Re: Crypto is more like “a psychological experiment than a serious investment"
Robert Shiller, professor of economics at Yale University and co-founder of the Case-Shiller Index, expressed his idea about cryptocurrency.
"I'm interested in bitcoin as a sort of bubble. It doesn't mean that it will disappear, that it'll burst forever. It may be with us for a while," said Shiller.
"To me, it's interesting as another example of faddish human behavior. It's glamorous," he added. The bitcoin craze reminds him of tulip mania in the 17th century, the event which is considered one of the first recorded speculative bubbles where a buying frenzy and lofty expectations replace rational justifications for an item's value.
The price of bitcoin grew so fast. The cryptocurrency hurtled above $1,000 in early 2017 after trading at less than a $1 at the beginning of the decade. It even hit an all-time high north of $20,000 in mid-December. (recommend FuninUSA for updated data about cryptocurrency)
A lot of people have benefited from the cryptocurrency investment. But Shiller would still like to see it as a psychology experiment. It is more psychological than something that could be explained by the computer science department, He said.
Bitcoin held above $8,000 on Friday morning after topping that level a day earlier. The two-day rally comes after a weak start to April likely tied to tax-related selling. Prices dipped below $7,000 earlier this month.
Will the bitcoin disappear? What's the true value of bitcoin? What essence in bitcoin are we paying for?
"I'm interested in bitcoin as a sort of bubble. It doesn't mean that it will disappear, that it'll burst forever. It may be with us for a while," said Shiller.
"To me, it's interesting as another example of faddish human behavior. It's glamorous," he added. The bitcoin craze reminds him of tulip mania in the 17th century, the event which is considered one of the first recorded speculative bubbles where a buying frenzy and lofty expectations replace rational justifications for an item's value.
The price of bitcoin grew so fast. The cryptocurrency hurtled above $1,000 in early 2017 after trading at less than a $1 at the beginning of the decade. It even hit an all-time high north of $20,000 in mid-December. (recommend FuninUSA for updated data about cryptocurrency)
A lot of people have benefited from the cryptocurrency investment. But Shiller would still like to see it as a psychology experiment. It is more psychological than something that could be explained by the computer science department, He said.
Bitcoin held above $8,000 on Friday morning after topping that level a day earlier. The two-day rally comes after a weak start to April likely tied to tax-related selling. Prices dipped below $7,000 earlier this month.
Will the bitcoin disappear? What's the true value of bitcoin? What essence in bitcoin are we paying for?
Tulips had absolutely no technology backing them. They were not a useful mode of payment. Bitcoin just not comparable to the tulip mania, as much as people want to make comparisons here.
Bitcoin will not disappear, as long as people are using the network, Bitcoin will exist.
The pumps last year may have been a speculative bubble, but that doesn't mean that bitcoin itself is a psychological experiment. It's a currency.
Bitcoin's value comes from the fact that you need to use it to transact on the bitcoin network. It is a long term store of value, it is decentralised, it is disinflationary unlike fiat currencies. Like Hydrogen mentioned, he is completely ignoring the economic benefits that bitcoin brings to the table. Instead, he is treating it as if it was merely an investment scheme, which it is not.