Opinion: Tether's purchase of gold is a strategic treasury decision; Bitcoin and gold can complement and coexist.

PANews reported on February 26th that Ivan Lee, Head of Trading at QCP Group, stated that Tether's large-scale gold purchases are a strategic treasury decision, not an irony of the "digital gold" narrative. Gold, as the world's most widely accepted non-sovereign reserve asset, complements Bitcoin: it reduces correlation with crypto liquidity cycles while hedging against crypto-specific tail risks such as regulatory shocks or sudden deleveraging. Ivan pointed out that Tether has accumulated approximately 130 tons of gold, with its purchases in the fourth quarter of last year accounting for 10% of central bank gold demand during that period. Bitcoin exhibits high-beta risk during periods of tightening, while displaying gold-like characteristics during periods of monetary expansion. Investors can balance both: gold can be used to hedge against short-term crises and liquidity pressures, while Bitcoin can be used to hedge against long-term policy risks and currency devaluation, but the allocation size and risk control must be tailored according to its drawdown characteristics.