Juan Leon Predicts AI and Crypto Synergy Could Boost Global Economy by $20 Trillion by 2030

Juan Leon, a senior crypto research analyst at Bitwise, anticipates that the dual demand for AI and cryptocurrency will shape the global economy more profoundly than is currently expected.
Anyone observing the crypto industry or Wall Street has likely seen AI technology gradually gaining prominence in mainstream discussions, with companies like Nvidia leading the charge.
At Consensus 2024, Leon emphasized that the merging of AI and cryptocurrency will have a larger impact on global GDP than many projections suggest.
According to PwC, AI and crypto are predicted to contribute $15.7 trillion and $1.8 trillion to the global economy by 2030, respectively. However, Leon proposes that their combined influence could exceed $20 trillion due to their synergistic effects. He states, “While that adds up to $17.5 trillion, I would not be surprised to see their synergies have a compounding effect that could drive the combined value to $20 trillion or beyond.”
Leon envisions that the interplay between AI and crypto could add $20 trillion to the global GDP by 2030, driven by two key factors: data center scarcity and blockchain entrepreneurship.
Data Center Scarcity
The surge in AI development is increasing the demand for data centers, electricity, and AI chips—areas where Bitcoin (BTC) mining companies can provide critical support. Leading cloud providers such as Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft are expected to invest nearly $200 billion in data center expansion by 2025 to accommodate the escalating AI demand.
Data center demand is outpacing supply, with about 83% of the capacity currently under construction already pre-leased, according to CBRE Group. AI firms and cloud service providers are fueling this demand, putting pressure on the data center industry to keep up with the AI boom.
Bitcoin miners possess the high-performance chips and advanced cooling systems needed by AI companies, prompting AI firms to seek partnerships with crypto data centers.
For instance, Intelion, a Russian crypto mining equipment supplier, is set to invest over $130 million to develop AI-focused data centers. Similarly, Bitcoin mining giant Core Scientific Inc. recently declined an unsolicited $1 billion acquisition proposal from AI startup CoreWeave Inc. This increasing interest in Bitcoin miners’ resources provides new revenue streams and enhances the security of the Bitcoin network.
Blockchain Entrepreneurship
The public, immutable nature of crypto blockchains makes them well-suited to counter AI misuse. Entrepreneurs are leveraging blockchain technology to address potential harms associated with AI. For example, some firms are using blockchain to create digital fingerprints for videos, ensuring their integrity and authenticity by detecting tampering.
The convergence of crypto and AI is also visible in virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa. By integrating AI with smart contracts and digital currencies like Bitcoin, these virtual assistants can become more efficient and productive.
Leon explains, “Pairing AI assistants with smart contracts and digitally native money like bitcoin or stablecoins—which are designed to move securely without the slow oversight of centralized entities—could open up new avenues to further enhance our productivity.”
These advancements enable validation of everything from academic research to government communications, highlighting the critical role blockchain technology can play in overseeing AI developments and vice versa.