Cook Exit Countdown. Will the New Apple CEO Break the "Bitcoin Deadlock"?

TradingKey - As a crypto neutralist, John Ternus may not embrace Bitcoin as Tim Cook did, but he could potentially make changes due to the threat posed by Elon Musk's X Money.

On Monday (April 20), Apple ( AAPL) announced that Tim Cook will step down from the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on September 1, at which time John Ternus will take over as the new CEO. Prior to the official transition, Cook will assist Ternus with relevant matters. In response, Apple stated, "Cook will continue to serve as CEO throughout the summer, working closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth transition."

Apple's decision to change its CEO has not only drawn the attention of its investors but also captured the interest of the cryptocurrency community. Many are curious about who John Ternus is and specifically whether the new CEO will change Apple's attitude toward cryptocurrency. So, will John Ternus break Apple's "Bitcoin stalemate" and reverse its past conservative stance?

During Cook's 15-year tenure at the helm of Apple, the company has been relatively restrained toward the cryptocurrency market, refusing to purchase Bitcoin ( BTC) or launch related products such as crypto wallets or native tokens. However, Apple is not entirely without contact with cryptocurrency; its Apple Pay is one of the primary channels for global users to purchase crypto, and the App Store supports iOS applications for cryptocurrency trading. This involves the controversial "Apple Tax," from which the company takes a 30% commission.

Despite Apple being relatively conservative, Cook himself is not. He has publicly stated multiple times that his asset allocation includes Bitcoin and Ethereum. Cook revealed in interviews in 2025 and 2026 that "I have been interested in crypto technology for a long time and have conducted deep research, rather than blindly following the trend."

If Cook is an "operations maestro," then Ternus can be considered a "product maestro." He joined Apple's product design team in 2001 and was a key behind-the-scenes driver of core hardware products such as the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and AirPods.

From a cryptocurrency perspective, Cook can be considered a relatively active embracer, whereas Ternus is currently generally regarded as a neutralist. Therefore, he will not immediately change Apple's conservative stance on cryptocurrency after taking office, continuing the company's previous cautious policies, maintaining the Apple Pay fiat gateway and the Apple Tax. He is unlikely to, like Strategy ( MSTR ), aggressively purchase Bitcoin.

However, the development of Elon Musk's X Money could push Apple's new CEO to change his attitude toward cryptocurrency. X Money offers an annual percentage yield (APY) of up to 6% through partners, which is much higher than the Apple Card savings account in collaboration with Goldman Sachs (approximately 4.3%-4.5%). Moreover, its integration of tipping, transfers, shopping, and crypto transactions makes it stickier than Apple Pay, which is purely a payment tool. In other words, Musk's X Money is highly likely to poach Apple users in the future, and John Ternus will have to take measures to respond.