Bitcoin vs Gold Statistics 2026: How the Two Assets Compare

Bitcoin and gold are often placed side by side as stores of value. Both have a limited supply, and neither is run by a central bank. They differ in age, price swings, size and the way people hold them.

This article looks at the numbers behind that comparison. It uses data from Bitbo, Ledger, FXStreet and other pages, with most prices taken from early October 2026.

The figures come from different sources and different dates, so some numbers vary slightly. Where that happens, the article says so.

Key Bitcoin vs Gold Statistics

• One bitcoin was worth about 20.12 ounces of gold on October 7, 2026.
• Bitcoin’s market cap was about 5.4% of gold’s market cap.
• The BTC/gold ratio is about 50% below its December 2024 high of 40.1 ounces.
• Over ten years, Bitcoin returned about 16,350% and gold returned about 272%.
• Bitcoin’s supply grows about 0.8% a year, compared with 1.6% to 3% for gold.
• Bitcoin mining uses about 204.44 TWh a year, and gold mining uses about 132 TWh.

Bitcoin vs Gold Prices and Market Size

On October 7, 2026, Bitcoin traded at $83,373.46. Gold traded at $4,142.80 per ounce. Another reading from the same period put Bitcoin at $83,229 and gold at $4,191.

Gold’s market cap was about $30.6 trillion in the latest data. Bitcoin’s was about $1.6 trillion. That makes Bitcoin about 5.4% of the size of gold.

Other sources give slightly different totals. Ledger lists gold at about $32 trillion and Bitcoin at about $1.55 trillion. An earlier Bitbo reading showed gold at $29.1 trillion and Bitcoin at $1.67 trillion, or 5.7%.

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Market cap is the price multiplied by the supply. For Bitcoin, that means the coins in circulation. For gold, it uses the World Gold Council’s estimate of above-ground stock, which Ledger puts at about 220,000 tonnes.

The size gap matters because a smaller market can move more on the same amount of money. This is one reason Bitcoin’s price swings tend to be larger than gold’s.

Gold has served as money for thousands of years. Bitcoin launched in 2009 under the name Satoshi Nakamoto, whose true identity is unknown. Its whitepaper described a peer-to-peer form of electronic cash that does not need a financial intermediary.

The Bitcoin to Gold Ratio

The ratio shows how many ounces of gold it takes to buy one bitcoin. It is Bitcoin’s price divided by gold’s price. A rising ratio means Bitcoin is doing better than gold, and a falling ratio means gold is doing better.

On October 7, 2026, the ratio stood at 20.12 ounces. An earlier Bitbo reading showed 19.86 ounces, which equals 563.04 grams of gold per bitcoin.

The ratio peaked at 40.1 ounces in December 2024. The earlier reading was 50.5% below that high. In plain terms, one bitcoin now buys about half as much gold as it did then.

Bitbo marks Bitcoin price peaks in 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2021 on its ratio chart. The chart uses a logarithmic scale because Bitcoin’s rises have been so steep.

Some investors prefer to measure Bitcoin in gold instead of dollars. They argue that dollars are printed without a fixed limit, while gold’s supply grows slowly. The data comes from the Coin Metrics CMBI Bitcoin Benchmark and from gold prices supplied by OnlyGold and Yahoo Finance.

Bitbo also shows a second chart that compares the percentage price change of both assets over time. Bitcoin’s gains have been larger than gold’s. Its price drops have also been deeper.

Supply and Inflation Rate Statistics

Bitcoin’s supply is set by code. The protocol allows a maximum of 21 million coins, and about 20 million have been mined as of 2026. Some of those coins are lost for good, through misplaced private keys or damaged storage devices.

New coins enter circulation on a fixed schedule. Roughly every four years, or every 210,000 blocks, the reward paid to miners is cut in half. The most recent halving came in April 2024, and the next is estimated for April 15, 2028.

Miners compete to solve a math problem. The first to solve it adds a block of transactions and earns the block subsidy plus fees. This work secures the network and verifies payments.

After the 2024 halving, Bitcoin’s yearly supply growth fell from about 1.8% to about 0.8%. Ledger says new coin issuance should stop around the year 2140, when the rate reaches zero.

Gold has no fixed cap. Above-ground supply is about 220,000 tonnes, and mines add 3,600 to 3,700 tonnes a year. That works out to supply growth of about 1.6% to 3% a year.

Ledger lists several reasons gold supply grows slowly. Large new deposits have been found less often than in the 1990s. Output has leveled off, which has led some to ask whether the world is nearing “peak gold.”

Ledger estimates that 50,000 to 64,000 tonnes of gold remain unmined, though the exact amount is unknown. It also says gold demand outran supply in 2026, driven by central bank buying, investor interest and jewelry demand. A major new discovery or a mining breakthrough could change gold’s supply picture.

Returns, Volatility and Risk

Bitcoin has produced much larger returns than gold, along with much larger swings. Ledger reports that Bitcoin returned about 16,350% over the last ten years. Gold returned about 272% over the same period.

Based on those percentages, $1,000 invested ten years ago would be worth about $164,500 in Bitcoin and about $3,720 in gold. Past results do not guarantee future results.

Risk is where the two assets split. One source says Bitcoin’s price can move more than 10% in a single day. Its price has also halved from peak to trough several times, even while trending higher over the long run.

Gold is steadier. Its price tends to move in smaller steps, often in response to economic conditions. A January 2025 article says gold’s average return has been above 10% over the past two decades.

The Sharpe ratio measures return for each unit of risk, and a higher number is better. Ledger says Bitcoin’s Sharpe ratio has averaged between 0.70 and 0.78, while gold’s has run between 0.60 and 0.61.

On that basis, Bitcoin has done slightly better after adjusting for risk. Gold has been the calmer asset during downturns. Ledger notes that Bitcoin has recovered from each drop so far, but there is no guarantee it always will.

Gold tends to do well during geopolitical tension, economic downturns and periods of inflation. Bitcoin’s results in such events are mixed. The January 2025 article says they depend on adoption trends, regulation, investor mood and even social media comments from influential people.

Both assets are liquid. Gold has established markets and trading systems. Bitcoin trades easily on major exchanges, though liquidity can vary with market conditions and location.

Correlation Between Bitcoin and Gold

Correlation measures how closely two assets move together. A reading of +1 means they move in the same direction. A reading of 0 means no link, and -1 means they move in opposite directions.

Bitbo’s 1-year rolling correlation of daily returns between Bitcoin and gold was +0.35 in an earlier reading. That points to a mild positive link. A second page showed -0.26 over the trailing 12 months as of October 7, 2026.

The two readings differ because they use different dates and methods. Both sit close to zero compared with the limits of +1 and -1. That suggests the link between the two assets has been weak.

Bitbo also offers a 30-day window, which reacts faster, and a 1-year window, which shows the longer view. Short windows can swing a lot from one month to the next.

Bitcoin’s link to stocks also changes over time, according to a January 2025 article. It often acts like a risk-on asset when markets rise, and it has split from stocks during periods of extreme stress. Gold generally has a low and often negative correlation with stocks.

In his book Principles, Ray Dalio called diversification the “Holy Grail of Investing.” He wrote that fifteen to twenty uncorrelated return streams could cut risk sharply without cutting expected returns. Low correlation is one reason some investors hold both assets.

A weak or negative reading does not promise the two assets will offset each other in a crash. Correlations change over time, and past readings may not hold in future markets.

Energy Use and Environmental Statistics

Both assets carry an environmental cost. Ledger estimates that Bitcoin’s proof-of-work system uses about 204.44 TWh of electricity a year. Gold mining uses an estimated 132 TWh a year.

Mining a single bitcoin takes about 1,238,322 kWh of electricity, according to the same source. Ledger also says Bitcoin’s carbon output is higher per unit, because many mining operations use fossil fuels.

By these estimates, Bitcoin’s yearly energy use is about 55% higher than gold’s. Its CO2 output per bitcoin is about 22 times the figure for an equal value of gold.

Ledger puts the CO2 from minting one bitcoin at about 691 tonnes. Mining the same dollar value of gold produces about 31 tonnes. Ledger sells hardware wallets for Bitcoin, so readers may want to compare these numbers with other research.

Gold mining has its own costs. Large mines cause deforestation, soil erosion and habitat loss. Cyanide and mercury used in processing can leak into rivers and groundwater.

Producing one ounce of gold also takes thousands of litres of water. These effects are physical and local, while Bitcoin’s footprint is mainly tied to power use.

Portfolio Views and How Each Asset Is Held

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, wrote an article called “How Countries Go Broke.” He said government debt is at an inflection point and that many economies may face a “debt and currency devaluation adjustment” in less than three years.

He argued that non-yielding assets such as gold and Bitcoin could do well in that setting. His preferred mix is 10% to 15% in gold and 1% in Bitcoin. On the All-In Podcast in March, he said, “There is only one Gold,” and called it the second-largest reserve currency held by central banks.

Dalio also advises investors to spread money across asset classes and countries with strong income statements and balance sheets. He urges less exposure to debt assets such as bonds.

A January 2025 article describes gold as the pick for conservative investors. It describes Bitcoin as a draw for those seeking high risk and high reward. Both can serve as hedges against inflation, and neither is controlled by a central authority.

Holding methods differ too. Physical gold usually means vault fees, insurance and some counterparty risk. Gold ETFs remove storage worries, but the holder owns a claim on gold rather than the metal itself.

Bitcoin is controlled by private keys. If an exchange holds the keys, the owner has a claim, not direct ownership. Cold storage keeps keys offline, and a hardware wallet can be backed up with a 24-word recovery phrase.

Ledger says physical gold can be seized under some legal frameworks, while Bitcoin in cold storage cannot be taken without the keys. Critics add that Bitcoin’s on-ramps can be restricted and that it faces legal and compliance risks in some places.

Price Levels and Market Drivers in October 2026

Both assets fell in early October. Bitcoin traded near $83,000 after a three-day sell-off, and attempts to break above $87,200 failed. FXStreet links the drop to leveraged long liquidations and geopolitical pressure.

Gold tested support near $4,100. Attention turned to the Federal Reserve’s September meeting minutes. The Fed raised rates by 25 basis points to a range of 3.75% to 4.00%, its first hike since 2023, in a unanimous vote.

Softer inflation data after that meeting cut the odds of another hike in October. Talks to end the US-Iran war also remain uncertain, which has kept oil and energy prices in focus.

Short-term price moves are common for both assets. They are a snapshot of one week, not a trend. Readers should check live prices before drawing conclusions.

FXStreet’s technical review puts Bitcoin at $83,173, with its RSI at 52, near neutral. The SuperTrend sits at $79,665, the 100-day EMA at $75,710 and the 200-day EMA at $75,130. The MACD is below zero, which hints that buying pressure is easing.

FXStreet says a close below the band near $79,564 to $79,664 would show the bullish phase losing momentum. That could lead to a move toward the mid-$75,000s. Holding above it keeps the path tilted upward.

Gold is below its 50-day EMA at $4,285, 200-day EMA at $4,305 and 100-day EMA at $4,326. Its SuperTrend sits at $4,380, and its RSI is 36, just above oversold territory.

For gold to ease its bearish tone, it would need to reclaim a downward trendline near $4,449. If $4,100 support breaks, investors may look toward $4,000.

These are one analyst’s technical readings, not forecasts. Levels change daily and should be checked against current data.

What the Statistics Show

This article draws on several sources, and each uses its own dates and methods. That is why market caps, correlation readings and ratios differ a little from page to page. The direction of the data is consistent even where the exact figures are not.

Gold is the larger and steadier asset, with a market cap near $30 trillion and supply growth of 1.6% to 3% a year. Bitcoin is much smaller, at about 5.4% of gold’s size, and its supply growth is now lower at about 0.8%.

Bitcoin has returned far more over ten years, but with much sharper price swings. The BTC/gold ratio has also fallen by about half since December 2024, and the correlation between the two is close to zero.

Energy use is high for both, and the per-coin carbon figures differ widely. Investors weigh these numbers against their own risk tolerance, time frame and view of the economy.

Sources

1. BTC vs Gold Chart Price and Ratio (Bitbo)
2. Bitcoin vs Gold: Ratio, Correlation and Market Cap Data (Chart data page, October 7, 2026)
3. Bitcoin v Gold, January 2025 (Invest category article)
4. Bitcoin Vs Gold: Which Is a Better Store of Value in 2026? (Ledger, May 5, 2026)
5. Bitcoin vs Gold: BTC and XAU fall, but Ray Dalio still prefers Gold (FXStreet, by John Isige)