Is crypto a new asset class?

Stocks, bonds, commodities, real estate. Each has its own characteristics. And it is exactly those differences that make them interesting, because they each serve a distinct purpose in an investment portfolio. But where does crypto fit into that picture?

At first glance, crypto can resemble stocks. You invest in something that rises or falls in value based on the success of an underlying project. But it is fundamentally different. You are not investing in companies, but in networks. And these networks are global, open source, and programmable. Some crypto assets resemble commodities. Take Bitcoin, with its scarcity and role as digital gold. But that comparison does not fully hold. You can build applications on blockchains. That creates network effects you simply do not see with traditional commodities. Those you consume, and that is it.

Regulators have wrestled with this for years. Is crypto a security, like a stock? Or a commodity, like gold? Or should we assess each token individually? In practice, crypto rarely fits neatly into existing legal frameworks. That is why we are now seeing new regulatory structures emerge around the world, specifically designed for crypto. Europe’s MiCAR is a prime example. And in the United States, similar efforts are underway to develop rules that reflect the unique nature of digital assets.

And that is the core of it. Crypto does have unique properties. It is the first asset class born entirely digital. No physical backing, no paper contracts, no analog legacy. Crypto lives on the internet, moves through code, trades around the clock, and is fully programmable. That makes it fundamentally different from everything that came before.

So yes, crypto is a new asset class. And that makes it a rare opportunity. New asset classes do not come around often. The categories we know today have been around for decades, if not centuries. Crypto is the first truly new asset class of the digital era. And in a world that is becoming more digital by the day, crypto is the most logical infrastructure for tomorrow’s economy. The industry is still young. The market is still relatively small. But those who start investing consistently today, with a long-term view, are positioning themselves for the financial growth still to come.

You are still early.