The Future of Cryptocurrency
The global monetary system is falling apart. The Federal Reserve has dropped the reserve requirement to zero and is now buying junk bonds. This is a golden opportunity for cryptocurrencies to move into the mainstream. The question is, are they capable of performing at least as well as fiat money? Unfortunately, no.
The problem is that cryptocurrency enthusiasts mischaracterize cryptos as money. To support this notion, they often list the three main functions of money as a unit of account, a medium of exchange and a store of value. However, this list only describes the main functions of money and not what it is. Much confusion has arisen from failing to recognize that “Goods are wealth which you have, while money is a claim on wealth which you do not have. Thus goods are an asset; money is a debt.” — Carroll Quigley. Money is a security that acknowledges a debt owed. This is why cryptocurrencies are not money. Even the SEC now views cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, as speculative investments instead of securities because they do not secure assets. Having mostly speculative value also means that such cryptocurrencies have an indeterminate value that constantly fluctuates, making them unusable for anything besides trading.
So what is needed to enable a cryptocurrency to compete against fiat money?
First, to function as money a cryptocurrency has to be issued as a security, otherwise transactions will be barter. However, securities cannot be issued by a decentralized system. Only a legal entity such as a corporation can issue securities. Once issued such a cryptocurrency can be used in a decentralized manner, but it must be legally issued first.
Second, the main problem with fiat money is the fractional reserve system that permits creation of money without underlying assets, which is essentially a legalized counterfeiting of money. This is what cryptocurrencies are able to solve using a public blockchain such that the total amount of cryptocurrency in circulation is always equal to the value of the underlying assets. If the underlying assets are denominated in this cryptocurrency then it would directly represent the underlying. This approach would make the cryptocurrency creation process public, while allowing transactions to be kept private.
Third, a cryptocurrency requires a monetary system, i.e., a set of legal institutions to allow this cryptocurrency to function within the economy. At a minimum, the system must have the means for maintaining accounts, performing transactions, resolving disputes, and making and servicing loans. Such a monetary system would permit a cryptocurrency to function legally within the economy.
Finally, the system must be controlled by its members, for example, as a credit union.
Given all this, it is clear that none of the existing cryptocurrencies are suitable for use in such a system. This is why Axio was invented. Axio was specifically designed to satisfy the fundamental goals for which bitcoin was invented for and to be able to function within the economy.
Visit the Axios Foundation website for more information.
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