Bitcoin Could Reach $2.9M by 2050: VanEck Forecasts Bold Price Outlook

VanEck has made headlines recently with an ambitious forecast for Bitcoin’s future price. The asset management firm predicts that Bitcoin could skyrocket from its current valuation of $90,000 to a staggering $2.9 million per coin by 2050.

Key Takeaways

VanEck's base-case scenario suggests Bitcoin could rise to $2.9 million by 2050.
The projection is based on Bitcoin's potential role as a settlement currency for global trade.
Bearish and bullish price predictions for Bitcoin vary widely among experts.
Analysts at Bernstein predict a possible short-term increase to $150,000 by 2026.
The current market trend shows weak demand for Bitcoin at its recent price levels.

VanEck’s Bold Projection for Bitcoin

Matthew Sigel, the Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, explained that the firm’s optimistic forecast hinges on the increased adoption of Bitcoin as a settlement currency and as a reserve asset. Sigel stated, “Our base-case model has Bitcoin reaching $2.9 million by 2050, driven by its adoption for 5-10% of global trade and as 2.5% of central bank balance sheets.”

Bitcoin to $2.9M by 2050? VanEck outlines bold base-case scenario

Price Projections: Bear and Bull Cases

VanEck has also laid out more conservative and aggressive price targets. The bear case estimates Bitcoin’s price could reach $130,000, while the bullish scenario suggests a potential peak of $53.4 million. These projections are somewhat aligned with Michael Saylor’s estimates, which place Bitcoin between $3 million and $49 million should it capture 7%-22% of global wealth.

In contrast, Cathie Wood of Ark Invest has recently revised her 2030 Bitcoin target downward from $1.5 million to $1.2 million, reflecting concerns about the dominance of stablecoins. Interestingly, the Power Law model presented slightly different estimates, marking $1.6 million for the bear case and $4.7 million for the base case by 2040, alongside a bullish target of $1.5 million and a base case of $500,000 for 2030, which aligns with Wood's views.

Bitcoin VanEck

Assessing Bitcoin’s 2026 Forecast

Looking ahead to the short-term future, analysts from Bernstein predict that Bitcoin could increase by 66% to reach $150,000 by 2026, spurred by a potential boom in tokenization. Coinbase analysts share a similar sentiment, expecting a rebound in the first quarter of the year. Nevertheless, the prediction site Kalshi indicates a mere 14% chance of this price being achieved before June, signaling skeptics in the market regarding Bernstein’s high targets.

Bitcoin VanEck

Recent market dynamics show fragile price action at around $90,000, with analysts like Skew observing weakened demand, particularly from U.S. Spot ETFs. The latest price fluctuations were primarily driven by buying in the spot market, as seen in the rising Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD) indicator.

However, as Skew notes, “I think for a strong rally to occur, we need unquestionable demand off $90,000.”

Bitcoin VanEck

Conclusion

VanEck’s striking Bitcoin price projection reflects a growing belief in the cryptocurrency's potential as a mainstream financial asset. While varying opinions exist among financial experts regarding short and long-term price targets, the overall sentiment suggests that Bitcoin continues to hold a significant position in the financial market landscape as it evolves.