Unavoidably, the economy in the future will need it, specially as gold stops being scarce once space mining is in full swing, for then such material scarcity will only be possible virtually.
Will it replace fiat money?
Not even any kind of money. Because of its use as an underlying store of value, bitcoin will not be used as money of exchange. It will become the support for tokens which will be used as everyday money.
I think the question is not properly formulated:
Unavoidably, the economy in the future will need it, specially as gold stops being scarce once space mining is in full swing, for then such material scarcity will only be possible virtually.
Not even any kind of money. Because of its use as an underlying store of value, bitcoin will not be used as money of exchange. It will become the support for tokens which will be used as everyday money.
So the proper answer to me is: Yes, No.