"Everything you need to know about gold"
Do cryptocurrencies still have value? Some would say yes, absolutely. Others might be rethinking previous expectations for cryptocurrencies. We give the nod to the former – with some strong caveats.
The value of cryptocurrencies has to do with the transaction process. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have value because they provide a process for the private transfer of money.
IS BITCOIN STILL THE NEXT BIG THING?
Remember when Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were the “next big thing”? For most investors, it was only because the prices were going up in radical fashion.
The anticipation of hitting it big coupled with FOMO (fear of missing out) overcame fundamental analysis and common sense. Aside from the techno geniuses who created them, and maybe a few savvy ‘miners’, who else could explain the process?
Sure; $100,000 Bitcoin is possible; but is it realistic? Is a potential gain of sixty-six percent worth the risk of losing a similar amount or more?
VIDEO GAMES AND BITCOIN
After spending the better part of a day at the game arcade with two of my sons and a couple of my grandchildren, and amidst all the ringing bells and flashing lights, I found time for some brief reflection.
There seemed to be a huge disparity between the reflected scores and the accomplishments of the various participants.
For example, why is 200 points a “good” score in one game and 1000 points a “bad” score in another game?
We could ask similar questions, I suppose, about the scoring variations in organized sports, too.
Then, I thought about Bitcoin. What makes investors think Bitcoin is worth $60,000? And why is its price so much higher than other cryptocurrencies?
Comparing Bitcoin To Gold – Store(s) Of Value?
Mark Cuban claims that Bitcoin is a better store of value than gold. Is he correct?
JANET YELLEN RE: CRYPTOCURRENCIES AND TERRORISTS
In comments made during her confirmation hearing last month, Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen said that transactions in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, were used “mainly for illicit financing” and suggested that lawmakers and regulators curtail their use due to terrorism concerns.
Here are the statements she made in response to a question from Sen. Maggie Hassan, who asked Yellen during her confirmation hearing on Tuesday about the dangers of terrorists using cryptocurrencies:
STOCKS – BITCOIN – GOLD
Stock prices, according to the S&P 500, are up seventy percent from their lows last April. The Nasdaq Composite at its most recent high point was up even more, sporting a ninety-five percent increase from its nadir. A number of individual stocks have done even better.
For the entire year 2020, however, stocks were up a more modest sixteen percent (S&P 500) and only seven percent for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
However, the outsized performance of the Nasdaq was even more apparent on a full calendar year basis. For 2020 the Nasdaq was up forty-three percent. Relative to its peers, the average Nasdaq stock was up more than three to four times as much as non-Nasdaq stocks.
Always searching, always relentless in the quest for more, bigger, better, etc. It is a never-ending thirst that cannot be quenched; a hunger that cannot be satisfied.
Today’s investor seems oblivious to whatever it was that brought us to this point in world civilization. Economic fundamentals have taken a back seat to fantasy and hyperbolae.
Case in point: Bitcoin.
IS BITCOIN MONEY?
Writing about Bitcoin is a challenge for several reasons. It has a short history (ten years), it is highly complex, and there is a certain vagueness to the logic behind the concept. When reading about it, or listening to explanations, I wonder whether or not I understand it adequately. I also wonder how many others do.
Much has already been written and discussed, such that further commentary might be superfluous. But some additional perspective likely won’t hurt. So, for those who asked…