Demystifying Bitcoin: Sleight of Hand or Major Global Currency Alternative?

Main Article Content

Marko Malović

Abstract

Bitcoin, a peculiar crypto-currency has been the loudest buzzword in global finance over the last year or so, both for its spectacular and seemingly robust appreciation trend as well as for more recent equally ostentatious demise. After reviewing the history of bitcoin and specificities of its cyber-construct, this paper adds to the critical analysis of bitcoin as an international currency alternative. Lately, its volatility has been so excessive that it arguably cannot serve as a store of value. In addition, notwithstanding bitcoin's rising if bumpy credibility as a medium of exchange, since it has been immediately converted (by chief vendors) in either of the leading world currencies upon payment due to its extraordinary exchange rate volatility, bitcoin's unit of account potential appears to be dubious too. Moreover, bitcoin's next to none correlation with other major currencies' movements renders it unsuitable for managing FX risk or hedging purposes. Finally, having in mind that it lacks formal reserves or deposit-insurance scheme to back it up yet it's also prone to hacking, bitcoin resembles and behaves more like a pyramidal investment vehicle than a global currency alternative. Nevertheless, technology that made it be may still spawn an evolution in the way we posses things, transfer ownership and pay for goods and services in the near IT-ridden future.

Article Details

Section
Part I: Monetary and Credit Policy

References

Crippen, A. (2014), “Buffet blasts Bitcoin as ‘Mirage’: Stay Away!”, CNBC News, March 14th, http://www.cnbc.com/id/101494937.
Dougherty, C. (2014), “The Rise of Bitcoin: Is it Real Currency if it doesn’t come from the Mint?”, Bloomberg, mimeo.
Gordon, I.-Iaralov, V.-Woo, D. (2013). “Cause and Effect - Bitcoin: A First Assessment”, Bank of America & Merril Lynch FX and Rates Global Research, December 5th.
The Economist (2014). “Bitcoin’s Future: Hidden Flipside”, The Economist, March 15th.
The Economist (2014*) “Money from Nothing”, The Economist, March 15th.
Moodley, K. (2014) “Another Bitcoin Site bites the Dust”, CNBC News, www.cnbc.com.
Nakamoto, S. (2008). “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”, MIT, Cambridge, MA, mimeo.
Roubini, N. (2014). “Bitcoin is a ‘Ponzi Game’”, The Wall Street Journal, March 10th.
Thomson Reuters (2014). “The Knowledge Effect: Bitcoin - Graphic of the Day”, Thomson Reuters, mimeo.
Wallace, B. (2011). “The Rise and Fall of Bitcoin”, Wired Magazine, November 23rd, mimeo.
Yermack, D. (2013). “Is Bitcoin a Real Currency?”, NBER Working Paper 19747, Cambridge, MA, December.