Potential of Bitcoin from the view of Austrian school

Abstract

The bachelor thesis deals with potential of digital currency Bitcoin to become universally accepted medium of exchange and with advantages, which its usage would bring to economy. In the thesis there are analysed factors important for its future progression. There are identified both positive and negative factors. Among the positive ones there is pseudonymity, low transaction costs, protection against government actions and inovative potential in the field of financial services. Among the negative ones there is the question of the system security, network effect, the risk of government against Bitcoin itself and high volatility. Volatility of bitcoin valu is identified as the major disadvantage of the currency. Next part of theoretical part deals with the confusion about virtual currencies and regression theorem. Logical analysis suggests that this confusion is caused by wrong interpretation of regression theorem, which is mostly caused by improper understanding of the term direct use. In the next part, Bitcoin is analysed from the view of the Austrian business cycle theory. Because of the inability of performing credit expansion, Bitcoin is identified as currency significantly limiting the strenght of business cycles. Practical part analysis the developement of volatility in time and its dependence on events and spekulative demand. The hypothesis, that high volatility of bitcoin value is caused by immaturity of the technology is not confirmed.