The recent significant development in the world of cryptocurrency serves as a crucial reminder. While crypto continues to make waves, it’s essential to bear in mind that the US dollar remains the US dollar, and crypto primarily functions as an investment vehicle.
This reminder comes from none other than the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a prominent global authority on payments and financial stability. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva emphasized the need to distinguish between money and assets. According to her, when discussing crypto, we’re essentially talking about an asset class. It can either be backed, making it more secure and less risky, or unbacked, posing a higher investment risk. However, Georgieva clarified that it doesn’t precisely qualify as money; rather, it resembles a money management fund.
Georgieva shared these insights just hours before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) greenlit the introduction of new spot bitcoin-backed Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) last week. Regulatory approval was granted to financial institutions like Cathie Wood’s Ark and BlackRock, with a total of 11 spot bitcoin ETFs receiving the go-ahead.
This development enables average investors to gain exposure to the world’s largest cryptocurrency without actually owning it. The focus has now shifted to potential approvals for ethereum ETFs this spring.
In the midst of this significant moment for the crypto industry, marked by fluctuations over the past five years and the challenges faced by prominent figures like FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried and Binance’s CZ, Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani advises investors to “buy the dip” and concentrate on the new bitcoin adoption cycle. Chhugani sees minor selloffs as opportunities, given the potential for asymmetric upside.
Coinbase CFO Alesia Haas expressed that the approval of spot bitcoin ETFs was a “landmark day for crypto.” However, she emphasized that this is just one step in the broader journey toward gaining more widespread acceptance.
Despite the excitement surrounding the latest developments in bitcoin, IMF’s Georgieva remains pragmatic. She believes that the day when crypto rivals the dollar in stature is so far in the future that discussing it is not particularly useful. Georgieva pointed out that the dollar’s dominance is rooted in the size of the US economy and, crucially, the depth of the capital markets in the US. She, therefore, sees no rush to transition from dollars to another currency, including bitcoin, citing more pressing concerns that keep her awake at night.
