25th January, 2021 12:07:01 SINGAPORE: Privately-issued digital currencies are very unlikely to replace government-issued fiat currencies as a medium of exchange but could partially displace haven assets like gold, new research shows. Cryptocurrencies could replace gold as an electronic store of value once key hurdles such as trust, volatility, regulatory acceptance and reputational risks are overcome, according to a research note from the Bank of Singapore, report agencies. Once these disadvantages have been addressed, digital currencies can also be used in investor portfolios as a potential safe-haven asset and for asset diversification, it said. “First, investors need trustworthy institutions to be able to hold digital currencies securely. Second, liquidity needs to improve significantly to reduce volatility to manageable levels,” Mansoor Mohi-uddin, chief economist at Bank of Singapore, said.