Bitcoin and Ethereum: Which Coin Can Help You Become a Millionaire?

Although both are the two largest cryptocurrencies in the world, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) have had very different journeys in 2025. As of July 17, Bitcoin has increased by more than 26%, while Ethereum has only slightly moved up by less than 2%. This raises a difficult question for investors: should they choose the currency that has just reached a historical peak or should they catch the bottom of the currency that is being undervalued? Bitcoin: The Digital Gold and a Safe Haven After President Donald Trump's victory in November last year, Bitcoin has had a strong breakthrough. Mr. Trump has clearly expressed his support for cryptocurrency throughout his campaign and has maintained this position since taking office. Trump-friendly organizations have deeply engaged in the digital currency market, and his cabinet also includes many crypto-friendly advisors and officials, prominently featuring the (SEC) with a softer approach compared to the previous administration. Many prominent lawsuits by the SEC targeting major cryptocurrency companies have been dismissed or settled. At the same time, a series of previous growth-hindering regulations have also been removed, paving the way for traditional finance to participate more deeply in the market: from providing custody services, expanding crypto trading on major brokerage platforms to financial institutions actively buying in. Bitcoin – with its position as the most famous cryptocurrency – naturally becomes the first destination for this new capital flow. In particular, the announcement by President Trump to establish the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Fund, aimed at holding and purchasing more Bitcoin from the government's reserves, has increased long-term value expectations for this asset. In addition, against the backdrop of the U.S. national debt exceeding 36.5 trillion USD, along with growing concerns about inflation and geopolitical instability, Bitcoin is increasingly seen as "digital gold" – a safe-haven asset with a limited supply of only 21 million BTC, of which over 19.9 million BTC have been mined (. Ethereum: The Future of Decentralized Finance, But Facing Challenges While Bitcoin follows the path of digital gold, Ethereum is the cradle of smart contracts )smart contracts( and decentralized applications )dApps(. Many famous tokens like Shiba Inu are built on the Ethereum network. This was once the default network for crypto developers. Amidst criticism regarding the high energy consumption of PoW systems, Ethereum transitioned to a proof-of-stake model through a multi-year overhaul. Instead of mining coin, investors can now stake ETH to earn interest. This has led some experts – such as Cathie Wood – to compare Ethereum to government bonds in terms of yield and stability. However, Ethereum is facing some major difficulties. The first is network congestion, leading to high transaction fees and slow speeds. The second is fierce competition from new generation blockchains like Solana – which are faster and cheaper. Additionally, the correlation between ETH's weak performance and the tech stock group also makes ETH vulnerable to high interest rates and global instability. However, there are still many bright spots for Ethereum. Large companies are starting to adopt a strategy of holding ETH in their treasury, similar to Michael Saylor with Bitcoin. The successful listing of Circle – the issuer of USDC – also strengthens the position of Ethereum as leading stablecoins like USDT and USDC primarily operate on the ETH network. Bitcoin or Ethereum: Which Name Will Help You Become a Millionaire? If I could only choose one, Bitcoin is still the preferred choice. The reason is: Bitcoin has reached a level of widespread acceptance, almost becoming the standard of the crypto market. Bitcoin can play a role in diversifying portfolios, especially during periods of global financial instability. Major financial institutions like BlackRock have publicly supported allocating 2% of portfolios to BTC, which could help Bitcoin become a popular asset to hold in traditional investment portfolios. Ethereum is still very attractive with the vision of Web3, DeFi, real asset tokenization )RWA(, and the stablecoin market, but it has not yet reached the level of "safe haven" like Bitcoin. Conclusion Both Bitcoin and Ethereum are valuable assets to consider for long-term investment. However, if you are looking for a "millionaire maker" – an asset with the potential for explosive profitability and value retention over time – then Bitcoin remains the option with a higher probability of success in the current context.