Itaú Bank Recommends Bitcoin

Brazil’s largest private bank, Itaú Unibanco, recommends that investors allocate between 1% and 3% of their investment portfolios to Bitcoin. According to the bank, such an allocation can improve portfolio diversification and offer partial protection against currency depreciation.

The recommendation was presented in a report by Itaú Asset Management. Renato Eid, who is responsible for beta strategies and ESG integration, emphasized that Bitcoin should not be a core component of an investment portfolio. Instead, its role should be complementary, supporting the overall investment strategy.

According to the bank, Bitcoin’s key advantages include its low correlation with traditional assets and its ability to generate returns independent of local economic cycles. Additionally, the cryptocurrency may provide partial protection against weakening domestic currencies and offer long-term growth potential.

Itaú also points out that an increasing number of major financial institutions are incorporating digital assets into their wealth management strategies. Morgan Stanley’s Global Investment Committee recommends that selected clients allocate between 2% and 4% of their portfolios to cryptocurrencies, referring to Bitcoin as “digital gold” and noting that the market is maturing despite its speculative nature.

Bank of America holds a similar view, suggesting that clients consider allocating between 1% and 4% of their portfolios to digital assets through regulated investment instruments. The bank also plans to begin analyzing four Bitcoin-based ETF funds offered by Bitwise, Fidelity, Grayscale, and BlackRock. This would allow its 15,000 financial advisors to recommend these products to clients.

Unfortunately, the situation in Poland looks very different. At present, no banks recommend investing in digital assets, and in many cases they actively hinder or block clients from doing so. This includes issues such as blocking transfers to cryptocurrency exchanges or closing accounts linked to such activity. This approach highlights how far behind Poland is in adopting modern investment solutions compared to major financial institutions in other countries.