30 October Comparing Cryptocurrency to Foreign Currency October 30, 2017By FX Initiative FX Risk Exposures, General , Bitcoin, Compare, Continuing Professional Education, Contrast, CPE, Currency, Derivatives, Ethereum, Hedging, Litecoin, Management, Risk, Cryptocurrency, FX 0 Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have captured headlines in 2017, and the question of how modern cryptocurrencies compare to traditional foreign currencies is often raised. FX Initiative helps global businesses manage foreign exchange (FX) risk, and this article will explore some of the key differences between cryptocurrency and foreign currency from a corporate foreign exchange risk management perspective. It is clear that cryptocurrencies are still in their infancy, but the debate in the financial community over the future growth of this digital asset class remains open. While many articles have focused on areas such as monetary authorities, regulation, costs, timing, and transparency, this article will offer a unique focus specifically on the areas of acceptance, exchange, utilization, obsolescence, and risk management. Acceptance A small but growing number of brand name companies promote their acceptance of Bitcoin, such as Overstock.com, DISH Network, Expedia, Microsoft, and others. In fact, Coinbase claims that 47,000 businesses integrate Bitcoin with their service. However, companies such as Dell and Fiverr announced their acceptance of Bitcoin in 2014 but have since updated their policies to no longer accept Bitcoin. As it stands today, cryptocurrency, unlike foreign currency, is not a universally acceptable medium of exchange for procuring goods and services. Exchange It is important to note that most major corporations who accept cryptocurrency are partnered with digital asset intermediaries such as BitPay and Coinbase to instantly exchange Bitcoin for fiat money such as U.S. dollars or euros. By doing so, the companies minimize their holding period and financial exposure to the heightened volatility of a cryptocurrency. Unlike foreign currency, which is not always immediately exchanged, a company’s acceptance of cryptocurrency largely depends on their partnership with intermediaries to transfer the financial risk immediately. Utilization While Bitcoin is increasingly used by investors and consumers, businesses still lack widespread utility for the cryptocurrency. For example, when a company earns foreign currency denominated revenue, they may also have foreign currency denominated expenses (i.e. payroll, suppliers, vendors, cost of goods, etc.), which creates a natural utility for the foreign currency. In contrast, most corporations that earn Bitcoin denominated revenue lack Bitcoin denominated expenses, which reduces the utility of the cryptocurrency for funding ongoing business operations. Obsolescence Although Bitcoin is perhaps the most well known cryptocurrency, there were over 200 initial coin offerings (ICO) in 2017, which collectively raised more than $3.2 billion. The following white papers on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Zcash, Monero, Bancor, Tezos, and EOS explain the pros and cons of each project, and there remains a high degree of uncertainty as to which cryptocurrency will emerge as the long term market leader. Unlike foreign currency, specific cryptocurrencies have the potential to become obsolete as newer and better technology evolves over time. Risk Management The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) warned about the potential issues with virtual currencies such as unclear costs, volatile exchange rates, the threat of hacking and scams, and companies not offering help or refunds for lost or stolen funds. Additionally, the most viable current means of managing Bitcoin's financial risk is simply transferring ownership though intermediaries. If and when firms such as the Chicago Board Options Exchange launch bitcoin derivatives trading products, foreign currencies have superior risk management products & services. Overall, foreign currencies are widely accepted, easily exchanged, naturally utilized, lack obsolescence, and offer a range of risk management tools to mitigate risk such as over the counter (OTC) and exchange traded derivatives including forwards, swaps, options and futures. As we approach the 10 year anniversary of Bitcoin’s introduction, the adaptation of cryptocurrency in the business world will continue to be notable and newsworthy. Join the ongoing discussion and share your comments and stories on cryptocurrency and its impact on business. FX Initiative is collaborating with cryptocurrency experts to help educate the business community. We’re creating compelling content and interactive risk modeling tools for simulating Bitcoin denominated transactions, hypothetical hedging instruments, and policies and procedures to facilitate a wider understanding of the practical application and potential of cryptocurrency. To learn more about foreign exchange risk management or to participate in our cryptocurrency collaborations, contact us here, email support@fxinitiative.com or visit FX Initiative at https://fxcpe.com. Related Posts Identifying Direct vs. Indirect Currency Quoting Conventions It is evident that no one single world currency exists. There are over 180 currencies recognized as legal tender in circulation throughout the world. The most widely used list of currencies is known as ISO 4217, which is a standard published by the International Organization for Standardization or the ISO. The ISO is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations, and the ISO 4217 currency codes shown in FX Initiative’s Currency Code Locator are used in banking and business globally. The ISO 4217 currency codes are also commonly used when publishing exchange rate quotes in newspapers or banks to help delineate the different currencies instead of translating currency names or using ambiguous currency symbols. The most traded pairs of currencies in the world are called “The Majors”, and they include the euro, British pound sterling, Australian dollar, New Zealand dollar, United States dollar, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, and Japanese yen. While someone new to the foreign exchange market might view published FX quotes similar to a stock or commodity price quotes, it is important to ... Practice Pricing Foreign Exchange Option Contracts Option contracts are financial contracts that give the buyer the right, not the obligation, to buy or sell a quantity of a particular currency at a specific exchange rate, called the strike rate, on or before a pre-arranged date. A call option is the right to buy a particular currency, and a put option is the right to sell a particular currency. An option is a right, not an obligation, so it will be exercised only when it is favorable to do so. An option is comprised of two value drivers, (1) intrinsic value, which is the difference between the strike rate on the contract and the then prevailing spot rate in the market, and (2) time value, which is any excess value beyond intrinsic value related to time to maturity. A purchased option begins its life as an asset in the amount of the option premium paid to the counterparty at inception, typically purely time value, and will expire with a either a positive intrinsic value or zero fair value. When intrinsic value is positive, it is referred to as ... Learn How To Simplify Foreign Subsidiary FX Strategies Foreign exchange (FX) translation risk applies to companies with foreign currency functional subsidiaries operating abroad. Unlike FX transaction risk, which is commonly hedged, FX translation risk tends to take a more strategic approach to currency risk management, and companies must decide if, when and how to hedge this type of foreign exchange risk. Translation exposure exists as a result of translating local currency functional financial statements (i.e. the Income Statement and Balance Sheet) into the reporting currency of the parent for consolidation purposes. This process creates foreign exchange translation risk in the form of net income (income statement) and net investment (balance sheet) exposures. The following 5 minute introduction video for FX Initiative’s “Hedging Foreign Subsidiaries” course outlines the two main learning objectives covered, which include: (1) to explore the concept of hedging net income generated at foreign subsidiaries, and recognize the accounting, forecasting, and cash flow challenges associated with hedging future earnings, and (2) to explore the concept of hedging net investments in foreign subsidiaries, and recognize how "elective" accounting treatment can mitigate earnings volatility and better align the ... End-of-Year Foreign Exchange (FX) Education With 6 weeks remaining in 2020, take advantage of end-of-year foreign exchange (FX) education by completing our 6 part foreign exchange risk management training program. Whether you need to research a foreign exchange educational topic related to your global business, or want to simulate a foreign exchange risk management strategy using our interactive examples, we offer a wide array of quality informational topics and tools that can help you manage FX risk. FX Initiative is designed to make complex foreign currency matters simple and manageable, and is accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week to meet your global business needs whenever and wherever a foreign exchange opportunity arises so you can make the right decisions to meet your FX objectives. FX Initiative helps Banking & Treasury Professionals answer FX risk management questions such as: How to manage currency risk? How to draft a FX risk policy? Where to look for FX risk exposures? What currency risks to hedge and how? Which strategies meet FX hedge objectives? What are the economics? How to do FX accounting? Get acquainted with all of the educational topics and interactive examples available exclusively to subscribers. ... Comparing & Contrasting Corporate Currency Risk Management (Video) Comparing & Contrasting Corporate Currency Risk Management (Video): Discover the most common derivatives used by corporations and explore how FX risk management practices differ among peers. This video is a preview of FX Initiative’s FX Risk Management webinar as part of Learning Objective #1. To learn more, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com. Start FX Training Commemorating Forty-One (41) Years of Fiat Currency This week marks 41 years since the definition of the U.S. dollar was officially changed through Public Law 94-564 on October 19, 1976. The result was a shift in U.S. monetary policy where the gold standard, which pegged all currencies to the U.S. dollar (USD) and fixed value in terms of gold, was replaced by our current system of freely floating fiat currencies, where currency no longer holds intrinsic value and is established as money by government regulation or law. This was the most notable event during the Nixon Shock, which was a series of economic measures undertaken by United States President Richard Nixon beginning in 1971, and shaped the nature of the foreign exchange market as it exists today. Source: http://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/94/564.pdf The free floating system of fiat currencies is best illustrated by the U.S. dollar Index (DXY) that was introduced in March of 1973. The DXY is a measure of the value of the United States dollar (USD) relative to a basket of foreign currencies, which include the euro (EUR), Japanese yen (JPY), Pound Sterling (GBP), Canadian dollar (CAD), Swedish Krona ... 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