According to reports from CoinDesk, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has warned that millionaires will soon struggle to afford a full Bitcoin due to supply constraints. The cryptocurrency currently has 20.071 million coins circulating supply as of August 2026, leaving only 4.4% of the total supply remaining to be mined. With Bitcoin's maximum supply capped at 21 million coins, the final 929,000 coins will not arrive until approximately 2140 due to halving cycles that reduce block rewards every four years. As reported by CoinDesk, Zhao has highlighted that 10-20% of Bitcoin supply remains lost or unrecoverable, potentially reducing the tradable float to around 17 million coins. The warning came in response to crypto analyst Quinten Francois, who noted that the United States alone counts 23.6 million millionaires, making one-Bitcoin ownership impossible for all of them even at current supply levels.
As reported by CoinDesk, the global millionaire count of 57.5 million significantly outnumbers Bitcoin's total supply by nearly three to one. According to the UBS Global Wealth Report 2026, the United States alone counts 23.6 million millionaires. Split evenly among all mined Bitcoin, each millionaire would receive approximately 0.35 BTC. However, Zhao notes that 10-20% of Bitcoin supply remains lost or unrecoverable, potentially reducing the tradable float to around 17 million coins. Trader Quinten Francois has highlighted that the United States has around 23.6 million millionaires, arguing there are not enough BTCs for every millionaire to hold one, as reported by CoinDesk. The latest exchange occurred as Bitcoin's circulating supply reached 20.071 million coins as of August 2026, with Zhao responding directly to Francois's concerns about ownership distribution.
According to CoinDesk reports, Bitcoin currently trades near $62,985-$62,987 after experiencing a 46% decline over the past year. At Bitcoin's October 2025 record high of $126,080, one Bitcoin cost approximately 12.6% of a seven-figure net worth. Today, the same coin represents about 6.3% of a millionaire's net worth. However, trading liquidity remains constrained with 2.67 million coins on exchanges and more than 14 million classified as illiquid, providing approximately 0.046 BTC per millionaire. The scarcity comments have reignited discussions around Zhao's previous Bitcoin price outlook, where he outlined a scenario where Bitcoin could reach $1 million around the 2033 market cycle. Recent price data shows Bitcoin fluctuating between $62,500-$63,200 in the 24-hour period, with a 0.7% rise in the past day, though it declined 3.1% over the prior seven days.
As reported by CoinDesk, Zhao's warning describes a future where demand meets a supply that cannot grow, while skeptics argue that fractional ownership through dollar-cost averaging already addresses affordability concerns. The cryptocurrency billionaire, who recently advocated for exchange custody over self-custody, emphasized that long-term holders often don't move or spend their coins, making them unavailable for purchase. Current market conditions show Bitcoin's affordability gap narrowing significantly from its peak, though prices remain above the $63,000 level. His latest scarcity comments have also reignited discussions around his previous Bitcoin price outlook, with other market experts like Ark Invest's Cathie Wood and Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego also sharing similar calls for Bitcoin to reach the $1 million mark. The comments form part of ongoing public discussion around Bitcoin's fixed supply, ownership distribution, and storage methods.
