Vitalik Buterin Rejects AI‑Driven Bitcoin Crash Prediction

Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin responded to a prediction that artificial intelligence (AI) could trigger a Bitcoin price drop of over 50% within the next two years. The claim, made by AI risk commentator Liron Shapira, was posted on X on September 7, 2026.

Source of the AI Crash Claim

Shapira, host of the Doom Debates podcast, assigned a 50% confidence level to a Bitcoin decline of more than 50% over a two‑year horizon. He argued that AI could undermine the security guarantees that Bitcoin holders rely on, though he did not specify which security component would be affected.

Buterin’s Counterargument

Buterin replied in the same thread, stating that he takes the opposite side of the prediction. He expressed optimism about long‑term cybersecurity and identified the transition to new security measures as the primary challenge, rather than a fundamental break in Bitcoin’s proof‑of‑work or hashing algorithm.

He noted that Bitcoin’s security, based on mining power and cryptographic hashing, is likely to handle issues that do not require broad social consensus, such as client upgrades and mining pool defenses. Buterin also highlighted Ethereum’s ongoing preparations for quantum‑computing threats as an example of proactive security work.

Personal Stake

Buterin indicated that roughly 90% of his net worth is already positioned against the predicted crash, effectively making his own holdings a bet on Bitcoin’s resilience.

Market Context

At the time of the exchange, Bitcoin was trading near $79,800, meaning a 50% decline would bring the price close to $40,000.