<p>Yes pork bellies are tethered to USD.  But if the dollar disappeared, I could use pork bellies as currency to trade for goods and services, so a pork belly can stand alone.  A Bitcoin cannot stand alone, its only value is in transferring it to USD.  If USD disappeared, Bitcoin cannot maintain a value.  Im not arguing against cryptocurrency, I'm just trying to understand its value besides speculation in USD.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-31T19:58:09.437Z
2018-01-31T19:58:09.437Z
Curtis Walton
<p>Bitcoins are purchased or mined to earn USD.  Bitcoin does not standalone it is tethered to the USD.  Isn't more a commodity instead of a currency?  If the confidence in the dollar drops, Bitcoin has no actual standalone value.  For example, if I have a freezer of pork bellies worth 1 million USD, and the dollar drops, I can trade pork bellies for goods or services, making pork bellies an independent currency.  Bitcoins cannot do this.</p>

<p>So beyond speculation measured in USD, what is the value of Bitcoins?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-30T19:01:13.407Z
The value of anything is what someone else will pay for it. Bitcoin is not tethered to USD - if it was, it's USD value would be constant. That's what tethered means. You can only trade pork bellies for goods or services if someone else wants your pork bellies (and at a value you're willing to give them up for), just like Bitcoin.
ceejayoz
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-30T21:22:28.187Z
Pork bellies are also purchased or sold to earn USD. Does that mean pork bellies are tethered to USD?
David Schwartz
<bitcoind>
Bitcoin actual value
Curtis Walton
# Bitcoin actual value

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-01-30)

Bitcoins are purchased or mined to earn USD. Bitcoin does not standalone it is tethered to the USD. Isn't more a commodity instead of a currency? If the confidence in the dollar drops, Bitcoin has no actual standalone value. For example, if I have a freezer of pork bellies worth 1 million USD, and the dollar drops, I can trade pork bellies for goods or services, making pork bellies an independent currency. Bitcoins cannot do this.

So beyond speculation measured in USD, what is the value of Bitcoins?

**Tags:** bitcoind

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The value of anything is what someone else will pay for it. Bitcoin is not tethered to USD - if it was, it's USD value would be constant. That's what tethered means. You can only trade pork bellies for goods or services if someone else wants your pork bellies (and at a value you're willing to give them up for), just like Bitcoin.  
> **username_2**: Pork bellies are also purchased or sold to earn USD. Does that mean pork bellies are tethered to USD?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2018-01-31. Score: 0

Yes pork bellies are tethered to USD. But if the dollar disappeared, I could use pork bellies as currency to trade for goods and services, so a pork belly can stand alone. A Bitcoin cannot stand alone, its only value is in transferring it to USD. If USD disappeared, Bitcoin cannot maintain a value. Im not arguing against cryptocurrency, I'm just trying to understand its value besides speculation in USD.


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