As concerns about the stability of fiat currency continue to grow, a growing number of US states are taking steps to recognize gold and silver as legal tender. As previously reported by crypto news website Invezz, 23 states have introduced legislation that would allow citizens to use precious metals to pay for goods and services. This trend towards recognizing gold and silver as alternative currencies could have significant implications for the broader economy, as well as for cryptocurrencies.
For years, cryptocurrency advocates have argued that Bitcoin and other digital assets are completely safe and could serve as a viable alternative to traditional currencies. However, the rise of precious metals as a recognized form of legal tender could pose a challenge to this view. As Shivam Kaushik notes in his recent Invezz article, “The more US states that accept gold and silver as legal tender, the more support these precious metals will gain as an alternative currency.”
Increased acceptance could hurt cryptocurrency market
This increased support for gold and silver as alternative currencies could come at the expense of cryptocurrencies, as investors look for alternative ways to protect their wealth. As the value of fiat currency continues to decline, many are turning to alternative assets such as gold, silver, and Bitcoin to protect their purchasing power. However, if gold and silver become more widely recognized as alternative currencies, it could lead to a decreased demand for cryptocurrencies.
There are a few ways in which this trend towards recognizing gold and silver as legal tender could impact cryptocurrencies. First, it could lead to a decrease in demand for Bitcoin and other digital assets, as investors shift their focus to precious metals. Second, it could lead to increased competition between precious metals and cryptocurrencies as alternative currencies, as investors weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each asset class.
Tangible vs digital
However, it’s also worth noting that there are some key differences between precious metals and cryptocurrencies. While both are alternative forms of currency, they serve different purposes and have different benefits and drawbacks. For example, gold and silver have a long history as a store of value, while cryptocurrencies are still a relatively new asset class.
Additionally, while gold and silver are tangible assets, cryptocurrencies are purely digital. This can be a double-edged sword for cryptocurrencies, as it makes them more accessible and easier to trade, but also makes them more susceptible to cyberattacks and other security threats.
In the end, it remains to be seen how the trend towards recognizing gold and silver as legal tender will impact cryptocurrencies. While it could pose a challenge to Bitcoin and other digital assets, there are still many factors that could impact the demand for cryptocurrencies in the future.
