Mark Cuban Says He'd Take Bananas Over Bitcoin Because He Could 'Eat The Bananas' – Calls Crypto 'So Complicated' For 99% Of People

Mark Cuban Compared Bananas To Bitcoin – ‘I'd Rather Have Bananas. I Can Eat Bananas' And Says Crypto Is ‘So Complicated' For 99% Of People

Mark Cuban isn't exactly known for sugarcoating things; his take on Bitcoin is no exception. In a 2019 Wired Q&A on YouTube, Cuban delivered one of his most memorable zingers: "I'd rather have bananas. I can eat bananas. Crypto, not so much." It wasn't just a throwaway line either – he had a full breakdown of why he felt that way and it's surprisingly practical.

Cuban clarified that Bitcoin's value is entirely speculative for him. "Bitcoin is worth what somebody will pay for it," he said, comparing it to collectibles like baseball cards, comic books and artwork. "There's no real intrinsic value. You can't eat a baseball card," he pointed out. "Your artwork might look good on the wall, but not much you can do with it. Bitcoin – there's even less you can do with it."

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If that sounds harsh, Cuban wasn't done yet. He called out the complexity of crypto, saying, "Crypto is so complicated for 99% of the population. Do you put it in a device? Do you print it out? How do you keep it from being hacked?" He didn't dismiss the underlying technology – he sees potential in blockchain – but his issue with Bitcoin is its lack of utility and accessibility for everyday people.

Despite all this criticism, Cuban wasn't telling people to avoid Bitcoin entirely. He's just always been up-front about the risks. In 2017, he told Vanity Fair, "If you're a true adventurer and you want to throw the Hail Mary, you might take 10% [of your savings] and put it in Bitcoin or ethereum. But, if you do that, you've got to pretend you've already lost your money."

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By 2024, Cuban's outlook on Bitcoin had evolved somewhat. In a July post on X, he speculated that geopolitical uncertainty and the declining value of the U.S. dollar could push Bitcoin into "safe haven" territory, much like gold. "How high can the price go? Way higher than you think," he wrote. "Remember, the market for BTC is global. The supply has a final limit of 21m BTC, with unlimited fractionalization. Crazy? It already happens in countries facing hyperinflation."

Mark Cuban's take on Bitcoin is pretty straightforward: it's not worthless, but it's not the slam dunk some make it out to be. He wants people to understand what they're investing in and not just buy into the hype.

His infamous banana analogy wasn't about mocking crypto – it was about arguing that Bitcoin is only worth what someone else is willing to pay. 

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Regarding financial advice, Cuban's been vocal about the pitfalls of credit card debt, emphasizing that paying off high-interest debt is one of the best investments you can make. In an interview with Money, he said, "Using a credit card is OK if you pay it off at the end of the month. Just recognize that the 18% or 20% or 30% you're paying in credit card debt will cost you a lot more than you ever could earn anywhere else."

Cuban also advises against investing in things you don't understand. He once wrote, "If you don't fully understand the risks of an investment you are contemplating, it's OK to do nothing."

Before diving into any investment, it's wise to consult with a financial advisor to ensure it aligns with your financial goals and risk tolerance.

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