as a solution to monetary accountability, mentioning its transparent and immutable ledger as a way to audit “who owns what” and where funds are flowing.
Other chains, in his view, don’t solve an additional problem that Bitcoin hasn’t already addressed, and they lack its liquidity and first‑mover momentum.
That thesis extends to corporate balance sheets:
“It’s my take that in 20 or 30 years, every company will be a Bitcoin treasury company.”
Furthermore, the billionaire predicted that bond managers buying “Bitcoin‑regulated bonds” and equity managers adding Bitcoin‑linked exposures will outperform peers who don’t.
Miller concluded that it “remains to be seen” whether proof-of-stake technology can deliver a lasting advantage.