Spot Bitcoin ETFs have accelerated the adoption of digital gold among institutions. This trend will be bolstered by the rise of autonomous artificial intelligence, according to MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor.
MUST WATCH‼️ — Michael Saylor:
We are in the Bitcoin Gold Rush era. It started in January 2024 and will last until the end of 2034 when 99% of all Bitcoin will have been mined. #Bitcoin pic.twitter.com/LbAAaYRgMo
— Neil Jacobs (@NeilJacobs) March 1, 2024
“We have entered the Bitcoin gold rush era. It started in January 2024 and will last until approximately November 2034,” said Saylor.
According to the expert, by this time miners will have extracted 99% of all coins, marking the beginning of the “growth phase.” According to BitcoinTreasuries, the current figure stands at 93.5%.
Saylor believes that while ETFs as a “distribution channel” have only attracted 10–20% of managers, this figure will approach 100% as existing barriers are removed.
“When they can buy through a bank, platform, or primary broker, they will spend $50 million in an hour,” he explained.
The MicroStrategy founder expressed confidence that under client pressure, institutions will become custodians of the first cryptocurrency.
“The day will come when Bitcoin surpasses gold [and] will trade more than ETFs on the [stock index] S&P 500,” he speculated.
According to Saylor, digital gold will become a crucial factor in ensuring internet security.
“If you want to use watermarks, timestamps, cryptographically sign messages, documents, and content, you will need Bitcoin as a system of truth. AI will drive demand,” he emphasized.
The expert noted the need for artificial intelligence to be “powered by digital energy.”
“If you want to create your version of AI and use it on the internet forever, you better give it some coins. I think there will be an interesting demand feature,” he suggested.
The Bitcoin maximalist predicted the formation of a FUD wave regarding the growing “dirty” energy consumption by AI projects. In this regard, digital gold will be in a favorable position due to the increasing use of renewable sources, he added.
Participants in the discussion also touched on the situation in Nigeria as a textbook example of asset popularization under prohibitions.
“We will see new frictions and their subsequent overcoming. The tool itself is so powerful that it simply provides so many ways to bypass problems when they arise,” said Lyn Alden, founder of Lyn Alden Investment Strategy.
She predicted an increase in demand for the first cryptocurrency from national states.
According to Alden, countries that ban Bitcoin out of fear that it may threaten their own currency will miss out on investment opportunities in the long run.
“We have seen capital movement control measures — firewalls that try to eliminate friction. They just don’t work. It’s better to realize this and just accept it,” she concluded.
Earlier, Saylor stated that in the near and long term, the firm does not intend to sell its holdings of the first cryptocurrency.
In February, the MicroStrategy founder stated that the absence of spot Bitcoin ETFs for 10 years had restrained investor demand for the asset. He suggested that digital gold could either fall to zero or rise to $1 million.