Investors Focus on BTC as “Digital Gold,” Not Payments: BlackRock Exec

Core Insights - Institutional investors are primarily viewing Bitcoin as a store of value rather than a future payments network [3][8] - The payments use case for Bitcoin is considered speculative and requires significant scaling advancements to become practical [4][8] - Stablecoins are rapidly gaining traction in the payments sector, potentially outpacing Bitcoin in this area [6][7][8] Institutional Perspective - Large asset managers' clients are more interested in Bitcoin's value retention than its potential as a global payment system [3] - The payments narrative for Bitcoin is seen as an "out-of-the-money option value" rather than a core investment rationale [3][4] Bitcoin's Payments Future - Significant progress is needed in Bitcoin's scaling and related technologies for it to be considered a viable payment solution [4] - The future of Bitcoin in payments remains uncertain, with some analysts suggesting it may find a role in retail remittances, though this is still speculative [6][8] Stablecoins' Impact - Stablecoins have proven successful in the payments sector, with a strong product-market fit for efficient value transfer [6] - There is potential for stablecoins to expand into various financial areas, including retail remittances and corporate cross-border transactions [6] - The rapid growth of stablecoins has led to adjustments in long-term Bitcoin price forecasts by analysts [7][8]