Bitcoin is trading just above the $81,000 level as the market waits to see 
whether the next move will push higher or pull back. Against that backdrop, 
Matthew Siegel, head of digital asset research at VanEck, reiterated his 
bullish view on the leading cryptocurrency. In a Wednesday interview with 
CNBC, Siegel again pointed to a dramatic upside scenario, saying he expects 
Bitcoin to potentially reach $1,000,000 within the next five years. Why 
Bitcoin May Persist Siegel compared Bitcoin’s staying power to a familiar arc 
from the tech world. “It’s going to be like the video game industry.” In the 
same spirit, Siegel argued that investors do not simply abandon Bitcoin and 
move on. “People don’t quit; they also don’t quit Bitcoin.” He added that the 
market is also being shaped by a larger structural shift, noting that the 
first central bank has begun buying Bitcoin for its reserves, which he called 
a “mega trend,” even if it will be “very volatile along the way.” Related 
Reading: Ripple CEO Warns: If CLARITY Act Markup Slips, Chances Fall 
‘Precipitously’ Siegel also pointed to specific market conditions that he 
believes are helping support the current momentum. One factor is Bitcoin’s 
relationship with broader risk assets—particularly technology stocks. He said 
Bitcoin’s correlation with the Nasdaq has risen to a five-year high, helping 
explain why recent gains have appeared alongside a wider macro move. In other 
words, rather than Bitcoin moving in isolation, it has been trading more like 
a high-beta asset tied to technology-heavy indices. Another part of his 
argument focuses on the derivatives market. Siegel said he sees an absence of 
froth in derivatives, which he interprets as a sign that the rally is being 
driven more by short covering than by speculative overexuberance. Near $3 
Million By 2050? VanEck’s research head has also made an even longer-term 
projection earlier this year, suggesting Bitcoin could climb to as much as 
$2.9 million per coin by 2050. That estimate, Siegel implied, is tied to a 
valuation framework based on Bitcoin’s potential role across two major 
markets: as a medium of exchange (MoE) and as a reserve asset for central 
banks. Related Reading: Strategy Reports Q1 Results: Over $12 Billion In Red 
Ink—Here Are The Key Figures Looking ahead to 2050, he predicted that Bitcoin 
would settle between 5% and 10% of global international trade, while also 
accounting for 5% of domestic trade transactions. Siegel further explained 
that, under a scenario where Bitcoin captures 20% of international trade and 
10% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the model could produce an extremely high 
implied value—he said it could rise to $53.4 million per coin. Featured image 
created with OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com

VanEck Forecast: Bitcoin Could Climb To $1,000,000 By 2031, Research Head Says

The rise of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan as trade hubs underscores shifting 
geopolitical dynamics, potentially altering regional power balances.
The post Fujairah and Khor Fakkan become UAE trade hubs amid Iran tensions 
appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Fujairah and Khor Fakkan become UAE trade hubs amid Iran tensions

Erik Reppel said at Consensus Miami 2026 that AI agents bypass internet ads 
entirely, threatening the web&#8217;s core business model and pointing to x402 
stablecoin micropayments as the structural replacement. Coinbase Developer 
Platform head and x402 founder Erik Reppel took…

Why Erik Reppel says AI agents end internet ads

US spot Bitcoin ETFs kicked off this week with $532 million in single-day 
crypto inflows on Monday, led by BlackRock&#8217;s IBIT at $335 million and 
Fidelity&#8217;s FBTC at $184 million. That strong start followed a week that nearly 
ended in the red — saved only by a massive Friday session that kept a five- 
week winning streak alive. Related Reading: David Schwartz Says Selling XRP 
Doesn’t Make Him The Villain A Week That Almost Wasn&#8217;t Digital asset 
investment products posted $118 million in net inflows last week, their fifth 
straight positive week. But the number masks a turbulent stretch. Crypto 
exchange-traded products bled nearly $620 million from Monday through Thursday 
before a single Friday session brought in $737 million, flipping the week to 
positive. According to CoinShares head of research James Butterfill, Friday&#8217;s 
haul ranked among the largest single-day inflows of 2026 and reflected &#8220;a 
sharp improvement in risk appetite.&#8221; Total assets under management held at 
$155 billion. The five-week run now totals $4 billion — the longest and 
largest inflow streak of the year, surpassing a previous high of close to $3 
billion set in March. Bitcoin Leads, Ethereum Stumbles Bitcoin products drew 
$192 million in inflows last week, bringing year-to-date flows to $4.2 
billion. That figure, though positive, came in well below the prior three 
weeks&#8217; average of nearly $1 billion. Short-Bitcoin products saw modest inflows 
of $6 million. Ethereum told a different story. The asset logged $81 million 
in outflows, ending a three-week inflow streak that had topped $190 million 
each week. Reports from CoinShares noted that the number of assets attracting 
inflows narrowed from nine to just four during the week — a sign that investor 
interest pulled back before recovering on Friday. Regionally, the US recorded 
almost $48 million in inflows, a steep drop from $1.1 billion the week before. 
Germany followed with $43.8 million, and Canada added $16 million. Bitcoin 
Crosses $80,000 Again The Monday surge in Bitcoin ETF inflows came as Bitcoin 
climbed back above $80,000 for the first time in over three months. Data shows 
the move followed improving market conditions tied to the US-Iran ceasefire 
agreement reached on April 8. Related Reading: Trump-Linked WLFI Files Major 
Defamation Lawsuit Against Billionaire Justin Sun Monday&#8217;s inflows extended a 
three-day winning streak after the prior week had seen $490 million flow out 
of the same funds. Whether last week&#8217;s razor-thin positive finish signals 
durable strength or a one-day anomaly may depend on how broadly investor 
interest spreads beyond the handful of assets currently drawing attention. 
Featured image from MetaAI, chart from TradingView

Bullish Signal? Crypto Funds Log 5th Consecutive Week Of Inflows

Coinbase has expanded its derivatives lineup with gold and silver perpetual 
futures for eligible traders outside the United States, giving eligible users 
access to precious metals exposure through crypto-based market infrastructure. 
Crypto Exchange Adds Gold and Silver Perpetual Futures Crypto exchange 
Coinbase (Nasdaq: COIN) announced on May 6 that it began offering gold and 
silver […]

Coinbase Adds Gold and Silver Perps With USDC Settlement and up to 25x Leverage

Bitcoin&#8217;s market dominance climbed above 61% as BTC led crypto market flows. 
Data also showed Binance-listed altcoins&#8217; share of volume hitting 49% in 
March.

VanEck Forecast: Bitcoin Could Climb To $1,000,000 By 2031, Research Head Says

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