Bitcoin is Exactly Like Gold Except When it Isn't

Abstract

Bitcoin has been described as digital gold. Bitcoin is exactly like gold except when it isn’t. Over millennia, gold has gained a questionable reputation as an inflation hedge, a store of value and a safe haven. Gold’s price can arguably be decomposed into a “golden constant” fair price and a fair price deviation. Bitcoin has no track record as an inflation hedge, a store of value and a safe haven. Bitcoin’s price can arguably be decomposed into a questionable “bitcoin network” fair price and a fair price deviation. Both bitcoin and gold are about 50% above their “fair prices”.

Keywords: Bitcoin, digital gold, gold, golden constant, inflation, Jastram, Metcalfe's Law, inflation hedge, store of value, safe haven

JEL Classification: G10, G11, G12, G15, G28, G01, G02, E31, E58, N20