ASX shares could face a tougher road ahead as concerns about a potential market correction grow due to high valuations, rising inflation, trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainty.

Market crashes are impossible to predict consistently, but Warren Buffett has spent decades building Berkshire Hathaway to survive — and potentially capitalise on — financial panics.

His approach isn’t about calling the market crash. Instead, it centres on financial strength, patience and having capital available when attractive opportunities emerge.

Keep plenty of cash on hand

One of Buffett’s most important lessons is avoiding situations where you’re forced to sell investments at the worst possible time.

Berkshire Hathaway has historically maintained a substantial reserve of cash and short-term US Treasury securities. Buffett has emphasised the importance of holding enough liquidity to ensure the company can meet its obligations and take advantage of opportunities during periods of market stress.

That philosophy proved valuable during the 2008 financial crisis, when Berkshire had the financial flexibility to deploy capital as other businesses struggled to access funding.

For ASX investors, the lesson is straightforward: liquidity gives you options. Holding some cash can provide a buffer during a downturn and, more importantly, allow investors to buy quality ASX shares when prices become more attractive.

Don’t try to predict the crash

Buffett doesn’t need to know exactly when the next market crash will arrive. In 2024, Berkshire was a significant net seller of equities while increasing its holdings of US Treasury bills. That fuelled speculation that Buffett was anticipating a market collapse.

But there’s an important distinction. Buffett has repeatedly indicated that Berkshire is willing to hold cash when it cannot find enough high-quality investments trading at prices that meet its standards.

For ASX investors, that means there may be little value in constantly trying to predict whether a correction is imminent. A better approach could be maintaining a watchlist of quality ASX shares and waiting for valuations to become compelling.

When prices eventually fall, cash can become extremely valuable.

Buy when others are fearful

Buffett has long viewed market declines differently from many investors. In his shareholder letters, he has highlighted how falling share prices can benefit long-term investors because they allow capital to be deployed more cheaply.

That’s the heart of the strategy: don’t fear volatility if you’re financially prepared to take advantage of it.

For investors considering ASX shares, this doesn’t mean blindly buying stocks simply because they’ve fallen.

Buffett’s approach is about buying high-quality businesses with durable competitive advantages, strong financials and attractive long-term prospects — ideally at sensible prices.

Foolish takeaway

Warren Buffett doesn’t prepare for crashes by predicting them. He prepares by maintaining financial flexibility, avoiding excessive risk and patiently waiting for compelling opportunities.

That could be an important lesson for investors in ASX shares facing elevated valuations and economic uncertainty. When the next market correction arrives, investors with cash, conviction and a long-term mindset could be best positioned to take advantage of it.

The post How Warren Buffett prepares for a market crash and what it means for ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is back below US$77,000.

Two ASX-listed funds track the cryptocurrency directly. Both have lost roughly 40% of their value over twelve months.

The question now is whether this opportunity makes Bitcoin a bargain or a falling knife.

Why Bitcoin fell back below US$77,000

The trigger was a speech from Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh, who used his Jackson Hole address on 28 August to sharpen his language on inflation.

Inflation is running above our 2 percent target. So the Fed’s predominant focus right now should be on prices.

Roughly US$478 million of leveraged positions were liquidated in the hours that followed.

Rate cuts were the fuel behind the 2025 rally, and traders are now pricing in the possibility of future rate hikes.

The scale of the drawdown

Bitcoin reached an all-time high of US$126,210 on 6 October 2025.

The cryptocurrency then fell to roughly US$60,000 by early February this year.

This represents a decline of 52% from peak to trough.

August was actually the best month of 2026 for the asset before Jackson Hole undid a good chunk of it.

As a result of all of this, anyone buying at today’s level is buying something still nearly 40% below its record.

How ASX investors can own Bitcoin

Two ETFs listed on the ASX give investors unique access and exposure to the cryptocurrency.

The VanEck Bitcoin ETF (ASX: VBTC) listed in June 2024 and now holds around $245 million in net assets.

Its units have traded between $16.90 and $38.40 over the past year.

The DigitalX Bitcoin ETF (ASX: BTXX) tracks the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate and has ranged between $18.37 and $42.50.

VanEck has also cut the fee on its fund as competition has built up.

Neither product pays an income, which is important if you are used to holding assets that at least generate something while you wait.

Furthermore, both are priced in Australian dollars, so the currency adds a second variable to an already volatile position.

The digital gold argument is under strain

Here is the part that should trouble Bitcoin believers most.

At the time of writing, gold has risen 1.3% to US$4,386 an ounce and keeps setting fresh records.

While gold rises, Bitcoin has continued to fall.

Indeed, Bitcoin tends to sell off when real yields rise and rallies when money is cheap. This is the opposite of what a hedge is supposed to do.

What would have to change

Two things could turn this around quickly.

The first is any softening in the Federal Reserve’s inflation language, because the entire move traces back to rate expectations.

The second is a reversal in exchange-traded fund flows, since redemptions force real selling into the spot market.

Neither is visible yet, and the September quarter has been unkind to almost every long-duration asset.

Foolish takeaway

Bitcoin below US$77,000 is cheaper than it was, and cheaper is never the same thing as safe.

I would treat Bitcoin as a small satellite holding instead of a core position.

The two ASX funds solve the custody problem neatly, and that convenience is worth something to Australian investors.

What they cannot solve is the volatility of the underlying asset.

The post Bitcoin is back below US$77,000. Is this an opportunity for ASX investors? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It is well documented that Australia’s largest blue-chip companies dominate portfolios. However, a new VanEck report suggests stronger ASX mid-caps and ASX small-caps could deliver stronger growth post-earnings season.

According to Arian Neiron, CEO & Managing Director of Asia Pacific, VanEck, the ASX 200 is seen by investors as the home of Australian equities, by super funds as a source of liquidity, and by regulators as a familiar benchmark. 

All these perspectives create the illusion that the largest companies receive the largest allocations with conviction. But this is not the case.

Australia’s largest companies have not become safer because everyone owns them. They have simply become harder not to own. Reporting season is now exposing the potential opportunity cost of this investing reality, with the strongest expected earnings growth emerging among small and mid-sized companies.

Changing conditions 

According to the report, for the first seven months of 2026, a bias towards large companies appeared to be a viable strategy.

Through late July, the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index had fallen approximately 13%, while the S&P/ASX 100 had gained almost 5%. 

Smaller companies faced legitimate headwinds from rising interest rates, soaring energy prices and lacklustre consumer and business confidence.

But as the environment has changed, that conclusion has become harder to defend.

Consensus estimates suggest Australian small companies could deliver earnings per share growth of approximately 28% over the next year and 25% the year after. 

Mid-sized companies are expected to produce growth of around 13% and 8%, respectively. By contrast, the largest companies have earnings growth estimates of closer to 4% and 2%, respectively.

Opportunity not evenly spread

August offered the first evidence that ASX large-caps may already be lagging. 

Recently, higher rates have exposed the difference between growth funded by a business and growth funded by its shareholders. 

Markets now expect less additional RBA tightening than they did a few months ago. Since small companies have historically been sensitive to changing rate expectations, that repricing can ease some pressure on valuations.

However, the opportunity is not evenly spread. 

August reporting season showed why selectivity matters. Macmahon Holdings Ltd (ASX: MAH) increased earnings per share by 25%, generated more free cash flow and reduced net debt. Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC) completed its first profitable financial year and increased free cash flow by 50%.

Both companies were rewarded after reporting. Neither was rewarded simply because it was small. What mattered was the improving financial evidence.

How to gain exposure to ASX mid-caps and ASX small-caps?

While recent economic conditions don’t guarantee sector-wide wins, investors can gain exposure to ASX small-caps and ASX mid-caps through ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

One option for ASX mid-cap exposure is the VanEck S&P/ASX Mid- Cap ETF (ASX: MVE). 

It tracks 50 mid-sized companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

For ASX small-caps, VanEck Small Companies Masters ETF (ASX: MVS) tracks a diversified portfolio of small-cap Australian companies listed on the ASX. 

The post Why investors should be targeting ASX mid-caps and ASX small-caps after earnings season: Expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.