Nick Szabo โ the cryptographer often linked to Satoshi Nakamoto โ just dropped a powerful comparison between Bitcoin and Gold.
And this isnโt about price.
Itโs about cost, custody, and control.
๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐
Szabo argues that Bitcoin is slightly cheaper than physical gold when you consider:
โข Storage costs
โข Security risks
โข Transfer expenses
โข Verification & global consensus
Moving gold requires physical logistics, insurance, verification, vaulting.
Moving Bitcoin? A digital transaction verified by the network in minutes.
๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. ๐๐น๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น.
Thatโs a structural advantage.
๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐
The story becomes more balanced.
Large entities depend on:
โข Trust infrastructure
โข Regulatory compliance
โข Operational control systems
At that level, Bitcoin is not dramatically cheaper than gold.
Cost advantages shrink because institutional custody introduces complexity.
But hereโs where it gets interesting.
๐๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฒ,๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐น๐ฑ.
Its storage and verification system is matureโฆ and almost maxed out.
Bitcoin? Still evolving.
Szabo believes technological improvements will drastically reduce Bitcoin self-custody costs over time โ for both individuals and institutions.
Right now, he calls Bitcoinโs heavy reliance on centralized custodians like Coinbase a โshameful centralization.โ
But he also says this is temporary.
Gold will likely remain centralized in bank vaults.
Bitcoin, on the other hand, has the potential to become more distributed and sovereign over time.
๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ:
Gold is stable in structure.
Bitcoin is improving in structure.
One is finished technology.
The other is programmable evolution.
The debate isnโt just โstore of value.โ
Itโs about who controls the value.
Whatโs your take โ physical scarcity or digital sovereignty? ๐
