If you think Bitcoin (BTC) has had a wild ride so far, global asset manager VanEck wants you to buckle up for what might come next. The firm just released projections suggesting Bitcoin could hit $53.4 million per coin by 2050. Yes, you read that correctly—million with an M.

This isn't just throwing darts at a board. VanEck's bull case envisions what they call "hyper-Bitcoinization," where Bitcoin grows at a 29% compound annual growth rate over the next quarter-century. The scenario assumes Bitcoin becomes a heavyweight in global finance, capturing 20% of international trade and 10% of domestic GDP.

According to the report, "In a 'hyper-Bitcoinization' scenario where Bitcoin captures 20% of international trade and 10% of domestic GDP, the implied value per coin could reach $53.4 million."

For this to happen, Bitcoin would need to rival or surpass gold as a primary global reserve asset, making up nearly 30% of world financial assets. That's a pretty bold claim for something that started as internet magic money.

Even VanEck's more conservative base case is eye-popping, projecting $2.9 million per Bitcoin by 2050 with a 15% CAGR. In this scenario, Bitcoin would represent 5-10% of global trade and 5% of domestic transactions.

As of last Friday, Bitcoin was trading at $90,319—meaning it would need to climb roughly 3,100% to hit the base case, or a mind-bending 59,000% for the bull scenario.

Interestingly, VanEck has tweaked these numbers upward since first publishing them in 2024, when the bull case was $52.3 million. The base and bear cases stayed relatively stable, but that upward revision signals growing institutional confidence in cryptocurrency's long-term prospects.

What makes this forecast significant isn't just the eye-watering numbers—it's what they represent. Major financial institutions are now seriously modeling Bitcoin not as a speculative toy, but as a potential cornerstone of the global financial system alongside traditional reserve assets like gold.