Bitcoin (BTC) Has Already Won According to CoinMENA CEO Talal Tabbaa

Talal Tabbaa, CEO of CoinMENA, recently shared his thoughts on the current state and future of Bitcoin, asserting a bold claim: “Bitcoin has already won—and it’s wild how early we still are.”

Reflecting on the transformative journey Bitcoin has undergone in its short lifespan, he reminds us that it has only been 16 years since Satoshi Nakamoto introduced Bitcoin through the now-famous whitepaper shared on a cryptography mailing list. Sixteen years is a mere blink in economic history, yet Bitcoin has already become a global phenomenon, making it possible to brush shoulders with early pioneers like Adam Back, who created Hashcash, the proof-of-work predecessor referenced in Nakamoto’s whitepaper. This mingling of veterans and newcomers is a reminder of how young and dynamic the industry still is, evidenced by gatherings like the recent Plan B conference in Lugano, Switzerland.

Are We Still Early to Bitcoin and Crypto?

In under two decades, Bitcoin has evolved from an obscure digital asset to a legitimate asset class, adopted by corporations as a hedge against inflationary pressures and monetary debasement. While skeptics often argue that Bitcoin has “failed” due to its limited use in day-to-day transactions, like buying coffee, they overlook its true purpose: challenging the dominant fiat currency network effects. Sixteen years is incredibly brief in this context, and Bitcoin’s trajectory represents what Tabbaa calls “the investment opportunity of our lifetime” for those who can see beyond short-term market fears and uncertainty.

According to Tabbaa, the adoption of a new monetary asset follows a three-stage process. First, it must become a store of value, which Bitcoin has achieved impressively. With its finite supply, Bitcoin has been likened to digital gold, demonstrating robust performance against inflationary pressures. Since 2011, Bitcoin has posted an annualized growth rate of 150%, while over the last five years alone, it has maintained an annualized rate above 50%, making it the best-performing asset globally. As a store of value, Tabbaa argues, “Bitcoin has already won.”

The next phase is to become a medium of exchange, and progress is already visible, albeit in limited settings. In Lugano, Bitcoin is now legal tender, allowing residents and visitors to pay for goods, services, and even taxes with Bitcoin. These emerging “circular economies” demonstrate Bitcoin’s growing utility as a currency. This is, after all, the vision laid out in Bitcoin’s whitepaper: a peer-to-peer electronic cash system. Such use cases, while still niche, signify the gradual maturation of Bitcoin as a medium of exchange.

Can Bitcoin Mature Further?

The final phase is for Bitcoin to become a unit of account—the benchmark against which goods and services are priced. This step remains theoretical but is taking root in the mindset of some Bitcoin advocates. For instance, Tabbaa mentions he personally measures his wealth in Bitcoin terms. Comparing Bitcoin’s appreciating value against fiat currencies, he recalls how a Burj Khalifa apartment cost around 1,400 BTC in 2016, whereas today, it would cost closer to 20 BTC. This shift indicates a trend toward Bitcoin’s role as a standard of economic measurement.

Businesses that neglect Bitcoin’s potential may one day regret it. Examples such as Tether, which has amassed over 82,000 BTC (worth more than $5 billion), and MicroStrategy, which holds over 200,000 BTC, highlight a strong faith in Bitcoin’s continued value growth. MicroStrategy, in fact, has outperformed tech giants like Nvidia, underscoring Bitcoin’s impact on corporate strategies.

Reflecting on the Plan B conference, Tabbaa expressed his strengthened conviction in Bitcoin’s future, noting his optimism for Bitcoin’s long-term trajectory. For him, the new Satoshi statue unveiled at the event was a fitting tribute to Bitcoin’s influence and vision—a future for which he remains overwhelmingly bullish.