Money primarily has value, not because of what it is based on, but as a measure of work done or value created. It bypasses barter where two people want to trade, but don't produce things the other wants or at different values or at the wrong time. Anything that maintains its value, is easily transportable (can buy remotely at any time), and is easily divisible (so it can purchase .small & big things) Gold meets the first, but is very poor on the other two traits. The dollar is terrible at holding value, OK for transportable (slower than it should be), and good on divisible. BTC is the only money ever created that is truly effective at all 3.