(MENAFN- The Rio Times) JPMorgan thinks Bitcoin looks cheap next to gold, and the reason is simpler than it sounds. When you adjust for risk, the bank says Bitcoin's price lags where it would be if investors valued it like they value investment-grade gold.

Their math uses a basic comparison: Bitcoin has been about 1.8 times as volatile as gold. On that yardstick, Bitcoin's market value would need to rise roughly two-thirds to line up, implying a price near $170,000 within six to twelve months if the relationship holds.

The timing matters. October's shakeout knocked out leveraged bets and briefly pushed Bitcoin under $100,000. That reset left a cleaner market-less froth, more cash buyers.

For readers abroad, think of it like an overbuilt bridge being reinforced: fewer weak beams, sturdier traffic ahead. Not everyone sees a sprint. Galaxy Digita cut its 2025 target to $120,000, arguing the market is maturing.

Exchange-traded funds now absorb much of the daily flow, big holders sold into the October drop, and swings are getting smaller. That can slow the upside-but it can also reduce the gut-wrenching crashes that kept cautious investors on the sidelines.



Here's the story behind the story. Around the world, heavier government footprints-tariffs, persistent deficits, policy tinkering-have pushed savers toward assets that feel insulated from politics.

Gold benefited first, and its own surge made it more volatile. That shift narrowed the risk gap with Bitcoin, strengthening the argument for a rules-based, scarce alternative with transparent issuance and 24/7 price discovery.

For expats and foreign readers, especially those managing money across borders, this is less about crypto hype and more about portfolio construction under policy uncertainty.

What to watch next: whether the post-October“cleaner” setup sticks; how ETF demand balances new supply; and whether macro tensions ease or intensify.

If restraint and market discipline regain favor, Bitcoin's case as a long-term reserve diversifier looks stronger. If interventions broaden, the path may be slower-but still upward-driven by steady institutional accumulation rather than euphoric manias.

Either way, the debate has shifted from survival to valuation, and that's a quieter, more consequential phase.

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