What did your finances look like if you detoured just $100 off your 401(k) match in 2015 and bought Bitcoin instead?
Bitcoin opened on January 1, 2015 for $320.43. At that price, a $100 investment bought about 0.3122 Bitcoin.
As of March 29th, Bitcoin is $83,810.76, increasing its $100 investment worth $26,159 by more than 26,000%.
In contrast, if you were investing that $100 in a diverse 401(k) portfolio, your average return would increase by 5-8% per year, depending on the combination of stock, bond and cash investments. For over a decade, that $100 has been compounded between $163 and $215. This is a great return based on historical standards, but it is not close to Bitcoin’s track record.
401(k) has obvious benefits, including tax deferrals, employer contributions, and stable long-term growth. However, Bitcoin usage over the past decade has sought a growing interest in alternative retirement strategies, especially among younger investors.
Some financial planners now advise people with retirement portfolios to invest a small percentage (usually 1%-5%) in Bitcoin or other digital assets. The assets are extremely unstable, but advocates believe their long-term potential and correlation with traditional markets can improve diversification.
In 2015, I felt that choosing Bitcoin in a 401(k) match was probably speculative. The film points to how dramatically the financial environment has changed in 2025, and how digital assets are changing in conversations about retirement planning.