Gold, silver or Bitcoin? Will crypto steal the spotlight
India Today
Gold and silver have long been seen as safe havens for investors, a reliable store of value in uncertain times. But with the rise of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the question on everyone's mind is: could cryptos steal the spotlight?
Cryptocurrencies were once dismissed as a fringe experiment. Today, they sit at the centre of a serious debate among investors: could digital assets one day rival, or even outpace, traditional safe havens like gold and silver?
For centuries, precious metals have been the default store of value in uncertain times. Crypto, by contrast, is barely over a decade old. Yet, its rapid rise, growing adoption and promise of decentralised finance have pushed investors to rethink what a modern safe asset might look like.
At the heart of the debate is how investors define value itself. Gold and silver carry the weight of history, physical scarcity and deep cultural trust. Crypto offers a different proposition, digital scarcity and borderless transferability.
Raj Karkara, COO of ZebPay, believes the comparison should not be framed as a battle for replacement. “Crypto and precious metals are fundamentally different asset classes, each serving a distinct role within an investor’s portfolio,” he says. According to him, crypto was never designed to replace gold or silver but to create a decentralised digital asset that allows trustless transactions and portfolio diversification.
He adds that Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million coins reinforces its scarcity-driven design. “Rather than viewing crypto as a replacement, it’s more appropriate to see it as a complementary evolution in how value can be stored and transferred in a digital-first world,” Karkara says.
One of the biggest hurdles for crypto is volatility. Sharp price swings remain common, while gold and silver are known for relative stability.
Quick commerce has become the go-to option for instant groceries and food deliveries. But with LPG prices rising and supply concerns growing, the cost pressure may be building behind the scenes. Could this soon make your quick commerce orders costlier? Let's have a look.
Sensex has declined over 6,000 points or roughly 7.5% in a little over two weeks as global tensions and rising oil prices triggered selling in equities.
Speaking in Parliament, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said India has adequate fuel stocks, and there is no cause for concern over availability.
Industry sources told India Today TV that airline operators are now paying additional insurance charges for every aircraft flying into the Middle East, significantly increasing the cost of operations on these routes.
Under law, a domestic household is generally allowed to keep two LPG cylinders of 14.2 kg each at a time. This usually includes one cylinder connected for use and another spare cylinder kept as backup.
Early signals from GIFT Nifty suggest that the benchmark indices could open lower when trading begins. GIFT Nifty futures were trading at 23,784.50 at around 7:58 am. This indicates that the Nifty 50 may open below Wednesday's closing level of 23,866.85.
When markets fall sharply, fear often takes over investing decisions. But did you know continuing SIPs during market crashes has historically rewarded disciplined investors?
The move comes as global energy markets remain on edge due to escalating tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran, which has raised fears of disruptions to crude oil shipments from the Middle East.
India consumes roughly 5.3 to 5.5 million barrels of crude oil every day. However, domestic production is only about 0.6 million barrels per day. This means the country depends on imports for nearly 85% of its oil needs.
At around 10:47 am, the BSE Sensex was down 750.68 points or 0.96% at 77,455.30, while the Nifty 50 slipped 208.25 points or 0.86% to 24,053.35.
Air India said the fuel surcharge is due to the sharp rise in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices since early March 2026, triggered by supply disruptions in the Gulf region.