- Researchers at Fidelity Investments are focusing on Bitcoin, characterizing it as a “superior currency” that provides a value not replicated by other tokens.
- While this token has shown strong performance this year, it has mostly been stuck in a range for the past few weeks before reaching around $27,000. However, it has yet to approach the November 2021 peak.
- Fidelity itself has invested significantly in the long-term success of the crypto sector. They recently launched cryptocurrency brokerage accounts.
Fidelity Researchers said that while they focused on the advantages of Bitcoin investment in their recent reports, they were aware of the potential risks.
Fidelity States That Bitcoin Stands Out
Researchers at Fidelity Investments, one of the world’s largest asset managers, characterize Bitcoin as a “superior currency” that provides a value not replicated by other tokens.
In a white paper published last week, Chris Kuiper and Jack Neureuter stated that Bitcoin’s status as a “monetary good” and a store of value distinguishes it into a different investment category compared to other tokens, which they claim have venture capital-like characteristics.
The recent performance of Bitcoin as a store of value is at best misleading. While this token has shown strong performance this year, it has mostly been stuck in a range for the past few weeks before reaching around $27,000. However, it still cannot approach the November 2021 peak, and the value of Bitcoin has generally moved in parallel with other risk assets over time, which have been affected by the Federal Reserve’s rate hike campaign.
Since Bitcoin’s creation in 2009, developers have created many imitations. Networks like Ethereum have been established, and while they share similar features with the Bitcoin network, some argue that they can be used as a type of decentralized internet that can host applications that are not possible with Bitcoin.
For investors interested in digital assets, Fidelity researchers suggest that these new networks should be considered more like speculative venture capital investments, as Bitcoin can be considered a medium of exchange.
Fidelity itself has invested significantly in the long-term success of the crypto sector. They recently launched cryptocurrency brokerage accounts, allowing traders to buy Bitcoin and Ether alongside stocks. They also allow companies to offer Bitcoin investments to their employees in 401(k) plans, which has drawn regulatory scrutiny. Fidelity is actively lobbying Congress on regulations and is among the companies looking to launch a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund in the United States.
Fidelity is aware of the risks in Bitcoin
Fidelity researchers acknowledge that Bitcoin investments carry risks, but given the token’s resilience and endurance even in the midst of traditional financial crises, they argue that investors “overestimate Bitcoin’s downside risks compared to other digital assets.”
The researchers wrote, “We believe investors should think of Bitcoin not just as the first digital asset they consider to understand digital assets, but also to think of Bitcoin as separate and distinct from all other digital assets that have followed.”
