Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money. Bitcoin uses peer-to-peer technology to operate with no central authority or banks; managing transactions and the issuing of bitcoins is carried out collectively by the network. Bitcoin is open-source; its design is public, nobody owns or controls Bitcoin and everyone can take part. Through many of its unique properties, Bitcoin allows exciting uses that could not be covered by any previous payment system
Bitcoin is the currency of the Internet: a distributed, worldwide, decentralized digital money. Unlike traditional currencies such as dollars, bitcoins are issued and managed without any central authority whatsoever: there is no government, company, or bank in charge of Bitcoin. As such, it is more resistant to wild inflation and corrupt banks. With Bitcoin, you can be your own bank.
Now that we both know what bitcoins are, here is what is trending: A single bitcoin is now roughly twice as valuable as an ounce of gold.
The most recent flurry of buying helped send the price of bitcoin up over $2,600 in trading Friday, while the value of gold has stayed at about $1,267 per ounce. Bitcoin’s value has since pared its gains, and traded at about $2,433 midday Friday.
Just two months ago, bitcoin only just inched above the value of gold.
The surge comes as the cryptocurrency gains legitimacy in countries such as Japan, and Chinese regulators look to be growing more tolerant of bitcoin. Despite bitcoin’s volatility, some investors have also come to see the currency as a good place to store funds in times of geopolitical uncertainty.
Gold, too, is known to be a “safe haven” asset — investors buy the precious metal when turmoil looks just around the bend. But while gold has risen 10% this year, bitcoin has risen 153%.
