Even if mining becomes unprofitable at some point, miners have a strong incentive to continue—protecting the value of their own Bitcoin holdings. After all, many miners hold substantial amounts of Bitcoin, and if they all abandon mining, the entire network could collapse, rendering their assets worthless.

That being said, by the time the last Bitcoin is mined—roughly 115 years from now—the cost of mining will likely have dropped significantly due to major advancements in computing and electricity generation. If Bitcoin reaches a valuation of $1 billion per coin (yes, billion), the profitability equation shifts dramatically. Lower mining costs and immense value per Bitcoin would ensure that miners remain profitable while keeping the network highly secure.