In a discussion with CNBC, Exodus CEO JP Richardson positioned the cryptocurrency not merely as a speculative instrument but as a candidate for a future financial reserve rivaling gold’s global standing.
Key Takeaways
- •Exodus CEO JP Richardson sees $200,000 as attainable within the next couple of years, not as a peak but as an interim level.
- •A long-term convergence with gold’s $18 trillion valuation could place Bitcoin in the $900,000 to $1,000,000 range.
- •He expects Fed rate cuts and possible stimulus policies to strengthen financial conditions for risk assets.
A Six-Figure Threshold Seen as the Next Step, Not the Finish Line
Rather than treating $200,000 as an extreme forecast, Richardson described it as a reasonable waypoint on Bitcoin’s adoption curve, expecting that level to be surpassed within the next year or two. He contrasted Bitcoin’s market value — around $1.8 trillion — with gold’s roughly $18 trillion, suggesting that if Bitcoin narrows that gap over time, the resulting price could sit somewhere in the upper six-figure to low seven-figure range.
The calculation implies that a tenfold expansion of the asset’s base valuation remains within the realm of possibility, even if the exact timeline is uncertain.
Monetary and Fiscal Shifts Could Reinforce the Narrative
Richardson’s optimism is partly tied to macro policy.
He pointed to an expected cycle of interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, combined with the potential for significant fiscal stimulus initiatives under President Donald Trump.
In his view, easing financial conditions historically push investors toward risk assets, and Bitcoin could benefit substantially if that pattern repeats. Beyond market dynamics, Richardson emphasised an emerging trend that he believes has not captured enough attention: jurisdiction-level Bitcoin buying.
He noted that Texas — which would rank as the world’s eighth-largest economy if it were a sovereign nation — has already allocated Bitcoin to its balance sheet. That precedent, he argued, could open doors for other U.S. states or even foreign governments to examine similar reserve strategies.
If that behaviour scales, Richardson warned, supply dynamics could shift dramatically, potentially triggering a new phase of strategic accumulation.
A Bigger Question Emerges: If States Turn Into Buyers, Who Sells to Them?
His commentary was less about short-term price action and more about market structure evolution.
If governments begin adopting Bitcoin–whether as a hedge, strategic reserve, or political signal—Richardson believes the crypto market could see a wave of sovereign demand unlike anything that preceded earlier bull runs.
That, he suggested, is the backdrop against which six-figure estimates should be viewed.