Have you ever thought that Bitcoin could become the world's main savings asset rather than just replacing the current financial system? That’s the interesting point Joe Burnett, Vice President of Bitcoin Strategy at Strive, just made.

According to Burnett, Bitcoin could reach $11 million in the first quarter of 2036. But the interesting part isn’t the forecasted number, but the reason behind it. He doesn’t say Bitcoin will replace currency or be used daily worldwide. Instead, he argues that Bitcoin will become a tool to absorb excess liquidity as the world faces a troublesome trio: deflation caused by AI, continuous monetary expansion, and economic instability.

The so-called "AI deflation engine" is at the heart of this argument. Burnett believes artificial intelligence will compress labor costs, increase output, and create ongoing downward pressure on prices. Sounds good, but the problem is that in a debt-based fiat system, deflation is the enemy. Wages fall, asset prices weaken, and fixed debts don’t mix well. The result? Central banks will continually expand liquidity to prevent a deflationary spiral.

And this is where Bitcoin comes into play. When productivity increases due to AI but money is also printed more, capital needs to find an asset with a supply that cannot be politically expanded. Stocks are affected by disruptive innovation, real estate may be impacted by technology, government bonds are diluted. Bitcoin is different — it has a fixed supply, can be divided, is portable, and verifiable.

Burnett’s calculations for 2036 are quite intriguing. He estimates that global financial assets will grow from over $1 quadrillion today to about $1.97 quadrillion, with a compound annual growth rate of 7%. If Bitcoin captures 12% of global financial assets, the network’s value would reach around $230 trillion.

But what’s truly fascinating is the reason why this could happen. By 2036, only about 41,000 BTC will be issued in the entire year. If just 1% of the world’s capital formation seeks to preserve wealth in Bitcoin, that still amounts to roughly $1.4 trillion competing for that limited supply — or about $34 million in demand for each new coin.

Burnett also mentions "Digital Credit" — a new market structure where income-generating securities are backed by a large Bitcoin balance sheet. This could create a feedback loop between global yield demand and Bitcoin purchases.

In fact, Burnett’s thesis isn’t about price appreciation in a straight line but about a shift in how markets value Bitcoin. Currently, it’s seen as a cyclical asset. But by 2036, it will increasingly be valued as a monetary infrastructure.

The path to that future certainly won’t be smooth. But if AI continues to drive abundance and policymakers keep offsetting it with liquidity, Bitcoin could become the destination for an increasingly larger share of global capital. Currently, Bitcoin is trading at $66,780 USD.