Crypto
This Cryptocurrency Could Soar by 23,000% Over the Next 2 Decades, According to MicroStrategy's Michael Saylor | The Motley Fool
It’s a BIG number. Is it realistic?
Although Bitcoin (BTC 0.20%) is sitting as of this writing almost 25% below its all-time high of $73,750 reached earlier this year, there are plenty of bullish crypto investors who are still convinced that Bitcoin will skyrocket over the long run. Among them is Michael Saylor, founder and executive chairman of MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR), who recently doubled down on his prediction that a single Bitcoin would be worth $13 million by the year 2045.
At last report, MicroStrategy owned 226,500 Bitcoins with a market value around $14 billion. It touts itself as “the largest corporate holder of bitcoin and the world’s first bitcoin development company.” Bloomberg reported last month that Saylor himself owns about $1 billion worth of Bitcoins.
Based on Bitcoin’s recent price of $55,000, a $13 million target represents an astronomical 23,000% return if you buy today and hold for the next two decades. Obviously, a lot has to happen for that to become a reality. Let’s take a closer look.
Bitcoin’s long-run performance
Yes, seeing a $13 million price tag for Bitcoin can induce a fair amount of sticker shock. But if you dig into the numbers, the math actually starts to make sense. And a lot of that has to do with the compounding power of money. If any asset is allowed to compound in value for a long period of time, the results have the potential to shock.
In the case of Bitcoin, it would require a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% for the magic to happen and it to jump from $55,000 now to $13 million in 2045. In other words, if Bitcoin can increase in value by 30% per year, for the next 21 years, an upfront investment of $55,000 would turn into $13 million.
And, while it may be unlikely, a CAGR of 30% for Bitcoin is not out of the question. From 2011 to 2021, Bitcoin delivered annualized returns of 230% per year. And Bitcoin returned approximately 150% in 2023. Already this year, Bitcoin is up more than 30%. Over the past five years, the only blemish was 2022, when Bitcoin fell nearly 65%.
So what can investors realistically expect? In an interview this month with CNBC, Saylor predicted that during the next two decades, Bitcoin’s annual return would steadily fall over time, from about 44% a year to 40% to 35% to 30% to 25% to… well, you get the idea. The final long-run number for Bitcoin, says Saylor, would be the annual return of the S&P 500 plus an extra 8% to compensate investors for the extra risk.
At some point, of course, it’s worth taking a moment to ponder what a price tag of $13 million really means for Bitcoin. Based on its current circulating coin supply of 20 million, that implies a future market cap of $260 trillion. That dwarfs the value of any tech stock today, and in fact, it dwarfs the value of the entire S&P 500, which today sits at around $45 trillion.
Even if we assume that U.S. stocks will grow at a rate of 10% per year over the next 20 years, a price tag of $13 million still implies that Bitcoin would represent an astonishing amount of the world’s wealth in the year 2045. For that reason alone, it’s worth having a healthy dose of skepticism about Bitcoin’s future price trajectory.
Bitcoin as an asset class
For much of its history, Bitcoin has been uncorrelated with any major asset class, and that has made it very unique from a risk diversification perspective. Quite simply, Bitcoin can zig when other assets zag.
Image source: Getty Images.
Thus, Bitcoin is growing in favor with billionaire hedge fund managers, who increasingly view it as a way to hedge risk. In some cases, that risk might be economic, such as the risk of inflation. In other cases, that risk might be geopolitical. In the CNBC interview, Saylor uses the example of missile strikes to illustrate this point. What do you do as an investor if you wake up one morning and hear that there have been missile strikes somewhere in the world?
Until recently, the answer to that question might have been: Buy gold. But there is growing popularity in the notion that Bitcoin is “digital gold.” Some investors are buying Bitcoin, and not gold, as a hedge against worst-case scenarios popping off around the world. It sounds surprising, but Bitcoin might actually be a safe haven asset.
All of which is to say: The more that Bitcoin can cement its status as a valuable, stand-alone asset class, the more likely it is that its price could skyrocket during the next two decades. That’s because investors will be willing to allocate a greater and greater share of their portfolio to it.
Risk factors
Of course, there are several factors that could derail Bitcoin during the next two decades. For example, if Bitcoin’s annual returns decline significantly for an extended period of time, investors might just decide that they can get the same type of return, while taking on much less risk, simply by buying hot tech stocks.
Or, even worse, the U.S. political and regulatory establishment might shift against Bitcoin. For example, there might be a crackdown on Bitcoin mining, given the concerns over its environmental impact. Or, regulators in the U.S. might decide to ban Bitcoin entirely, as they’ve done in China and other nations. At the very least, the government could make things difficult for Bitcoin owners simply by making a few quick changes to the U.S. tax code.
That said, I remain bullish on Bitcoin’s long-term prospects. As long as it continues to deliver anywhere close to the type of performance that it has delivered over the past decade, investors are likely to be very pleased at Bitcoin’s valuation 20 years from now, even if it’s nowhere close to the astronomically high valuation predicted by Michael Saylor of MicroStrategy.
Crypto
LAB Token Crashes 80% to $1.25 as $5B Market Cap Vanishes in 48 Hours
Key Takeaways
- LAB token cratered 90% over 48 hours, wiping out billions in market cap.
- ZachXBT slammed top centralized exchanges for failing to halt the July manipulation.
- Investors surged to avoid trading LAB as team token unlocks are set for later in July 2026.
LAB Trade Blames ‘Large Market Participants’
LAB, the native token of the multi-chain trading platform LAB Trade, suffered a catastrophic collapse this week, plunging from just over $7 to $1.25 on Wednesday—a staggering 80% decline in under 24 hours. This crash followed an equally brutal sell-off on Tuesday, which saw the token slide from nearly $17. In total, LAB wiped out nearly 90% of its value in just 48 hours.
The financial fallout was swift: a market capitalization that exceeded $5 billion on Tuesday morning evaporated to just $390 million by 3:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday. The freefall prompted the LAB Trade team to address the panic on X, where they expressed disappointment and deflected blame toward external heavy-sellers:
“While today’s market activity is disappointing, our product roadmap and long-term focus remain unchanged. We’re seeing significant selling pressure from large market participants. Several independent trading firms also hold substantial LAB positions that are not affiliated with our team. We’re working closely with our liquidity partners and continue to monitor market conditions,” the team said on X.
With this crash, LAB joins a notorious lineup of volatile tokens, such as RAVE, RIVER and SIREN. Each of these projects experienced meteoric rises followed by near-instantaneous erasures, sparking widespread “pump-and-dump” allegations against their respective teams and murky distribution networks.
Crypto Sleuth Slams Centralized Exchanges
Prominent on-chain detective ZachXBT, who previously flagged suspicious insider loans and market-maker coordination back in May, blasted major centralized exchanges ( CEXs) for failing to protect retail investors. Taking to X, ZachXBT criticized the lack of proactive intervention:
“Disappointing to see how no action was taken by Binance, Bitget, and Gate earlier to prevent it. If CEXs cared, profits from the accounts manipulating the price would be distributed to users at a minimum. Unlocks for investors were scheduled to begin later this month, however, multiple late vesting changes occurred in the past.”
ZachXBT reiterated his previous warnings that insiders have effectively controlled the entire circulating supply, allowing market makers to orchestrate extreme price manipulation on major exchanges. His final advice to the community was blunt: avoid trading LAB under any circumstances.
ZachXBT Names RAVE, RIVER, SIREN, and LAB as Victims of Bitget-Enabled Market Maker Fraud
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has renewed his assault on Bitget, accusing the exchange of knowingly enabling market makers to run supply…
ZachXBT Names RAVE, RIVER, SIREN, and LAB as Victims of Bitget-Enabled Market Maker Fraud
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has renewed his assault on Bitget, accusing the exchange of knowingly enabling market makers to run supply…
ZachXBT Names RAVE, RIVER, SIREN, and LAB as Victims of Bitget-Enabled Market Maker Fraud
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has renewed his assault on Bitget, accusing the exchange of knowingly enabling market makers to run supply…
Crypto
Residents question proposed crypto mining center
STARKVILLE – Potentially higher utility bills and sound pollution topped the list of concerns raised by six residents who addressed the board of aldermen Tuesday about a cryptocurrency mining facility proposed for Industrial Park Road.
Vice Mayor Roy Perkins, who represents Ward 6, said he has fielded similar concerns from constituents following the board’s June 12 work session, during which members heard a presentation about the potential project.
“I know these things need to have full accountability, full transparency and different things,” Perkins said. “… Well you can rest assured the vice mayor is going to be on assignment. I’m going to do my part. I’m not going to do anything that’s going to negatively impact this community.”
The proposed facility would be a specialized type of data center designed to mine cryptocurrency, a digital currency that operates independently of government-backed financial systems. It is stored in digital wallets and fluctuates in value.
Mining facilities use specialized computers that draw large energy loads to secure the digital transactions that take place. The center proposed in Starkville would be much smaller than “hyperscale data centers” that store and process data for large tech companies.
Utility usage topped the concerns of most residents with Pam Jones, the first to speak, set the tone.
“I understand that this is on a smaller scale than the hyper-scale facilities, and I just wanted to be sure that we had ordinances in place that will count the noise, especially at night and that there will be water and power management,” Jones said.
Other residents took issue with what they see as a lack of transparency around the proposed project.
“I was quite disappointed to learn (the mining facility) was not an agenda item today,” said Eadie Keenan, a Ward 7 resident. “… Quite frankly, I have more questions than can fit in three minutes.”
Tiffany Womack, another Starkville resident, echoed Kennan’s concerns, adding utility usage and market volatility to her own list of issues.
“If (the center was) to go bankrupt or something like that, would that possibly fall back on the responsibility of Starkville citizens?” Womack asked.
Mayor Lynn Spruill did not answer each question individually, instead encouraging those with questions to watch the June 12 presentation. Due to the project’s early stage, she noted the board does not yet know answers to all the questions raised during Tuesday’s meeting.
“I brought (the center) to the board as an opportunity for us to begin that process of learning so we are nowhere near making a decision,” Spruill said. “Which is why it isn’t on the agenda and won’t be on the agenda for some time.”
Spruill said the proposed center is currently going through the staff vetting process. Once the process is complete, staff will make a recommendation to the board on whether to pursue the center. At that time, Spruill expects to be able to answer residents’ remaining questions.
Spruill said transparency is important to her and the board while going through the process of vetting the mining center.
“Nothing is being hidden. It’s all out there for everybody to see, and we’ll make decisions based on facts not on Facebook craziness,” Spruill said. “… We want facts, and we want all decisions to be made with facts. And so hopefully that will put some of your concerns (to rest), at least to the extent that this is nowhere near something that will be on the agenda.”
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Crypto
Jim Rickards Asked Robert Kiyosaki to Read One Manuscript, Then His View of Global Finance Changed
Key Takeaways
- Robert Kiyosaki said a manuscript shared by Jim Rickards changed how he views global finance.
- Kiyosaki warned commonly held financial assets could face pressure as financial rules shift across markets.
- His claims remain warnings, with evidence and future market developments still central.
Why Did One Manuscript Change Robert Kiyosaki’s View?
Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the best-selling personal finance book Rich Dad Poor Dad, said an advance manuscript of “The Entropy Trap” shared by Jim Rickards prompted him to rethink how he views global finance. Rickards is an economist, lawyer, and financial commentator known for writing about currencies, debt, and systemic market risk. Kiyosaki said the early reading changed his perspective on where the financial system may be headed.
The reaction was framed around a warning about financial change. The book, written by Mickey M. Maini, “blew my mind and opened my eyes to what & why global financial change is coming,” Kiyosaki described. His comments focused on what he described as a shift in the rules behind wealth, assets, and trust.
The central claim is that wealth could move away from people relying on traditional financial assumptions. Kiyosaki asserted:
“The informed will be tomorrow’s ULTRA RICH. Todays uniformed operating by the old rules of money… will become the new poor.”
The Warning Behind the Claim
The warning centers on assets that depend on trust, including U.S. bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and mutual funds. Kiyosaki framed those instruments as vulnerable under the financial shift he says is coming, placing commonly held investment products at the center of the risk.
That claim is severe, but he presented it as a warning rather than a proven outcome. He also pointed to large bondholders, including Japan, saying they have already started dumping U.S. bonds. He did not provide supporting data in the statement.
The acclaimed author shared:
“Message from book… ‘All assets that require trust, assets that most people have… such as U.S. bonds, ETFs, mutual funds will be flushed down toilets, all over the world.’”
The broader conflict is whether traditional financial assets remain reliable under the conditions Kiyosaki described. His framing divides investors between those preparing for a changed financial system and those still operating under assumptions he says may no longer hold.
What Still Needs to Be Proven
A planned August study session could clarify the warning Kiyosaki described. He said his study team would examine the message and that Rickards may join, though the evidence behind the claims has not yet been laid out.
For now, the warning rests on Kiyosaki’s account of a manuscript that changed his view. He urged readers to prepare, writing:
“I want you to be one of the world’s new rich.”
What remains unknown is whether market data, policy moves, or investor behavior will confirm the risk he described.
His recent commentary has focused on what he describes as fragility in the global monetary system, particularly around the U.S. dollar. He has pointed to rising debt, central bank policies, and inflation as risks that could trigger a sharp market downturn.
Alongside those concerns, he has repeatedly highlighted bitcoin, gold, and silver as alternative stores of value. In his view, those assets may help reduce exposure to traditional financial instruments during periods of currency weakness and market turbulence.
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