Brendan Burgess
Founder
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https://www.ft.com/content/d22f2350...S96vVOmd6R4CYPz0kTnTgYm7thtbri&sharetype=gift
In a recent stab at valuing cryptocurrencies, Barclays analysts drew on epidemiology to explain the bubble-like price behaviour.
In this analogy, the cryptocurrency disease spreads effectively when a rush of new buyers catches the fever and enter the market, pushing up the price of the asset. This creates more infections as the susceptible population, fearing that they are missing out on the next Amazon, also starts buying bitcoin. Determined bitcoin holders, known among cryptocurrency afficionados as “hodlers”, expect prices to continue rising and do not sell.
Plus, the susceptible population is still huge. Like the MRSA superbug or tuberculosis in Russian prisons, it would be hard to bet against bitcoin continuing to show considerable microbial resistance.
In a recent stab at valuing cryptocurrencies, Barclays analysts drew on epidemiology to explain the bubble-like price behaviour.
In this analogy, the cryptocurrency disease spreads effectively when a rush of new buyers catches the fever and enter the market, pushing up the price of the asset. This creates more infections as the susceptible population, fearing that they are missing out on the next Amazon, also starts buying bitcoin. Determined bitcoin holders, known among cryptocurrency afficionados as “hodlers”, expect prices to continue rising and do not sell.
Plus, the susceptible population is still huge. Like the MRSA superbug or tuberculosis in Russian prisons, it would be hard to bet against bitcoin continuing to show considerable microbial resistance.