What Happens to Bitcoin After All 21 Million Are Mined?

[Courier53]

Bitcoin will not reach its full 21 million supply for a very long time, because the new coins issued to miners keep shrinking through halving events. When the block subsidy eventually becomes tiny and then effectively disappears, miners will be paid mainly through transaction fees. That raises a long-term question: will enough people want Bitcoin block space badly enough to pay fees that keep miners securing the network? Supporters think a valuable settlement network can sustain itself, while sceptics wonder whether the economics will be strong enough without new coin rewards.

[TheLegendBrett88]

This is one of the better long-term Bitcoin questions because it gets past price talk and into how the network actually pays for security.

[Zero-Point]

The fee market will be interesting. If Bitcoin becomes a serious settlement layer, people may pay meaningful fees for finality.

[Dylan38]

Most people do not realise the last Bitcoin will not be mined any time soon. The schedule stretches far into the future.

[Faded Owen]

I would like to see more discussion on whether normal users get priced out if fees become the main security budget.