Advantages and Disadvantages of Fiat and Cryptocurrency

Since we’ve already understood what fiat currency and cryprocurrencies are in our previous blog. Let’s look at what advantages and disadvantages that each of them entails.

Advantages of Fiat Money

Fiat Money has remained legal tender in most countries in part because they are highly stable and controlled. Unlike other forms of money, such as cryptocurrencies and commodity-based currencies, fiat currencies are relatively stable. The stability allows regulators and governments to navigate the economy against recession and inflation. Stability also allows fiat money to act as a means of storing value and facilitating exchange. It can also be used to provide a numerical account. Greater control also allows central banks to manage various economic variables such as liquidity, interest rates and credit supply key to ensuring a robust, stable economy.

Disadvantages of Fiat Money

Though Fiat Money is considered a stable currency, yet that is not always the case. Economic recessions over the years have highlighted some of the deficiencies associated with Fiat money. The fact that a central bank’s greater control at times does little to stop inflation or recession has led most people to believe that gold could be a much stable currency given its unlimited supply. The notion of central banks control over the economy and the constant increase in global prices create the need for cryptocurrencies.

Cryptocurrencies Advantages

Cryptocurrencies are available on a click of a button, all over the world. Anyone that can make an online transfer can also acquire and own a digital coin of choice. Although the process is still complicated, in the futures, it will be easier to transact and own cryptocurrencies.

Fast settlement times are another attribute that continues to accelerate widespread adoption of virtual currencies. Unlike other electronic cash settlement systems that take days to process transactions, cryptocurrencies enable instant settlements. Lower transaction fees have seen cryptocurrencies emerge as a preferred means of sending money across borders. Transferring money using other bank gateways can be quite expensive given the number of fees charged along the way. Privacy is another aspect that has made cryptocurrency desirable as users don’t have to share their identity to be able to complete transactions. There are altcoins which the main functions are to maintain the privacy of people behind transactions.

Disadvantages of Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies can be quite difficult to understand – one of the reasons why some countries and regulators continue to shun them. A lack of knowledge on how to use them is another headwind that continues to clobber digital currencies prospects and sentiments. The fact that it is not possible to reverse a transaction once it is made is another headache that has forced most people to shun cryptocurrencies. If a wrong a transaction is made the only thing one can do is ask for a reversal from the recipient. There is nothing one can do on recipients of a wrong transaction turning down a request for a refund. Volatility is by far the biggest disadvantage that has clobbered cryptocurrencies sentiments. Volatility goes a long way in affecting the value of a coin, which can be difficult to comprehend or contend with.