South Africa Reserve Bank(SARB) governor’s question, “Why not strategic beef reserve?” at the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos may have been rhetorical, but Lesetja Kganyago’s seemingly sarcastic remark about “strategic bitcoin reserves” inadvertently underscored the need for Africa to rethink its economic strategies in the face of global financial shifts. In a world increasingly defined by digital transformation, the concept of money and value storage is evolving rapidly. Africa is no stranger to commodity-based economies. From oil to gold, beef to cocoa, the continent has long relied on natural resources for economic sustenance. However, these commodities are fraught with challenges. Global commodity prices are highly susceptible to market fluctuations, geopolitical tensions, and climate change. For instance, the price of beef can swing dramatically due to disease outbreaks or trade restrictions, just the way the value of fiat currencies swings and remains unpredictable when traded against digital assets like bitcoin due to regional financial policies and currency devaluation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), beef prices have experienced volatility of up to 30% year-over-year due to factors like foot-and-mouth disease and export bans.
Image Source : FAO
Even though Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, responded to Kganyago’s question with a compelling argument: Bitcoin is not just a better form of money than gold, it is also more portable, divisible, and utility-driven. Over the past decade, Bitcoin has outperformed every major asset class, cementing its position as a superior store of value. For Africa, a continent often marginalized in the global financial system, a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve could be the key to unlocking economic independence, fostering innovation, and securing long-term prosperity. How?
It’s time to be factual and realistic in our comparison. Bitcoin exists digitally and requires no physical storage, commodities like beef and mutton are perishable and costly to maintain. The World Bank estimates that post-harvest losses for agricultural products in Africa amount to $48 billion annually, highlighting the inefficiencies of commodity-based reserves. While commodities have intrinsic value, their utility is restricted to specific industries. Bitcoin, on the other hand, is a global, borderless asset with applications in finance, technology, and beyond while its unique properties make it an ideal candidate for a strategic reserve asset. With a capped supply of 21 million coins, Bitcoin is inherently deflationary, unlike fiat currencies that can be printed indefinitely or beef with endless reproductive mechanisms. According to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin’s market capitalization has grown from less than 1 billion in 2013 to over 1 trillion in 2025, demonstrating its rapid adoption and value appreciation.
Image Source : CoinMarketCap
WHY BITCOIN OVER BEEF ?
Read More: Why Not Strategic Beef Reserve?