He picks 2028 as his target year because that’s when the next US presidential vote happens. A pro‑crypto administration could lift Bitcoin’s status even more. But a government that digs in on rules could slow things down. Hayes points to the Trump years as an example of a friendly stance—and hints that a different leader might flip the script.
In Europe, authorities seem keen to tighten their grip on crypto use. Hayes warns that the European Central Bank may try to clamp down in ways that only push people toward digital coins. Yet China has steered clear of banning private Bitcoin ownership, knowing that enforcing such a rule would backfire and fuel underground markets.
This isn’t Hayes’s first big price bet. Last month he said $100,000 was back in reach. Before that, he eyed the mid‑$70,000 zone as a likely low point. Other voices in finance are even more bullish.
To reach $1 million by 2028, Bitcoin’s market capitalization would need to swell to roughly $20 trillion. That’s almost twice the size of gold’s market today. It means a flood of new buyers, from big institutions to regular savers.
Featured image from Gemini Imagen, chart from TradingView