Key Takeaways
- Younghoon Kim, who calls himself the “world’s smartest man,” claims Bitcoin could replace the U.S. dollar as early as 2026.
- Economists widely reject the idea as implausible.
- Analysts estimate Bitcoin would need to reach approximately $1.5 million per coin
The self-proclaimed “world’s smartest man” has issued another sweeping forecast about the future of cryptocurrency, this time claiming Bitcoin will replace the U.S. dollar as the world’s dominant currency as early as next year.
Even for a sector accustomed to bold predictions, many analysts say this one goes well beyond the boundaries of plausibility.
Latest Claim In A Mountain of Bullish Forecasts
Younghoon Kim, a prominent online figure known for dramatic macroeconomic calls, said this week: “I think Bitcoin may replace USD by 2026.”
The prediction adds to a series of increasingly bullish statements Kim has made about Bitcoin’s long-term price surge.
Earlier this week, Kim, who claims an IQ of 276, told his followers on X that Bitcoin’s current price was just a “temporary discount” caused by market manipulation.
“I think any such manipulation may disappear within a week, and then it could start accelerating toward a new ATH,” he wrote.
This followed the self proclaimed genius predicting that Bitcoin would surge to $220,000 within the next 45 days, more than doubling from current levels.
“As World’s Highest IQ Record Holder, I expect BITCOIN is going to $220,000 in the next 45 days,” he wrote in November.
Supporters and Skeptics Divided
Reactions to the latest claim have been sharply divided, with advocates and non-believers clashing over whether it’s truly possible.
“Look at adoption trends, CBDC trials, and institutional inflows,” one believer wrote.
“If Bitcoin keeps scaling and fiat printing continues, replacing USD as a reserve or payment standard by 2026 isn’t impossible. Macro math supports the thesis,” he added.
Others dismissed the prediction as unrealistic, and targeted mockery at Kim’s supposed high IQ.
“I think it’s time for a retest, Kim — this app has definitely taken a few of those IQ points,” one user said.
Can Bitcoin Replace The Dollar?
Economists argue that replacing the U.S. dollar would require seismic shifts in global trade and consumer behavior.
Jon Danielsson, Director of the Systemic Risk Centre at the London School of Economics, said the comparison itself is complex because there is no single definition of money.
Whether Bitcoin could replace central-bank money or on-demand money is unclear, he said, and assumptions about velocity further complicate any model.
Using M1 money across G20 economies as an illustrative benchmark, Danielsson said the total value amounts to about $31 trillion.
At a Bitcoin price of $550,000, holders would command purchasing power of roughly $10 trillion.
To fully match the purchasing power of M1, Bitcoin would need to trade at around $1.5 million per coin, he said.
“These are very rough approximations,” Danielsson noted.
“But a full displacement of fiat money would mean the price of a Bitcoin would be somewhere in the neighborhood of a million and a half dollars,” he wrote in an opinion piece on VoxEU.
“Whether it is a million or two million is immaterial for the discussion, but success means the price of bitcoin will be quite a bit higher than that.”
Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
