Key Points
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Bitcoin isn’t about to gain a lot of new features over the next 10 years.
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Cardano almost certainly is.
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The present state of affairs suggests that one of these coins has a big advantage.
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) are investments that, in theory, serve two very different roles in a portfolio. One is the crypto sector’s benchmark and a widely accepted digital store of value, whereas the other is a smart contract platform with a uniquely capable developer community and a meticulous development process.
In that framing, both are arguably worth buying and holding for the next 10 years or more. But which one is the better option for most investors?
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A golden Bitcoin logo stands up against a background of a network diagram.
Image source: Getty Images.
Bitcoin already has most of the ingredients it needs to succeed
Bitcoin, as an asset and as a cryptocurrency, does not attempt to do everything. It can’t run smart contracts, process transactions quickly, or keep transaction costs very low. Instead, it acts as a scarce bearer asset with a fixed supply cap and a supply policy that ensures its scarcity increases at regular intervals.
That scarcity and mechanical predictability of its supply have also made it investable through mainstream vehicles; Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) now collectively hold $84 billion in value, which translates to 6% of the coin’s total possible supply. That means the infrastructure is in place for the traditional financial sector to gain as much exposure to the asset as it wants, suggesting it’ll likely have plenty of longevity.
Don’t expect Bitcoin to change much over time. Its value is largely derived from its propensity to stay the same while becoming scarcer.
Cardano needs to build a future
Cardano has an active engineering community and a research-heavy culture that frequently provides upgrades to its chain. In theory, it can support a real on-chain economy.
But the issue with a long-term investment in this coin isn’t whether it can add more features over time, because that’s already a given. The issue is whether any features it adds will actually attract users and capital to the network. So far, that has not been the case.
Even today, Cardano’s decentralized finance (DeFi) footprint remains very modest relative to the sector leaders. After reaching its all-time peak of DeFi total value locked (TVL) of $720 million in December 2024, capital has continuously flowed off the chain, and as of Feb. 26, there’s only $130 million in TVL. At the same time, the chain retained only $456 in fees for itself that day. The takeaway here is that whatever features Cardano is offering simply aren’t enough to get people using the network.
Having a large, loyal, experienced, and quite active group of developers doesn’t solve that, even if they’re inclined to use things like peer review to ensure what they produce is of high quality. The chain doesn’t seem to have a strategy for directing its talent to increase the value of its coin.
Therefore, especially if you don’t yet hold it in your crypto portfolio, Bitcoin is by far the better choice to buy and hold for the next 10 years. Cardano has to make some big changes to have a shot at long-term success, and there isn’t evidence of that happening yet.
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Alex Carchidi has positions in Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.