As an investor, you will likely hold a portion of your portfolio in precious metals, such as gold. By doing so, investors can safeguard themselves against possible losses in the stock market resulting from a downward economic trend. Although this method has proven effective and is still effective, a new alternative, Bitcoin, is challenging this traditional approach to capital preservation. Bitcoin presents a unique investment opportunity as it has been around for long enough to gain recognition and support. It is even showing some promising developments.
Bitcoin
A new era of investment and finance began in 2009 with the introduction of Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency exchanges and large-scale Bitcoin mining have gained popularity. Initially, these digital currencies were only of interest to a few enthusiasts. Early Bitcoin speculators discovered in 2010 that the Bitcoins they had previously purchased for fractions of a cent had grown to $0.09 per Bitcoin.
Investors and speculators noticed that bitcoin value did not fall alongside stock values when the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. They began to pour money into it, institutional investors promoted it as an investment instrument, and its value soared – it reached $61,000 in April 2021.
Gold
Historically, gold has performed well during market corrections because it keeps its value; its price remains somewhat steady but then tends to rise as investors shift from stocks to gold if a recession looms. In theory, investments that move opposite from other investments sound like they would act as a hedge against market corrections or recessions.
Not all investors chose Bitcoin as a means of investing during the Covid-19 pandemic; many opted for traditional approaches and increased their holdings of gold. Consequently, gold’s price rose from just below $1,300 in late 2019 to nearly $2,100 by mid-2020. After the pandemic, as economies slowly recovered, gold prices fell, but they remained higher than before the outbreak.
Gold and Bitcoin Comparison
Bitcoin has been around since 2009, while gold has been a favored investment in times of turmoil throughout human history. In these times, gold and bitcoin are seen as a store of value, protection against political and economic instability, and a safe haven against the unbridled expansion and subsequent devaluation of fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar. Both of these will be used by investors to preserve at least a portion of their wealth. However, Bitcoin has some inherent advantages over gold, unique to the fast-paced electronic environment of today, which will enable Bitcoin to outperform gold for an extended period.
Gold and bitcoin are viewed as investment assets because both are unique assets in the following aspects:
✅ Limited supply
✅ Easily traded
✅ Widely regarded as a universal currency
✅ Perceived as a robust store of wealth during times of economic and political uncertainty
Both gold and bitcoin meet the above four criteria. Purchasing both gold and bitcoin is the most popular investment strategy for portfolio diversification and portfolio protection. The advantages of Bitcoin are both nascent and accelerating, which is why Bitcoin will continue to outperform gold in 2022 and beyond.
Is Bitcoin a Better Investment Than Gold?
Several factors are involved, including your risk tolerance level, investment strategy, amount of capital available, and money you can afford to lose. In comparison with gold, bitcoin is much more volatile, making it a riskier investment.
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