1.6 The Properties of Good Money

Good money must be durable — it shouldn't rot, rust, or degrade over time. Gold doesn't corrode, which is why it has lasted millennia as a store of value.

Portability means money should be easy to transport. Carrying $1 million in gold weighs about 50 pounds. Carrying $1 million in bitcoin weighs nothing — just a private key in your head.

Divisibility allows money to be split into smaller units for everyday transactions. Bitcoin is divisible to 8 decimal places (100 million satoshis per bitcoin), making micro-transactions possible.

Uniformity ensures every unit is the same as every other unit. One bitcoin is identical to any other bitcoin, just as one ounce of pure gold equals any other ounce.

Scarcity is the most critical property. Money must be hard to produce. If it's easy to create more, it loses value over time through inflation. This is where Bitcoin excels — only 21 million will ever exist.

Acceptability means money must be widely recognized and accepted. Bitcoin's acceptability is growing rapidly, with major companies, countries, and financial institutions adopting it worldwide.