But buying only makes sense if you can "realize" the gains - for that, the BTC network (i.e. transfers between accounts) has to continue working. In the absence

But buying only makes sense if you can "realize" the gains - for that, the BTC network (i.e. transfers between accounts) has to continue working. In the absence of mining gains from newly-minted coins, rich individuals that want to use their wealth will be paying for mining in transaction fees.