Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas has disclosed that approximately 70% of his liquid investment portfolio is allocated to Bitcoin and related mining assets. The chairman of Grupo Salinas emphasized his preference for Bitcoin over fiat currencies, arguing that global monetary debasement makes the cryptocurrency a superior store of value. He made these remarks during an interview with CoinDesk on June 17.

Salinas clarified that his significant allocation to Bitcoin applies specifically to his liquid financial portfolio, distinct from his total net worth which includes businesses, real estate, and other physical assets. Within the liquid portfolio, 80% is dedicated to Bitcoin and miners, while the remaining 20% is invested in gold and silver miners. He noted that his exposure to Bitcoin has increased even as BTC prices declined by around 40% over the past year.

The billionaire's advocacy for Bitcoin stems from a long-standing interest in sound money, influenced by family discussions following the end of dollar convertibility into gold in 1971. Although introduced to Bitcoin around 2013 when it traded between $200 and $400, his perspective shifted after reading "The Bitcoin Standard" by Saifedean Ammous. Salinas concluded that Bitcoin represents a new and better form of money, framing the choice not as between Bitcoin and gold, but between Bitcoin and fiat currencies.

Portfolio Allocation

Salinas detailed the composition of his liquid investments, highlighting a strategic focus on digital assets and precious metals.

Investment Strategy

Salinas advises investors to approach Bitcoin as a long-term savings asset rather than a short-term trade. He recommends converting fiat currency into Bitcoin immediately upon receipt and storing it without frequent monitoring. "As soon as I get my hands on some fiat, I turn it into Bitcoin," Salinas stated. He also supports dollar-cost averaging and suggests investors consider including Bitcoin exposure in retirement accounts where regulations permit.

Despite characterizing Mexico's regulatory environment as hostile toward crypto, Salinas believes the country's large cash economy indicates a public desire to escape taxation and fiat controls. He views Bitcoin as the logical next step in this financial evolution, driven by its fixed supply and growing global demand. "Supply is certainly over," Salinas said. "It's now all about demand."

Institutional traders are increasingly favoring Ethereum and Hyperliquid as higher-conviction opportunities while Bitcoin faces pressure from concerns surrounding Strategy's credit structure, according to FalconX Head of Trading Strategy Hassan Baseri. Speaking on June 18 on the Milk Road Show, Baseri highlighted that the dominant trade among clients has been "short crypto, long AI," as capital flows toward artificial intelligence stocks. However, within the cryptocurrency sector, traders are closely monitoring Ethereum and Hyperliquid, whereas Bitcoin remains overshadowed by risks associated with Strategy and its preferred instruments.

Baseri noted that market participants fear a potential test of Michael Saylor's willingness to sell Bitcoin to support Strategy's credit framework, particularly its preferred stock, Stretch. "People are not buying because they're looking at what's going to happen with Saylor," Baseri said. He suggested that Bitcoin might need to retest the $55,000 area before confidence returns, especially if Strategy sells Bitcoin to bolster reserves and address dividend obligation fears. Additionally, Baseri warned that U.S. midterm elections pose a risk if Democrats gain strength and slow crypto-friendly regulatory momentum.

Ethereum and Hyperliquid Strategies

Baseri indicated that several FalconX clients are expressing bullish views on Ethereum through derivatives, employing risk-reversal trades that involve selling downside puts and buying upside calls. He acknowledged that Ethereum has historically endured prolonged periods of weak price action but emphasized that "when it does rally, it will be very violent."

Hyperliquid is also attracting strong institutional interest. Baseri stated that the market trusts the project's team to protect token value through fee buybacks and disciplined ecosystem development. He further noted that Hyperliquid's capability to facilitate trading in pre-IPO assets, such as SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI, could sustain strong demand.