By Roshan Aslam
Bitcoin’s meteoric rise in the last 15 years has surprised even the stark critics. Its market capitalisation of $1.19 trillion translates as the largest in the crypto domain globally. To put it in context, the global cryptocurrency domain has a market capitalisation of $2.42 trillion, and BTC accounts for the largest component of it.
In the last year, it has generated a 93 per cent return to its investors, coming short of a triple-digit multi-bagger return.
However, BTC has adopted a bearish stance since the last halving event, wiping out over 12 per cent since June. But this consolidating period is similar to many BTC has witnessed so far, and should not interrupt its general upward trajectory ahead.
Global experts and investment fund managers believe that Bitcoin remains undervalued and the recent consolidation only offers yet another opportunity for investors to buy on the dip. Several experts have revealed that BTC has the potential to grow between 1,000-2,000 per cent by 2030, with the upper limit being $1.3 million.
These remain comparatively conservative estimates, as many believe Bitcoin’s price could soar to as much as $3 million by 2030. However, the accuracy of any projection remains questionable, with several factors at play that can decide its future.
Bitcoin Will Remain A New Asset Class
When Bitcoin was first launched, the objective of its founder Satoshi Nakamoto was to replace conventional money. 15 years later, Bitcoin has been successful in carving out a niche for itself but has failed to replace mainstream currencies owing to several reasons.
While decentralisation remains one of its highlights, meaning it is not regulated by any entity, it has also been a barrier to increased adoption outside the first-world countries where physical currencies constitute trust and acceptability.
Also, while Bitcoin’s innovative blockchain technology promises accuracy and transparency, it has been manipulated by many external factors in the last decade that have introduced significant volatility, signalling many global investors to keep away.
This is where it has crafted an entirely new niche for itself, the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Economists believe that the power of states and their regulatory bodies like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) offers many benefits, such as legal frameworks, easing economic disruptions and others.
The decentralisation of Bitcoin means it does not offer similar benefits to state economies and its global nature means it is unable to differentiate between emerging and spiralling economies. Similar concerns have led to events like Brexit, and this will also be the primary reason why BTC will not replace traditional currencies and remain a new asset class.
Innovation & Collaboration Will Decide Bitcoin’s Future
While large institutional investors and over 10 crore retail investors have adopted Bitcoin as an investment avenue, only a limited number of global businesses have adopted it as a means of payment.
Large corporations who once accepted Bitcoin as payment have also stopped accepting it in the last few years.
This means that BTC investors have little incentive to hold it or mine it, apart from trading purposes inside the crypto ecosystem.
As per the latest statistics, less than 10,000 businesses worldwide accept Bitcoin as a payment method, and significant innovation and constructive collaborations will be needed to enhance its acceptability.
Some experts have pointed out that in the future, Bitcoin may be treated similarly to digital gold by institutionalised investors. This can lead to a future where Bitcoin adoption by businesses can rise and it can transform into a payment method.
For this to happen, collaborations between world governments and the private sector will be crucial. A legal framework may also be drafted, but that may lead to a reduction in its decentralised status.
Bitcoin ETFs To Contribute To The Overall Demand
The largest cryptocurrency has recently been integrated into exchange traded-funds (ETFs), and they have since received significant popularity.
Many experts have revealed that these ETFs could be the enablers of the global adoption of Bitcoin, making it an economic mainstay. This may drive the price higher to some of the estimates out there, but the fundamentals do not support this theory.
Also, conservative economists believe that the launch of Bitcoin ETFs will need significant external support to position Bitcoin as a mainstream asset with a widespread adoption rate.
The surety of this external support is subject to several aspects, often by policymakers, and cannot be entirely relied on for timely deliverance.
(The author is the co-founder and CEO of GoSats)
Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs, and views expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this website are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and views of ABP Network Pvt. Ltd. Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions. Cryptocurrency is not a legal tender and is subject to market risks. Readers are advised to seek expert advice and read offer document(s) along with related important literature on the subject carefully before making any kind of investment whatsoever. Cryptocurrency market predictions are speculative and any investment made shall be at the sole cost and risk of the readers.