Internet Computer (ICP) Price Prediction 2024, 2025, 2030

Looking at the charts, the Internet Computer coin, Ticker: ICP, has not faired well in the past—currently down 99.62% from its initial price. However, the development of this protocol—which combines the internet with blockchain technology to revolutionize the web without turning it upside down—continues to move forward. Recent partnerships, integrations, and EU-GDPR compliant subnet launches seem to have turned the tide—with ICP up 439% since its all-time low in September 2023.

In this Internet Computer price prediction we look at the factors affecting the price of ICP and dive into what is being built with this protocol, how it works, and what the plans are for the future of the Internet Computer.

Internet Computer Price History

The Internet Computer token was launched on May 7th, 2021, along with the Internet Computer Protocol. The first price data available on CoinMarketCap is the coin’s ATH of $750.73, from May 10th, 2021—it is currently down 98% from this ATH. It is worth noting here that ICP was launched just as the 2021 bull market was taking its first major dip, as the price of Bitcoin lost almost 35% of its value in the two weeks between May 8th and May 22nd, plummeting from $57,352.77 to $37,371.03—dragging many altcoins down with it.

The price chart on CoinMarketCap actually starts a day later, May 11th, 2021, when the coin had already dropped to $428.48. From here the price dropped dramatically, trading at just over $100 by the start of June 2021, sinking under $25 at the beginning of 2022, under $10 by May of 2022, and steadily sinking lower until hitting its all-time low of $2.8336 on September 22nd, 2023—a 99.62% decrease from its ATH.

Since September 2023, however, ICP has been on a steady incline, gaining 439% as it follows the upward trajectory of the rest of the cryptocurrency market. This includes a 2 day rise of 66% in December as protocol builders DFINTIY announced the launch of a European subnet that enables GDPR-complaint applications.

Internet Computer Price Prediction 2024

There are many expectations for the crypto market in 2024, with potential ETF drama, a Bitcoin Halving, and an improving economic climate all expected to impact the price of all the top altcoins and beyond.

Q1 2024

There are high expectations that one or multiple Bitcoin ETFs will be approved in early January. However, on January 3rd a Matrixport report, stating why the SEC will Reject Bitcoin Spot ETFs again, sent the price of Bitcoin tumbling, losing 10% in 3 hours. This was less than 36 hours after Bitcoin rallied past the $45k mark for the first time since April 2022, on the back of speculation that the SEC would inform the 14 Bitcoin ETF applicants before the January 10th deadline. Whatever happens, this story is likely to trigger a rollercoaster-like start to 2024.

In the world of the Internet Computer, any big partnerships or new dApps for the newly launched GDPR-complaint subnet for Europe are also likely to send the price skyrocketing.

Q2 2024

The 2024 Bitcoin Halving event is set to occur in April or May. While these events are notoriously quiet for price action (with new ATHs historically coming 12–18 months after the event) this year could be different because Bitcoin, and the wider cryptocurrency world, is gaining popularity, with Bitcoin and crypto-friendly officials rising to prominence in countries around the globe, and one country electing a Bitcoin friendly president in November 2023.

However, many say that such a change in the historic and cyclical narrative of the Bitcoin price is dependent on the approval of a Bitcoin ETF.

For Internet Computer, there is also the potential that native integration of the Ethereum network into the protocol could be complete and open to the public. This would allow Internet Computer smart contracts to create Ethereum addresses and hold ETH without having to go through a bridge—which are notoriously vulnerable to hackers—and mean that smart contracts on the Internet Computer could natively hold both ETH and ERC-20 tokens.

Q3 and Q4 2024

The wider global economic situation is expected to greatly improve by the end of 2024, with markets expecting three rate cuts by the Fed. Such a move, and an improving global economic situation, means investors are likely to move their money out of safer assets and into more volatile assets, like cryptocurrencies.

There are, however, those who predict that tighter regulations could come for cryptocurrencies in many jurisdictions, which would help put large downward pressure on the price of crypto, especially if it comes from countries with high levels of crypto adoption already.

The Internet Computer price itself could also be affected by the integration of Ethereum and ERC-20 tokens. This can happen in two ways, both would be positive for the Internet Computer:

• The integration is publicly released in Q3 or Q4 of 2024, sparking a rise in the price ICP
• The integration is already announced and projects on the ICP begin deploying it and users begin using it

Internet Computer Price Prediction 2025

If the global economic situation continues to improve in 2025 we will continue to see inflation falling throughout the year, which means that institutional and private money is likely to flow into the cryptocurrency market. This will be especially true if the effect of the Bitcoin Halving is felt in this year—as some predict it will be.

If the Bitcoin Halving results in the same historic price cycles witnessed after each of the last 3 halving events—where the price impact is large, and mainly felt 12–18 months after the Halving event—it is very likely that Bitcoin could rise above $100,000 per coin in 2025. Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani stated that the firm expects Bitcoin to hit $150,000 in 2025.

Such huge price gains for Bitcoin could send positive tsunamis of price action throughout the cryptocurrency markets, which ICP holders would be very happy about.

On top of this wider market action, the Internet Computer protocol can look forward to the potential growth of its subnets, both the European GDPR-complaint one and others, as ETH and ERC-20 integration continues to be available to developers and users.

There’s also the continued development of the Internet Computer Protocol. While there are release dates on the Internet Computer Roadmap, there are various interesting items under development or earmarked for development soon, that will greatly improve the Internet Computer. These include:

• expanding subnets to support over 100,000 canister smart contracts, ensuring smooth operation and allowing the network to service the billions of users it is targeting.
• WebSockets, allowing for dynamic dApp updates and push notifications.
• Improvements in cross-subnet communications.
• Built-in end-to-end encryption for Internet Computer dApp users.

From all this we can see that 2025 is also likely to be a positive year for the wider world of crypto and Internet Computer; that is, if the global economic situation doesn’t worsen and the iron fist of regulators doesn’t try and crush the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

As a result, our Internet Computer price prediction for 2025, is a low of $20, a high of $150, and an average price of $80.

Internet Computer Price Forecast Long Term Outlook – 2030 Predictions

Making price forecasts out into the distant future means many more unknown factors could affect the final result. However, there are a few things we can talk about with certainty in an Internet Computer price prediction for 2030.

Crypto Regulation: By 2030 a solid framework should be in place for cryptocurrencies in the majority of jurisdictions. Provided these are positive (which is what we hope) this should help drive cryptocurrencies adoption.
Internet Computer Adoption: The Internet Computer offers an interconnectable alternative to blockchain technology and the internet. If it becomes one of the dominant solutions of the future then that will be reflected in token price.
Bitcoin Halving Comedown: If the Bitcoin Halving price effect history is proven right in 2025, then, with the next Halving expected at the beginning of 2028, we could be coming down off the highs of late 2029 in 2030, which would possibly be an overall negative for the Internet Computer crypto price.

With all that said, our Internet Computer coin forecast for 2030 is a low of $50, a high of $200, and an average of $120.

Potential Highs & Lows of Internet Computer Coin Price

Below we’ve collected our Internet Computer token price predictions for the short and long term.

What do Other Analysts Predict for Internet Computer Coin?

Our Internet Computer price prediction is not the only one out there, and here we’ve collated price forecasts from other analysts.

What is Internet Computer Coin and What is it Used For?

Initially developed by the DFINITY Foundation, the Internet Computer protocol brings blockchain technology to the everyday functions that we use the internet for and is described in the Internet Computer whitepaper as a:

“radical new design of blockchain that unleashes the full potential of smart contracts, overcoming the limitations of smart contracts on traditional blockchains with respect to speed, storage cost, and computational capacity.”

How Does the Internet Computer Work?

The Internet Computer runs on a global network of independent nodes, as any blockchain does. These nodes run the Internet Computer Protocol, ICP, from which the network’s token gets its name. These nodes are not proof-of-stake or proof-of-work, like the majority of the best layer 1 crypto projects.

Instead, it uses a proof-of-useful-work consensus mechanism. This requires the use of a “node machine,” a piece of dedicated hardware with a standardized specification. Owners of these machines earn rewards for participating in block production and smart contract execution.

Those producing blocks and completing computations for the network are not trying to complete as many tasks and produce as many blocks as possible. Instead, they are trying not to “statistically deviate” from the average block producer by producing more or less blocks than their counterpart nodes—as they are punished if they deviate from the median value.

Subnet Blockchains and a Permissionless DAO

These nodes are combined into “subnet blockchains” by a permissionless DAO, which ultimately controls, configures, and upgrades the whole network. These subnet blockchains are then combined into a single blockchain.

The nodes chosen to partake in each subnet blockchain created by the permissionless DAO, are chosen through deterministic decentralization, which takes into account the node’s geographic location and jurisdiction to ensure it is creating a decentralized network. This permissionless DAO can also remove nodes that deviate from the required level of production.

All of this allows the network to scale horizontally, which means it scales by adding more machines—as the traditional internet does—rather than by adding more computing power, as many blockchains do. Ultimately, this method of scaling a network is much easier to do on a mass level.

Canister Smart Contracts

Smart contracts are an integral part of any advanced blockchain network, and integral to the decentralized operations of Web3. Internet Computer uses a novel type of smart contract, canister smart contracts, designed for internet scale services.

These canister smart contracts offer the same benefits as traditional smart contracts, but with a host more functionality, ease-of-use, and scalability that allows them to be used and combined to run large and complex applications, like social media websites.

Canisters can be run on many of the Internet Computer’s subnet blockchains simultaneously. Notable, these smart contracts can be run at the same speed and efficiency as existing web-based applications, resulting in little to no difference in the user experience.

Reverse-Gas Fees

On the topic of user experience, blockchains ushered in an era where users pay—often variable and high—gas fees for sending transactions and using smart contracts.

However, in the Internet Computer model, reverse-gas fees mean that developers must preload their smart contracts with the funds, in ICP coin, to pay gas fees for the user. Essentially, this makes gas fees an operating cost for the developer, and using the dApps and smart contracts launched on the Internet Computer is free for users.

Internet Computer Interoperability

Smart contracts on the Internet Computer can directly interact with other blockchains without using bridges—which are notoriously prone to hacks.

This is because the canister smart contracts on the Internet Computer can create addresses on a blockchain, for example, Bitcoin, and directly send and receive Bitcoin through that. This is made possible through Chain Key Cryptography, developed by the creators of the Internet Computer.

What is the Goal of The Internet Computer?

The Internet Computer is designed, and aptly named, to replace traditional IT infrastructure and processes with a decentralized Web3 version that exists as a “blockchain singularity.”

Unlike existing blockchains, which struggle with being able to scale up to service the millions of users already serviced by Web2, the Internet Computer allows developers to build decentralized applications that service huge numbers of users.

What is Internet Computer Coin Used For?

The Internet Computer token, ICP, is used by developers to charge canister smart contracts to pay for user’s transactions. It also functions as a governance token, allowing holders to vote on the future development of the network. It is used as a crypto-incentive reward for those running network nodes, and, finally, it is used by users to pay transaction fees when sending ICP peer-to-peer across the network.

Internet Computer Coin Overview

What Influences the Price of ICP?

Many factors that affect the price of Internet Computer, and, as a result, our Internet Computer price prediction.

• Network Upgrades: As upgrades are released to the Internet Computer protocol this opens up its utility to a wider group of developers who, in turn, will open it up for a wider group of users. All driving demand for the ICP token.
• Partnership Announcements: As the internet computer grows it is likely to partner with groups, companies, and individuals from inside and outside the cryptocurrency world. It is likely that these will almost always have a positive effect on the price of Internet Computer.
• Crypto Regulation: As cryptocurrencies continue to evolve the stance of different nations toward them will also emerge. Positive regulations are likely to foster adoption and development, potentially resulting in increased prices. Negative regulations that suppress or ban cryptocurrencies are very likely to have the opposite effect.
• Crypto Adoption: Increased adoption of cryptocurrencies, and, more specifically, Internet Computer, are likely to drive the price of the token upwards.
• Bitcoin Price Movements: Altcoins typically track the movements of the grandfather of the cryptocurrency, following it up and down the charts throughout the year. These two elements of the crypto market won’t decouple until the market matures a lot more.
• Network dApp Hacks: There are very few dApps on the Internet Computer network, along with very few users of those dApps. As the number of dApps and users increases expect hackers to begin targeting these dApps. When (not if) a hack occurs the Internet Computer coin is likely to be negatively affected.

Is Internet Computer (ICP) a Buy?

With the upcoming release of the Ethereum integration, which allows users to natively use ETH and ERC-20 tokens on the Internet Computer protocol, there is a positive outlook for the near future as the utility of this protocol grows. The fact that this is natively making Internet Computer a multi-chain protocol without the need to use hack-prone bridges to port assets is hugely advantageous and helps to build a strong case for its future utility.

While the goal of the Internet Computer Protocol is ambitious it will, if it succeeds, revolutionize both the internet and blockchain worlds; fundamentally changing how we interact and secure ourselves and our funds online. Continued updates to the network are designed to help achieve this goal and the DFINITY Foundation has a good track record of building and implementing upgrades.

Conclusion

recent updates have made Internet Computer a hot topic, and its novel use of a proof-of-useful-work system to combine blockchain technology with the internet while continuing to be able to meet the public’s high expectations of throughput is rather exceptional.

However, we are yet to know if it will be properly executed, or even adopted by a global audience. So, the question is: does this utility and functionality make Internet Computer one of the best cryptos to buy in 2024?

References

• https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/bitcoin/
• https://medium.com/dfinity/the-internet-computer-blockchain-takes-a-first-step-towards-digital-sovereignty-in-europe-782531894780
• https://www.matrixport.com/institutions/research/matrix-on-target/813
• https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitcoin-rallies-past-45-000-052235308.html
• https://blockworks.co/news/argentina-milei-bitcoin-president
• https://medium.com/dfinity/global-r-d-may-2023-edition-d96859039ca6
• https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/12/13/business/fed-meeting-interest-rates
• https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2023-global-crypto-adoption-index/
• https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/31/bitcoin-could-hit-150000-by-2025-predicts-bernstein.html
• https://internetcomputer.org/roadmap
• https://dfinity.org/
• https://internetcomputer.org/whitepaper.pdf
• https://wiki.internetcomputer.org/wiki/Proof_of_Useful_Work
• https://wiki.internetcomputer.org/wiki/Canister_smart_contract
• https://medium.com/dfinity/chain-key-technology-one-public-key-for-the-internet-computer-6a3644901e28

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Ben Beddow

Editor

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Ben Beddow

Editor

Ben has been a freelance writer for almost a decade and started writing in the cryptocurrency space in 2019. Since then he has produced both technical and promotional content for layer 2 protocols (Milkomeda), blockchain development companies (dcSpark and Emurgo), and written content for his own ecosystem mapping website.

All Articles by Ben Beddow