Beyond ‘digital gold,’ Iran conflict forces a rethink of the nature of bitcoin

Beyond ‘digital gold,’ Iran conflict forces a rethink of the nature of bitcoin

Search/NewsVideoPricesResearchConsensus 2026Data & IndicesSponsoredSearch/enMarketsShareShare this articleCopy linkX iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailBeyond ‘digital gold,’ Iran conflict forces a rethink of the nature of bitcoinBitcoin's 12% gain since the Iran war began isn't a risk-on trade. It's the market repricing bitcoin's role as a neutral settlement layer, Bitwise's CIO argues.By Shaurya Malwa|Edited by Sheldon RebackUpdated Apr 15, 2026, 3:32 p.m. Published Apr 15, 2026, 1:03 p.m. Make preferred on Beyond "digital gold," rethinking bitcoin metaphors. (Andrej Sachov/Unsplash)What to know: Bitcoin has surged about 12% during the Iran war even as stocks and gold fell, challenging its reputation as merely a high-beta tech asset.Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan argues investors are now valuing bitcoin as both "digital gold" and a call option on its future use as a real currency, a shift ac

Source: https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/04/15/bitcoin-s-war-rally-is-forcing-a-rethink-beyond-digital-gold