Your topic just crossed my eyes now and I believe it's worth replying as perhaps it might change the mind of your friend. If it couldn't, then all the best to your friend. But one certain thing is that he will be the one to lose as Bitcoin will shame all doubters over time as it always does.

Specifically, your friend has a misconception about the fact that a few people are controlling Bitcoin. Bitcoin whales are many and most of them don't know themselves, while many are not even recognised people in society talkless of naming and linking them. So how would your selected few control it? By the way, 219 million people have Bitcoin according to statistics and it is a well-liquid market with presently over $700 billion which keeps growing. There are many precious metals and stones that have not reached that status despite being known and traded for centuries.

In the next 1.3 years, I'm sure your friend will regret not buying it, and mind you, risk-taking makes more riches. Bitcoin is a reasonable risk for that matter, he should think twice.