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Bitcoin as a Digital “Exhaustible Resource”: Lessons from Economic Theory

  • January 6, 2025

January 6, 2025 [crocon media – msc] Bitcoin, with its capped supply of 21 million coins, has increasingly been likened to an exhaustible resource. Dietrich Gottwald’s seminal work, The Dynamic Theory of the Allocation of Exhaustible Resources (1981), offers a compelling lens through which to view Bitcoin’s market dynamics. In this groundbreaking study, Gottwald analyzed the optimal usage of finite resources, emphasizing timing, scarcity, and strategic behavior. Today, this framework has profound implications for understanding Bitcoin and strategies like those of MicroStrategy.

1. Limited Supply and Price Growth

Gottwald’s theory posits that finite resources gain value as scarcity increases. Bitcoin’s capped supply mirrors this principle. MicroStrategy’s aggressive accumulation of Bitcoin aligns with the belief that this digital asset represents a “resource of the future.” Like stockpiling a rare commodity, their strategy anticipates price appreciation driven by diminishing supply and rising demand.

2. Dynamic Allocation Over Time

Gottwald stressed the importance of timing in resource allocation. MicroStrategy exemplifies this with its phased Bitcoin acquisitions. Rather than a one-time purchase, the firm continuously adjusts its investments based on market conditions and projections, mirroring Gottwald’s model of dynamic resource management.

3. Market Perception and Strategic Interaction

Market perception heavily influences resource pricing, according to Gottwald. In Bitcoin’s case, growing institutional interest—fueled by companies like MicroStrategy—bolsters confidence in its value. This demand-driven perception amplifies Bitcoin’s status as a digital “exhaustible resource,” attracting further investment.

4. Game Theory and Strategic Investment

Gottwald also explored how actors in oligopolistic markets influence each other’s decisions. MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin strategy could be interpreted as a game-theoretic move. By amassing significant holdings, the firm potentially sets a precedent, encouraging other institutional investors to follow suit. This strategic interaction fosters greater scarcity and higher prices, benefiting early adopters like MicroStrategy.

5. Control-Theoretic Insights and Long-Term Vision

Control theory in resource allocation aims for intertemporal optimization—balancing present use with future benefits. MicroStrategy’s long-term commitment to holding Bitcoin aligns with this perspective, as the firm positions itself to capitalize on Bitcoin’s projected scarcity-driven value.

As Bitcoin matures, its parallels to exhaustible resources become clearer. Visionaries like MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor recognize its unique value proposition, much like Gottwald envisioned the interplay of scarcity, strategy, and future gains.

Dietrich Gottwald’s legacy as a mathematician, entrepreneur, and visionary provides a profound framework for interpreting the economic implications of Bitcoin. His insights into control and game theory remain remarkably relevant, underscoring the strategic foresight of leaders like Michael Saylor. This enduring interplay of theory and practice shapes the digital economy’s future.

 


 

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