Is crypto a threat to fiat currency? Or the future of money?

Anything can be exchanged for money, as long as both parties agree on the terms. However, a certain amount of stability and additional value to all products and services has been offered by paper money. A generation of people now believe that paper money will eventually lose its value or disappear, and this seems to be partially correct now that cryptocurrency is available. Following the global financial crisis of 2008, coins were introduced to decentralize money.

Some people believed that as more people purchased these coins, their value would grow and they would eventually be able to replace paper money. Throughout history, money has evolved and taken on new identities.  However, there are a number of compelling factors to persuade consumers to abandon dollars and euros in favour of crypto.

What are the benefits of crypto over other currencies?

Crypto transactions are beneficial and provide a number of advantages - some of the most notable are outlined below:

Crypto allows users to be self-sufficient.

Traditionally-issued fiat currencies are subject to a wide range of constraints and risks. For example, banks are particularly prone to the ups and downs of an economy's boom and bust cycle. This implies that consumers do not have complete control over their financial resources. Crypto, at the very least theoretically, provides users with more freedom, as its price is not tied to specific government policies. This indicates that crypto users and owners are in complete command of their funds and assets.

Crypto transactions are peer-to-peer in nature.

The crypto payment system is entirely peer-to-peer, meaning users are able to send and receive payments to and from anybody else on the network, regardless of where they are located on the globe. When transferring or receiving crypto, the parties do not need clearance from an external source or authority, unless they are doing it via a regulated exchange or financial institution.

Crypto transactions are not subject to banking fees.

The charging of so-called 'maker' and 'taker' fees, as well as the charging of periodic deposit and withdrawal costs by fiat currency exchanges, is considered common practice. However, crypto users are not subject to the slew of banking fees that are typically connected with fiat currencies. This means that there are no account maintenance or minimum balance fees, no overdraft costs and no returned deposit penalties, to name just a few of the benefits.

Crypto uses modern payment methods

Users of crypto, like users of many other online payment systems, can pay using their coins from any location where they have internet connection. This eliminates the need for customers to go to a bank or a shop in order to purchase a product. Unlike online payments made using bank accounts or credit cards in the United States, no personal information is required to complete a purchase.

Summary

With all that has been mentioned above, there is no question that cryptocurrency is the way of the future. There is a strong likelihood that traditional wallets will be obsolete by the end of this decade, and that money will be stored on mobile phones.

About the Author

Adam Norrie
Founder/Chief Executive Officer

Adam has many years of experience in the crypto industry already and is the creative mind behind Astralis.