Bitcoin vs. Gold: Which Is a Better Investment?
At first glance, Bitcoin and Gold may not appear to have much in common. However, many parallels can be drawn, particularly as Bitcoin has become more of an established face in both crypto and traditional financial markets. Both of these assets boast high market caps and trade volumes. In this guide, we’ll be looking at both assets while helping you understand them a bit better and guide your investment choices.
Gold is generally used as a hedge against turbulent markets, particularly during recessions. In recent years, investors have also looked towards Bitcoin and other markets. While Bitcoin's price is not as predictable as Gold, there are other aspects that make it an appealing investment.
Bitcoin vs. gold: Which is a better investment? Bitcoin is a more volatile asset than Gold, so although it can be a more profitable investment, it is far riskier. Gold is known for its stability and is often a suitable hedge-type investment during turbulent markets. Therefore, which one is better depends upon your specific requirements and risk tolerance.
Brief Overview of Gold Vs. Bitcoin
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is a decentralized cryptocurrency founded in 2009. Created by the pseudo-anonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency and also the first proponent of blockchain technology. Despite referencing the global financial recession in the initial block of Bitcoin, it was not made as a response to it due to its inception predating that financial event.
After a slow start with a small group of users mining Bitcoin, the price of BTC skyrocketed in just a few years. It eventually reached an all-time high price in 2021 of $69,044.77. Despite other similar cryptocurrencies, known as altcoins, being released, Bitcoin has maintained its number one position as the most popular cryptocurrency by market cap. Bitcoin has fewer real-world applications or utility than gold, but this hasn’t prevented it from becoming a popular currency and means of investment. Compared to other cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin is also considered one of the most secure due to the amount of miners on the network, which increases the so-called “hash-rate”.
Gold
Gold, of course, predates all currencies, including Bitcoin, as it’s a precious metal found in the Earth's core. It’s unknown exactly when it was first used as a currency, but gold coins first appeared in what is now Turkey around 550 BC. Many countries around the world now use gold in their currencies, usually for higher-valued coins.
Gold has had intrinsic value for centuries for many different reasons. Many consider it a desirable material to be used in jewelry or other fashion items. However, it is also a useful material for use in electronics and other types of engineering. These factors, alongside its relative rarity as a material, have meant gold has always had significant demand. The current price of an ounce of gold is $1,977, with an all-time high price of $2,089.20 happening in August 2020.
Investing in Bitcoin vs. Gold
Before you invest in Bitcoin or gold, you should consider a few factors.
Gold market cap vs. Bitcoin
The market capitalization of an asset is the number of that asset (coin, metal, etc..) in circulation multiplied by the value of it. Because Bitcoin is an entirely digital currency with a publicly viewable ledger (the blockchain), finding the market cap is trivial. Currently, there are 19,520,118 BTC in circulation, and with each coin currently worth $30,213.34, this means the market cap is worth $589.77 billion. New coins are released via the mining blockchain reward function, with a maximum of 21m to be released.
There is no exact measurement for the total circulating supply of gold in the world, and the estimates can vary based on the source used. The current market cap is derived from the above-ground gold reserves. The World Gold Council gives some important figures that can help to provide investors with a market cap. They estimate that around 209,000 tonnes of gold has been mined in history, which equates to a market cap of $12tn. However, the currently circulating gold financial market is around 40% of this value. These numbers mean gold has the highest market capitalization of any financial asset in the world.
Trading gold vs. crypto and Bitcoin
There are many ways to trade gold, with multiple financial markets and instruments available. The simplest way to trade crypto vs. gold is spot trading, where you simply buy and sell each without needing to own it or know any complex trading strategies. However, other popular methods include options, ETFs, stocks, and futures. Generally, a brokerage will own physical gold or have a contract stating some type of loan. Most methods to trade gold will require the payment of a commission, which can cut into your profits significantly. You may be curious about trading XAU vs Bitcoin, but this is not that simple due to the differing nature of both assets. However, there are gold-backed cryptocurrencies such as Tether Gold (XAUt) which can be traded alongside cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
Trading Bitcoin is remarkably simple and has been an entry point into the financial markets for many investors. The two main ways to trade BTC are decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and centralized exchanges (CEXs); while the former is generally less risky, the latter allows you to purchase and trade crypto alongside fiat currencies like USD or EUR.
➡️ Bitcoin vs. Gold: Which is Best? The Ultimate Showdown!! Source: Coin Bureau.
Bitcoin vs. gold: volatility
In its short lifespan (relative to gold), Bitcoin has been known as a highly volatile asset, with swings of several thousand dollars happening in short periods. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are also strongly affected by media coverage and other forms of word-of-mouth, such as social media. Gold, on the other hand, is less affected by these due in part to its longevity and its real-world attributes and practicalities. Whether you choose to invest in Bitcoin or Gold will depend on your investment aims, risk tolerance, and financial resources.
Bitcoin vs. gold: regulations
Both gold and Bitcoin have trading regulations, although these vary considerably depending on which country you’re located in and the type of trading you wish to do. For example, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have only recently become available for Bitcoin in the USA, and there are strict regulations surrounding how and where you can use them. The physical nature of gold presents its own problems for those importing or exporting it, with many countries regulating this.
Bitcoin vs. Gold: FAQ
Let’s answer some commonly asked questions about gold Vs. Bitcoin.
Is Bitcoin backed by gold?
Bitcoin is not backed by gold or any other real-world asset. Several factors affect the supply and demand of Bitcoin, such as the computing power required to mine it.
Will gold overtake Bitcoin in price?
Gold is usually traded in ounces using the code XAU. One ounce is currently worth around $1,977. Therefore, comparing XAU vs. Bitcoin, we can see that XAU is worth around 1/15th of Bitcoin’s price ($29,636). Gold overtaking would have to rely more on Bitcoin depreciating in value, as gold’s price is very stable and is unlikely to ever reach the heights that Bitcoin has.
Is it better to buy gold or Bitcoin?
Generally, gold is better suited to investors looking for stability and as part of a hedging strategy, while Bitcoin has more potential for greater profits at the risk of a highly turbulent price.
Is Bitcoin more stable than gold?
Historically, Bitcoin has been a lot more volatile than gold, with huge price swings regularly occurring. However, in 2023, K33 Research found Bitcoin experienced multiple drawn-out periods of stability, showing greater stability than the gold market.
Why is gold called XAU?
XAU is the three-letter trading code for gold. Almost all financial assets have a three-letter code for the sake of consistency. In XAU the X refers to a metal, and the AU is derived from the Latin word for gold, aurum, which made the chemical symbol AU.
Bitcoin vs. Gold: Conclusion
So, now that we’ve covered these two popular investments let’s summarise what we’ve learned. Gold (XAU) is a precious metal with many real-world uses outside of finance. However, as a financial asset, it is used as a hedge-style investment, often in times of turbulence, such as during a recession, because of its ability to maintain a steady value. Bitcoin, on the other hand, is an entirely different type of financial asset: a cryptocurrency. As a cryptocurrency, it derives and holds value in a different way, generally based on computing power and trust in the network. Bitcoin is more and more in trading, even by traditional or institutional investors. If you want to know more about Crypto and various financial investments, make sure to follow our regular ChicksX Blogs.