The world’s largest lender, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), recently published an in-depth analysis highlighting the rapid evolution and growing diversity in digital currencies, comparing Bitcoin to gold and considering Ethereum “digital oil” .
The report highlights the human capacity for imaginative belief, as noted by historian Yuval Noah Harari, as a driving force behind the exponential growth of digital currency types and applications.
Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research, VanEck noted:
“Chinese state-owned banks continue to write love letters to Bitcoin and Ethereum.”
The ICBC report outlines the divergent development paths of different digital currencies, each addressing unique needs within the financial ecosystem.
The love letter
According to ICBC’s report, market demand has fueled innovation in the digital currency sector, from the birth of Bitcoin (BTC) to the advancements in Ethereum (ETH) and the exploration of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
ICBC said Bitcoin has managed to maintain a scarcity similar to that of gold through its mathematical consensus mechanism. The flagship crypto has solved issues related to shareability, authenticity verification and portability. The report added that despite Bitcoin’s declining monetary properties, its status as an asset is stabilizing.
Meanwhile, Ethereum is providing “technical power for the digital future” and establishing itself as a “digital oil” capable of powering countless applications across the Web3 ecosystem.
Ethereum, distinct from Bitcoin, contains Turing’s completeness through its own programming language, Solidity, and its virtual machine, EVM.
This feature allows developers to create and manage complex smart contracts and applications, positioning Ethereum as a crucial platform for DeFi and NFTs. The report also recognized Ethereum’s potential to expand its influence into decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePin).
Despite its potential, Ethereum faces several practical challenges, including security issues, scalability issues due to high computational requirements, and significant energy consumption.
Ethereum developers are exploring various solutions to address these challenges. The introduction of the Proof of Stake (POS) consensus mechanism and sharding technology in the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade aims to improve network throughput and sustainability. Additionally, developers are working on Layer 2 solutions such as state channels, sidechains, and rollups to improve scalability.
Stablecoins and CBDCs
The report also highlighted the crucial role of stablecoins in bridging the gap between the digital currency market and the real world. Stablecoins, which peg their value to traditional assets such as fiat currencies, provide stability in the volatile crypto market.
ICBC said stablecoins enable seamless transactions and provide a reliable store of value, making them an essential tool for everyday financial activities and a bridge for the integration of digital currencies into the global financial system.
Furthermore, CBDCs represent a major innovation in the modern monetary system. By digitizing fiat currencies, central banks can improve the efficiency of payment systems, reduce transaction costs and increase the effectiveness of monetary policy.
According to the report, CBDCs can streamline cross-border transactions, reduce dependence on intermediaries and provide greater financial inclusion by providing access to digital financial services for unbanked populations.
The report notes that the development and implementation of CBDC infrastructure requires careful consideration of privacy, security and regulatory implications to ensure its success and widespread adoption.
The report concluded that while the development vision for each digital currency varies, they all aim to improve financial inclusion, security and payment efficiency. As digital currencies continue to evolve, developers and policymakers must focus on balancing sustainability, security and efficiency.