What is a Bitcoin Maximalist?

By Julia Cook
Published Jun 2, 2022 and Updated Mar 21st, 2023

A bitcoin maximalist (maxi) is someone who believes that bitcoin is the only true cryptocurrency and is the only one that will be utilized in the future once the hype has died down and the world has adapted to crypto.

True bitcoin maximalists believe bitcoin to be the future of all currency and the bitcoin blockchain to be the only truly reliable and infallible blockchain. Basically, to a maxi, bitcoin is digital gold and will be the new standard upon which all value transactions are based in the future. Their main attraction to bitcoin is that it is decentralized, limited in number, almost impossible to tamper with and incredibly difficult to regulate. For maxis, these factors make it desirable as a means of economic freedom. It appeals to them due to the minimalist and simplistic nature of the BTC blockchain and the extent of its decentralization. After all, it is the largest blockchain with the highest number of nodes connected to it.

Whether it is meant in a positive or negative sense depends upon who is using it. Although often used as a tongue-in-cheek term by those who truly believe in the future of bitcoin, there are also those who mean it derisively by those who believe that altcoins will also play a role, even if merely supporting, in the future. But regardless of speculation, arguably the greatest barrier to the widespread adoption of bitcoin is the expense involved in making transactions.  Like everything else connected to cryptocurrency, these prices also fluctuate greatly, but nevertheless, even at its lowest rate in 2022, a single transaction cost $1.51 USD, which prices its day-to-day use out of most people’s range.