Since the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin was introduced to the public in 2009, digital tokens have grown in value, popularity, and utility. Today, several cryptocurrencies are accepted as a means of exchange by many traders all over the world. In fact, many world-class companies like Microsoft and PayPal currently accept cryptocurrencies as a form of payment. For this reason, it is rumoured that crypto may soon replace regular fiat currency in the near future.
Will crypto replace fiat in the long run? What’s the feasibility? Well, let’s dive into the details in this article.
What is fiat currency?
Essentially, fiat currency is a legal tender that is endorsed and supported by the government that issues it instead of substantial goods or commodities. The word ”Fiat currency” itself simply means any money that is issued by the government of a country.
This kind of currency can be in the form of cash (physical money) or may just be represented digitally, e.g. via bank credit.
Fiat currency consists of banknotes, paper currency, bills, coins, etc, which already have value and is used to pay for goods and services regularly. The supply of this currency is usually controlled by the government of a country, and it can be used to pay taxes.
What is Cryptocurrency?
Cryptocurrency is an electronically encrypted and decentralized currency. This means that it is a digital currency that is not linked to or controlled by any government or central bank of a country.
It is established on blockchain technology, which is known as a distributed ledger framework. Essentially, blockchain tech is a distributed ledger framework that is supervised by a network of computers. It keeps the same copy of the database and also updates its records by unanimity based on pure mathematics.
Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency to be created and introduced into the mainstream. Its creation led to the invention of other kinds of digital tokens known as altcoins.
Cryptos are classified as digital or virtual currencies. They were initially developed to offer an alternative method of payment for people who want to execute online transactions. However, they have not yet been generally legalized and adopted by many countries. Also, they are considered too unreliable and unpredictable to be used as a method of payment.
What are the differences between fiat currency & Cryptocurrency?
One of the primary differences between Cryptocurrency and conventional Fiat currency is that cryptocurrency is a virtual/digital currency, while fiat currency is primarily a physical or electronic kind of currency. Other differences between these two currencies include:
- Cryptocurrencies are managed independently without any backing from the government while Fiat currencies are regulated by a country’s government and administered by its central bank.
- There is invariably a limit to the general supply of most cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, the overall supply of fiat currencies is unlimited.
- Cryptos don’t need any intermediary to initiate and execute transfers, while an intermediary is needed for fiat currencies.
- Cryptos are held in digital wallets. Fiat currencies, on the other hand, are held in bank accounts.
- Cryptocurrencies are illegal in many nations of the world while fiat currencies are legal all over the world.
- Cryptos are always characterized by private and public pieces of code. On the other hand, fiat money is depicted by notes, coins, and bills.
The last major difference between both currencies is in their exchange. Basically, fiat money can be used to execute digital or physical payments or immediate transfers of funds. However, only a digital transfer of funds is feasible with cryptocurrency.
Some examples of cryptocurrencies include Bitcoin, USDT, Litecoin, Shiba Inu, etc. As for fiat currencies, their units include Pounds, Euros, Dollars, Yen, etc.
What does the future of currency look like?
It is already possible to exchange cryptocurrency for fiat via crypto exchange platforms like Bitmama or simply trade it with any other crypto via P2P or OTC trading. Essentially, crypto and the whole blockchain technology use understanding, acceptance, and popularity to keep growing in value. The more people understand and use crypto, the more value it could gain as a method of exchange.
If these trends persist, numerous currency scenarios may emerge. First, an economy and society could adopt cryptocurrency to the extent that the nation’s fiat currency would be replaced by crypto. Also, its government would be compelled to recognize crypto as legal tender, and the use of fiat currency would stop.
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Will Cryptocurrency ever replace fiat currency?
Now, to the main question, will crypto replace fiat in the long run? Bitcoin was first introduced after the global financial crisis that occurred in 2007/8. It was offered as a solution to the careless behaviour of prominent financial institutions & the general inability of the government to control them.
The main advantages that virtual currency has over conventional forms of money have made it a currency to consider for the world’s population. Currently, it is estimated that there are about 420 million global crypto tokens users as of 2023. Although experts believe that this figure will significantly increase in the future, there are no guarantees.
Nevertheless, as stated earlier, some key industry players and experts expect and believe that the use of cryptocurrency could increase greatly by the end of the decade. This projection was made as a result of the great strides made by cryptocurrency and the whole blockchain technology in the past few years.
Why is Cryptocurrency tipped to become the future of money?
According to key crypto industry experts, at least 20% of large organizations will make use of cryptocurrency in the future. It is projected to be used as a form of payment, collateral, or store of value, which will interrupt current business models and financial networks.
We can already see this projection coming to pass. Crypto has already been used for payment in top multinational companies like Microsoft, Tesla, and even AT&T. Also, the use of stablecoins has substantially grown in value in the past few years. Stablecoins is a special kind of crypto that is pegged to a popular fiat currency like the USD.
Another major benefit crypto through blockchain technology is having with regard to the near future of money is in the client’s loyalty programs. Currently, many retail businesses are embracing blockchain technology to assist them in tracking and managing customer transactions. The aim of this is to elevate the user’s experience by providing them with more flexibility, transparency, and clarity.
Also, governments all over the world are opening up to using blockchain and crypto tokens now. So far, at least 83 nations are trying out and implementing some Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). CBDC is the digital form of a nation’s fiat currency.
The different opportunities offered by DeFi, metaverse, smart contracts, and many others from the blockchain could also provide a substantial change in the future of money to virtual currencies.
What are the hindrances to Cryptocurrency as future money?
Cryptocurrency has still not been generally adopted across the globe because of its very risky nature (high volatility), frauds, scams, misuse and numerous other reasons. The constant fluctuations in the prices of crypto tokens make it quite risky to be used in place of fiat currency. Currently, the market is experiencing a dip, which has been unfavourable for many users.
Besides the volatile nature of cryptocurrencies, another hindrance is their inclination to scams. Crypto scams have increased greatly in recent years because crypto cannot be controlled, since it is created on the blockchain. Anybody can easily create his/her own digital token and hype it to dupe many people of their hard-earned money. This is another major concern.
The decentralized and unregulated nature of cryptocurrencies makes them a good tool for cyber scams, fraud, money laundering, etc.
What would happen if Cryptocurrency replaces fiat?
Cryptocurrencies in their present form transcend boundaries and regulations. This feature has both positive and negative consequences. The government and central banks do not regulate or affect them in the way that regular fiat currencies are affected in developed countries.
Essentially, central banks make use of monetary policy tools to control inflation and employment rate via interest rates and different open market operations. Decentralization, one of the basic principles by which cryptocurrency is established, removes these tools.
The impact a total replacement of regular fiat currency would have on the economy is still being investigated and evaluated. Experts project that there may be substantial adverse impacts on both financial and economic stability, or the change may bring in an era of full global stability.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is against embracing cryptocurrency as a primary national currency in its present state because of its price volatility. Also, the organization believes that the threats of macro-financial stability and the absence of consumer protections have to be addressed.
Nevertheless, the IMF still acknowledges that crypto adoption is very likely to happen more rapidly in nations where cryptocurrency threats are an advancement on the existing financial system in place.
Cryptocurrency has endless potential and is obviously beneficial as a form of currency. For instance, many Ukrainians used cryptocurrency for exchange after escaping the Russian attack in 2022. Without cryptocurrency, many of them may not have had the cash to survive.
Crypto is also used by many nations experiencing severe fiat devaluation to conserve their savings, do business, and send remittances.
Is Cryptocurrency better than fiat currency?
The prices and value of fiat currency are generally far more stable than cryptocurrency. Since cryptocurrency is still relatively new, it may become as stable as fiat in the near future. Each of these currencies has its benefits and disadvantages, however, cryptocurrency usage still continues to grow.
Will Cryptocurrency replace cash?
Cash is fiat money in physical form. Cash transactions have really been declining for some time so it’s possible that the use of cash will continue to decline, and something will substitute it. Presently, debit and credit cards have taken the place of most cash transactions.
Ultimately, will crypto replace fiat in the long run? Experts believe that crypto assets are capable of replacing fiat currencies in the long run. However, the possibility of this happening is not guaranteed due to the risk surrounding crypto tokens.
First, cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and deemed too unreliable to be a central currency. Also, there are a lot of scams in the crypto market, which cannot be regulated by a central authority. Nevertheless, since the number of global crypto users has increased in the last few years, experts are still hopeful about its capacity to replace fiat currency. So whether or not the number of global crypto users will increase significantly in the next few years is another question to answer.
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