TLDR
- Research from the Bitcoin Policy Institute examined 36 AI models and discovered Bitcoin received 48.3% of 9,072 total responses.
- Traditional fiat currency received zero selections as a top monetary choice from any AI model tested.
- For long-term value storage scenarios, 79.1% of AI systems selected Bitcoin.
- Payment and international transfer scenarios saw stablecoins lead at 53.2%.
- Anthropic’s AI models showed strongest Bitcoin preference at 68%, contrasting with OpenAI’s 25.9% average.
Researchers at the Bitcoin Policy Institute conducted an extensive examination of 36 artificial intelligence models from six different AI laboratories to determine which monetary forms these systems would select across various financial contexts. The findings, released this Tuesday, demonstrated Bitcoin’s dominant position.
The comprehensive research produced 9,072 individual responses. An independent AI classification system analyzed and categorized all responses following data collection.
Across all tested scenarios, Bitcoin emerged as the selection in 48.3% of responses, establishing it as the clear leader among monetary instruments. Remarkably, fiat currency failed to achieve a single top-preference ranking from any of the 36 models evaluated.
Scenarios designed around maintaining purchasing power across extended timeframes saw Bitcoin selected by 79.1% of AI responses. This represented the study’s most decisive outcome.
Conversely, stablecoins gained ground in payment-focused scenarios. When evaluating payment applications, stablecoins captured 53.2% of responses versus Bitcoin’s 36%.
Jeff Park, Bitwise’s chief investment officer, provided straightforward analysis. He noted stablecoins’ relative underperformance stems from the fact “they can be frozen, Bitcoin can’t.”
How the Study Was Set Up
The research team evaluated models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek, xAI, and MiniMax. Each AI model functioned as an independent economic decision-maker across 28 distinct scenarios encompassing savings, payments, and settlement functions.
David Zell, President of the Bitcoin Policy Institute, explained the methodology was deliberately structured to prevent bias. “The system prompt avoids naming or favoring any instrument,” he stated.
The AI systems received complete autonomy to select monetary instruments without receiving predetermined response options.
Almost 91% of all responses demonstrated preference for digitally native instruments rather than conventional fiat currency. This category encompassed Bitcoin, stablecoins, alternative cryptocurrencies, tokenized real-world assets, and computational units.
Results Varied Across AI Companies
Anthropic’s AI models demonstrated the strongest Bitcoin affinity with a 68% average preference. DeepSeek secured second position at 51.7%, with Google following at 43%.
xAI models averaged 39.2%, MiniMax reached 34.9%, while OpenAI’s models selected Bitcoin in only 25.9% of instances.
Claude, DeepSeek, and MiniMax models exhibited stronger Bitcoin preferences compared to other cryptocurrencies. GPT, Grok, and Gemini models showed greater inclination toward stablecoins.
Zell provided important context regarding interpretation of these findings. He emphasized the models’ selections mirror patterns within their training datasets rather than forecasting actual cryptocurrency market performance.
The research team recognized certain constraints. Testing covered only 36 models from six providers, and the institute announced intentions to broaden model coverage in subsequent research phases.
Zell highlighted that six separate AI laboratories employing distinct training methodologies generated remarkably similar preference patterns. The institute emphasized these consistent outcomes across competing platforms constitute the primary reason these findings merit serious consideration.
