Key Points
- MicroStrategy chairman Michael Saylor predicts a decade-long institutional “gold rush” for Bitcoin (BTC) spurred on by spot Bitcoin ETFs and autonomous AI.
- Saylor anticipates that by 2035, 99% of all Bitcoin will have been mined, marking the start of the “growth phase”.
Michael Saylor, the chairman of MicroStrategy, has predicted a decade-long institutional “gold rush” for Bitcoin (BTC).
This surge, he suggests, will be driven by the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs and the rise of autonomous artificial intelligence.
Bitcoin’s ‘Gold Rush’ Era
At the Bitcoin Atlantis conference on March 1, Saylor stated that Bitcoin is now in a period of “high growth institutional adoption” following the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs.
He said, “I think that we’re in the Bitcoin gold rush era. It started in January of 2024 and will run until about November of 2034.”
By 2035, Saylor believes that 99% of all Bitcoin will have been mined, indicating the commencement of the “growth phase”.
Bitcoin ETFs and Autonomous AI
According to Saylor, spot Bitcoin ETFs currently serve as a “distribution channel” to 10-20% of interested parties. However, he expects this figure to rise to 100% once banks and institutional wirehouses begin facilitating Bitcoin trades.
He also predicts that almost all banks will eventually be pressured into custodying Bitcoin due to demand from their largest clients.
Saylor also sees Bitcoin as essential for securing the internet against malicious actors in the AI revolution.
Furthermore, he believes that Bitcoin will benefit from developments in autonomous AI as it will need to be powered with digital energy.
On the subject of environmental concerns, Saylor argued that as Bitcoin becomes more energy-efficient, focus is shifting to AI’s energy demands.
Investment strategist and Bitcoin commentator Lyn Alden suggested that there could also be more demand for Bitcoin as nation-states start embracing BTC.
Alden also highlighted that some countries have adopted a “short-term thinking” mindset by restricting or banning Bitcoin out of fear that it may threaten their own currency, which can cost them investment opportunities in the long run.
Lawrence Lepard, an investment manager and Bitcoin advocate, added that capital controls imposed by oppressive regimes only tend to drive adoption.
Despite a previous ban on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, Nigeria boasts the highest peer-to-peer market volumes in the world, Alden noted.
