Gold's use value is much, much lower than the current price reflects. Most of the price of gold is explained by its reservation demand - i.e., monetary demand,

Gold's use value is much, much lower than the current price reflects. Most of the price of gold is explained by its reservation demand - i.e., monetary demand, both by individuals and central banks. And you're incorrect that bitcoin has no "intrisic value". As this author explains: http://blog.oleganza.com/post/42262765318/direct-use-value-of-bitcoin http://blog.oleganza.com/post/42262765318/direct-use-value-o... ------ Bitcoin network has very interesting properties that allow you to use it not only as a currency. For example, the block chain (decentralized transaction history) is designed to be extremely hard to forge and very easy to verify. This, with some crypto features, allows it to be used for secure time-stamping, proving ownership of tangible property, decentralized DNS and new ways to sign contracts without having to fully trust any one party. Some of these things are already possible using existing software, some require already planned and compatible modifications. -------- There are a great many things that are now possible with the creation of bitcoin and the solving of the Byzantine Generals' problem that were previously impossible. If that's not "intrinsic value" then nothing is.