Crypto Vs Gold: How Are Cryptocurrency And Gold Related?

Crypto Vs Gold: Gold and crypto are frequently contrasted. However, gold, which users can hold, is not the same as non-tangible, digital cryptocurrencies.
By Coingape Staff coingape-authors
January 27, 2023 Updated May 28, 2025

Crypto Vs Gold: Gold was the first speculative asset, as well as the first currency and currency hedge. In recent years, people have started using cryptocurrencies instead of gold for all of those uses. To put it mildly, they have experienced a wild ride. The majority of cryptocurrency investors are young, and they think that this time is different because cryptocurrencies are actually superior to gold as a medium of exchange and investment. The average gold investor is older and prefers gold for its reliability and longevity.

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What is crypto?

Cryptocurrency is a digital payment system that does not rely on banks for transaction verification.  Using this peer-to-peer system, anyone, anywhere can send and receive payments. Cryptocurrency payments only exist as digital entries to an online database that describe specific transactions, not as actual physical money that is carried around and exchanged in the real world. A public ledger keeps track of all transactions involving cryptocurrency money transfers. Digital wallets are used to store cryptocurrency.

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What is gold?

Gold typically outperforms other asset classes during market corrections because it keeps its value. If a recession is on the horizon, investors will switch from stocks to gold, driving up the price. As a result, it can be used as a hedge an investment that moves in the opposite direction of another against market declines or recessions.

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Crypto Vs Gold: Differences

As a medium of exchange and a means of storing wealth, gold has dominated economies and markets for countless generations. Since its introduction in 2009, crypto has only recently gained widespread acceptance. Here are some key differences between crypto and gold.

1. Regulation

The well-established system for tracking, weighing, and trading gold is flawless. It is very difficult to steal or fake, and it is also heavily regulated. The encrypted and decentralized nature of cryptocurrency makes it difficult to steal and fake. But there isn’t yet a regulatory framework in place to guarantee the security of users.

2. Utility

Gold has long been used for a wide range of purposes, including currency, opulent goods, specialized uses in electronics and dentistry, as well as many others. Gold’s capacity to hold its value when the value of other assets declines can be attributed to this cross-functional utility. The utility of crypto is constrained. It is only used at the moment as a speculative investment and digital currency.

3. Volatility

In the past, cryptocurrencies have shown to be susceptible to hype, investor sentiment, media effect, and regulatory actions. Investors might become anxious and make snap decisions in response to news from the world of digital currencies. For the reasons outlined above, gold does not have this inherent volatility, making it potentially a safer investment.

4. Public acceptance and recognition

Almost everyone is aware of how valuable gold is. Investors recognize that even if they don’t like it as an investment option, it’s a rare and valuable resource whose value is likely to last forever. Unfortunately, there isn’t quite as much public support for cryptocurrencies in this area, though interest in them is rising.

Advantages of Crypto

  1. More trendy
  2. Bigger Infrastructure
  3. No storage fees
  4. Easier to create
  5. Alternative to weak fiat currencies

Advantages of Gold

  1. Industrial Uses
  2. Monetary uses
  3. Less volatile
  4. Less manipulated
  5. Environmentally safer
  6. Lower energy prices

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Crypto Vs Gold: Is Crypto Rarer Than Gold?

One of the more uncommon metals is gold. When compared to other cryptocurrencies, bitcoin is rare, and when compared to other metals, gold is rare. Both of them are uncommon in their respective categories.

Gold Vs Bitcoin: Overall Returns

While Bitcoin increased by nearly 1,300% in 2017–18, gold returned around 6.3–7.3 percent. Bitcoin gained significantly more than gold in 2019–20, 2020–21, and 2021–22 as well. However, Bitcoin has dropped nearly 60% year to date, compared to gold’s positive return of over 4%.

Does Crypto Offer a Better Return Than Gold?

When equity markets are unstable, gold often finds its footing. Crypto, on the other hand, deviates from this pattern. For instance, during the same time period that the S&P 500 index and the Nasdaq declined, the value of Bitcoin more than halved. In contrast, gold remained constant.

Expert analysis indicates that investors who own cryptocurrencies would benefit from adding gold to their portfolios in order to lower overall risks and boost long-term underlying returns because cryptocurrencies are significantly more volatile than gold. Which is better will depend on your risk appetite, investing approach, available capital, and level of loss tolerance. Cryptocurrency is a riskier investment than gold because it is much more volatile.

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Coingape Staff
CoinGape comprises an experienced team of native content writers and editors working round the clock to cover news globally and present news as a fact rather than an opinion. CoinGape writers and reporters contributed to this article.
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