Wikipedia Co-founder Jimmy Wales Delivers Stark Bitcoin Forecast: Below $10,000 by 2050

As the cryptocurrency market continues its quest for Bitcoin’s next compelling long-term narrative, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has issued a provocative statement. While he acknowledges that Bitcoin is unlikely to completely vanish, he asserts that it has “utterly failed” when evaluated against the benchmarks of a true “currency” or “store of value.” Furthermore, Wales boldly predicts that Bitcoin’s price will plummet below $10,000 by the year 2050.

People who think that Bitcoin is going to zero are likely mistaken. The design is robust enough that it will continue to exist in perpetuity, barring some currently unforeseen breakdown in cryptography or a surprise 51% attack (even then, a fork would carry on I would imagine).…

— Jimmy Wales (@jimmy_wales) February 25, 2026

Bitcoin’s Enduring Tech, Flawed Function

Wales clarifies that the notion of Bitcoin’s complete collapse to zero is likely misguided. He explains:

“Bitcoin’s technical architecture is incredibly robust. It will continue to exist in perpetuity, barring some currently unforeseen breakdown in cryptography or a surprise 51% attack. Even in such extreme scenarios, a ‘fork’ would likely ensure its continuation.”

However, he quickly pivots to a more critical assessment:

“It is entirely plausible for Bitcoin to decline to a price level where it’s only being studied and tested by hobbyists. As a currency and as a store of value, it has unequivocally failed. Consequently, it will not become a dominant currency in the future.”

The Grim 2050 Prediction

Wales’s forecast extends to a specific price target: by 2050, he believes Bitcoin’s value could fall below $10,000, adjusted for today’s purchasing power. Considering Bitcoin’s current trading price of approximately $67,736, this projection implies a staggering potential decline of over 80% within the next 24 years.

Challenging Bitcoin’s Fundamentals and Institutional Hype

From Wales’s perspective, Bitcoin remains a “highly speculative asset” with negligible real-world adoption, particularly within artificial intelligence (AI) systems. He also casts doubt on the popular arguments that “institutional capital inflow” or “Bitcoin ETFs” will generate sustained, long-term demand. He elaborates:

“There is currently no sufficient reason to believe that large-scale, sustained cumulative buying will occur in the future. Supporters would be wise to mentally prepare for Bitcoin to revert to a level accessible only to niche participants.”

Even in extreme scenarios, such as citizens seeking cryptocurrency as an “escape route” from authoritarian regimes imposing capital controls, Wales remains skeptical. He points to Bitcoin’s high barrier to entry, extreme price volatility, and lack of widespread acceptance as legal tender in mainstream economies. In contrast, he views traditional assets like gold, silver, jewelry, real estate, and art as far more likely to retain their dominance as long-term safe-haven investments.

A Consistent Critic of Crypto’s Core Promise

This isn’t the first time Jimmy Wales has voiced skepticism about cryptocurrencies. As early as 2020, he stated that his opposition to Bitcoin wasn’t ideological, but rather stemmed from his inability to find any compelling reason for people to “have to use it.”

Wales’s recent critique surfaces as Bitcoin experiences a pullback from its recent highs, reigniting market doubts. Some community members lament that the “king of cryptocurrencies” has, over the years, consistently failed to deliver on its initial promises. One netizen’s comment encapsulates this sentiment:

“Bitcoin was initially touted as ‘peer-to-peer cash (P2P Cash).’ When that path proved unviable, the community pivoted to promoting the Lightning Network. After the Lightning Network failed to achieve widespread adoption, the core narrative shifted to ‘store of value.’ Now, even this argument appears unsustainable, leaving Bitcoin seemingly trapped in a narrative vacuum.”