Robert Kiyosaki calls ETFs ‘for losers,’ backs Trump’s 401(k) overhaul

The Rich Dad Poor Dad author, Robert Kiyosaki, is again taking aim at exchange-traded funds (ETFs). He blasted them as “for losers” even as Bitcoin ETFs continue to pull in massive inflows. Kiyosaki even doubled down on his belief that real investors should own assets like Bitcoin, gold, or real estate directly.

The author’s remarks came with some huge praises for Donald Trump’s August executive order. This move opened the door for US 401(k) retirement plans to include alternative investments. It includes crypto, private equity, real estate, and precious metals.

Kiyosaki backs Trump, slams ETFs

In an X post, Kiyosaki stated that “Trump’s new XO treats investors like adults” and added that the move makes his favored assets gold, silver, and Bitcoin “more valuable.”

But he anticipated that only “smarter” and more disciplined investors should take advantage of the policy shift. “If you’re not willing to study and do your homework, stick with vanilla mutual funds and ETFs,” he wrote.

However, the Rich Dad Poor Dad author thanked longtime collaborator Andy Schectman for flagging the policy change.

Trump’s executive order faces legal hurdles as employers remain wary of lawsuits tied to retirement plan investments. Meanwhile, legal experts have cautioned that the government cannot fully shield companies from litigation. This leaves questions hovering about how quickly private equity, crypto, and other higher-risk assets will make their way into mainstream retirement portfolios.

Kiyosaki has taken a hard stance on Trump’s reform as a validation of his investment philosophy. Industry already knows that he has long favored hard assets like gold and silver.

BIG NEWS: According to friend Andy Schectman….on August 7, 2025….President Trump signed an Executive Order “Democratizing Access to Alternative Investments for 401k Investors.”

As some of you know I do not invest in mutual funds or ETFS. To me Mutual funds and ETFS are for…

— Robert Kiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) September 17, 2025

Amid all the bashing, Bitcoin ETFs bagged a total net inflow of $292.27 million on Tuesday. BlackRock’s ETF IBIT hit the highest net inflow of $209.18 million. Fidelity’s ETF FBTC stood second in the tally $45.76 million. To date, September has posted $3.14 billion in inflows for Bitcoin ETFs. The total net asset value of BTC ETFs stood around $153.78 billion. Ethereum spot ETFs saw a little drawdown on the same day. These funds saw $61.74 million flowing out of the funds.

Bitcoin price is running up by 25% on a year-to-date (YTD) basis. This reflects the fresh money flowing into the digital assets market. BTC is trading at an average price of $116,322 at the press time.