I would see additional bitcoin coming first. Oh we lost 10 of the 21m. Let's add 10m more.
Discussion
On a long time horizon, I'm also open to ideas around recycling coins that haven't moved after a time.
For example, if a UTXO hasn't been spent after 13,440,000 blocks (64 halving epochs or roughly 256 years), then there could potentially be a sweeping of those UTXOs as earned to the miner that mines that block.
None of this would happen in my lifetime, but this could affect long run institutions, people who choose cryostasis and are brought back, etc. so need to consider the impacts.
Disagree. How do you know the keys haven't passed thru the generations for 256 years?
Unlikely I know, but who are we to judge/steal?
😉
That's why my example is set enough in the future that none of us now would directly benefit.
For keys passed through generations, they'd be aware of changes and make transactions as necessary to signal that the keys are still operable.
The concern is more for those who are unconscious in cryostasis (Hal Finney being one of them) and any long time locked scripts that would prevent a spend between now and then.
I'm a hard No on any such endeavor to recycle unspent UTXOs with an age less than longest human lifespan.