$1 million Bitcoin: When John McAfee prediction could come true
The story of the flamboyant visionary John McAfee
Bitcoin continues to break new records, making it a perfect time to remember the man who was one of the first to predict BTC would reach $1 million. We're talking, of course, about John McAfee. Today, few people still mention his name, but during the height of the crypto boom, he was not only one of Bitcoin’s loudest cheerleaders but also the king of hype and controversy.
Who was John McAfee
John McAfee was a highly controversial figure in the history of technology. Born in 1945 in the UK and raised in the United States, he studied mathematics and worked for companies like NASA, Xerox, and Lockheed Martin, focusing on programming and engineering systems.
His fame and fortune came after founding McAfee Associates in 1987, becoming a pioneer in the cybersecurity industry. He was the first to commercialize antivirus software, turning it into a mainstream product. At a time when computer viruses were just emerging, McAfee Antivirus was a true breakthrough.
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In the early 1990s, he sold his stake in the company and left the business with millions in the bank. After that, McAfee adopted an eccentric lifestyle, diving into everything from teaching yoga to launching natural health projects. Long before discovering cryptocurrencies, he had already become a cult figure whose life constantly teetered between brilliance and madness.
Discovering Bitcoin
John McAfee first learned about Bitcoin in the early 2010s. He quickly became fascinated by the new technology, seeing in it not just a promising digital currency but a potential threat to traditional financial institutions. Embracing the philosophy of decentralization, McAfee became one of the most vocal and visible public advocates for crypto in its early days.
He made several legendary statements about Bitcoin’s future price. Among the first to claim it would one day reach $1 million, McAfee argued that once BTC hit $100,000, the rest would be a matter of momentum and time.
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McAfee consistently emphasized that Bitcoin was the first wave of an unstoppable revolution. His persistence and flair for the dramatic made him both a meme and a hero within the crypto community.
His influence was so profound that some crypto enthusiasts even speculated McAfee might be the mysterious creator of Bitcoin himself. While he denied being Satoshi Nakamoto, he claimed to know who really was behind the pseudonym.
Any publicity for a price
Over time, John McAfee began distancing himself from Bitcoin. He started criticizing it for slow transactions, centralized mining, and lack of privacy. He increasingly claimed that the future lay with other, more advanced and private cryptocurrencies, shifting his focus to various altcoins.
However, many of the projects he promoted raised serious red flags. McAfee actively endorsed obscure — and often blatantly speculative — tokens in exchange for payment. His Twitter (now X) turned into a stage for promoting questionable ventures, drawing criticism for allegedly using his fame to manipulate the market. Yet he insisted that he was simply helping startups survive in a cutthroat space.
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Eventually, his promotions turned absurd — McAfee began tattooing himself with logos of the cryptocurrencies he was paid to advertise. Some saw it as satire, others as a sign of desperation. Either way, McAfee remained true to his image as a man who broke rules and didn’t care if he looked insane doing it.
A tragic end
In his later years, John McAfee drew attention mostly through scandals. In 2016 and 2020, he ran for U.S. president as a Libertarian, using his campaign to promote privacy, decentralization, and individual freedom. Though he had no real chance of winning, he used the platform to criticize the government and advocate for crypto.
Things took a darker turn when he was charged with tax evasion. Instead of facing trial, McAfee went on the run, living a nomadic life aboard yachts and bouncing between the Caribbean and Europe. He was hounded not just by U.S. authorities but also by allegations of money laundering and promoting fraudulent crypto projects.
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In 2020, he was arrested in Spain at the request of the U.S. government. Facing extradition and a likely long prison sentence, John McAfee was found dead in his jail cell on June 23, 2021 — just hours after the Spanish court approved his extradition. The official ruling was suicide, but many still believe he was either murdered or faked his own death.
John McAfee’s legacy
Despite the scandals, theatrics, and his polarizing reputation, John McAfee played a key role in popularizing Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. His statements, predictions, and outrageous stunts brought attention to Bitcoin even from people who had never heard of blockchain before.
Today, as Bitcoin steadily approaches the $1 million mark, his legendary prediction no longer sounds like a wild fantasy. Many analysts and investors now view it as a plausible target in the coming years — driven by institutional interest, global inflation, and growing distrust in fiat currencies.
Though John McAfee didn’t live to see his vision fulfilled, his name will remain etched in crypto history as the man who believed in the impossible — and might just be proven right.
