Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is increasingly seen as digital gold by institutional investors, but altcoins are losing appeal, according to industry insiders.

Bitcoin’s Strength Against Speculative Coins

In an Apr.28 CNBC interview, Mark Wong, Head of Trading at Independent Reserve, highlighted scarcity as Bitcoin’s core strength.

While Bitcoin's case has strengthened over time, he noted that the broader crypto market, including Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) and XRP (CRYPTO: XRP), still follows more cyclical and narrative-driven patterns.

Wong explained that altcoins tend to move in cycles influenced by shifting themes rather than consistent institutional conviction.

He pointed to a growing preference among investors for more established, utility-driven projects as opposed to speculative meme coins.

Supporting this view, he referenced a survey of Singaporean investors showing declining awareness and interest in meme coins like Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE), signaling a broader shift toward Bitcoin dominance and higher-quality crypto assets as institutional participation increases.

Sandwich Class Seek BTC

Wong compared the BTC vs. speculative meme coins approach to distinguishing between blue-chip stocks and high-risk penny stocks, where the former offers stability and the latter offer higher but uncertain returns.

Wong described the broader crypto industry as cyclical, noting that capital and talent are currently flowing toward sectors like artificial intelligence.

However, he expects this trend to reverse during the next Bitcoin halving cycle, which historically has triggered renewed market momentum and price recoveries.

He also observed that the "sandwich class" or middle-income investors are increasingly viewing Bitcoin as a long-term wealth-building tool, using it as a hedge against inflation and currency depreciation rather than for short-term speculation.

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