Bitcoin And Gold: China’s Largest Bank Highlights Comparable Scarcity

As a seasoned crypto investor with a deep understanding of the digital asset market, I find ICBC’s analysis of Bitcoin and Ethereum to be both insightful and validating. The comparison of Bitcoin’s scarcity to gold is particularly compelling, given that this finite quality has long been a key driver of its value.


Digital currencies such as Bitcoin have revolutionized the cryptocurrency sector by drastically altering the financial and technological terrain. Notably, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the globe’s largest bank in terms of total assets, has acknowledged the impressive development and metamorphosis of digital currencies. The bank specifically highlighted Bitcoin, drawing parallels between its finite supply and inherent scarcity to that of gold.

Bitcoin’s Scarcity Comparable to Gold

ICBC Bank expressed high regard for digital currencies in its comprehensive macroeconomic analysis, noting their importance in today’s evolving financial landscape. Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Asset Research at VanEck, highlighted the report on social media platform X, describing it as an affectionate tribute to Bitcoin and Ethereum.

As a crypto investor, I’ve noticed an astonishing surge in the number of digital currencies emerging in the market. This growth can be attributed to our innate human ability to imagine new possibilities. The report underscores this trend, explaining that the development of digital currencies is fueled by market demand. For instance, Bitcoin paved the way, Ethereum built upon its foundation, and central banks continue exploring the creation of their official digital currencies.

The bank drew a connection between Bitcoin and gold, pointing out that both possess scarcity. This comparison is based on Bitcoin’s underlying mathematical consensus which solves issues such as difficulty in splitting, detecting authenticity, and transporting it. According to the report, “its monetary qualities are becoming less significant, while its value-holding capabilities keep growing.”

ICBC’s analysis points out that Bitcoin’s maximum supply of 21 million coins resembles gold’s finite nature, which has traditionally boosted its worth. Given that only 21 million Bitcoins will ever exist, this digital currency, often referred to as “digital gold,” is highly prized for its scarcity. The significant rise in Bitcoin’s value and popularity can be primarily attributed to its limited supply.

As a researcher studying the digital finance landscape, I’d like to share an insightful analogy: Bitcoin is starting to resemble gold as a valuable store of digital wealth. The reason being, just like gold is a scarce physical commodity, Bitcoin’s limited supply makes it equally precious in the digital world. Moreover, when a major financial powerhouse recognizes Bitcoin’s scarcity, it adds credibility and appeal to this cryptocurrency for both institutional and individual investors alike.

Ethereum Is Digital Oil

The report explored Ethereum’s distinctiveness and significance within the digital currency sphere. It labeled Ethereum as “the backbone of decentralized applications and smart contracts in the blockchain world,” drawing an analogy to “digital oil” due to its indispensable role. In contrast to Bitcoin, Ethereum brings Turing completeness into play through its unique Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and Solidity programming language, as ICBC pointed out.

Because Ethereum is Turing-complete, it can process any valid programming command with sufficient resources. As a result, developers possess the capability to construct complex smart contracts and apps, thereby providing a solid foundation for the advancement of blockchain technology.

ETH’s flexibility has gained significant acclaim in the realms of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) and Decentralized Finance (DeFi), and it continues to broaden its scope to the realm of physical infrastructure networks, known as DePin.

Bitcoin And Gold: China’s Largest Bank Highlights Comparable Scarcity

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2024-06-12 13:41