# What type of assets are crypto token?
Crypto assets are [securities](../concepts/security.md) contracts for [speculative](../concepts/speculation.md) investments.

See the [assets](../concepts/assets.md) comparison chart for an overview of how crypto asset compare to traditional investments and currencies.

Crypto assets are [not currency](is-bitcoin-currency.md) because they cannot fulfil the definition of [money](../concepts/money.md).

Crypto assets are not [commodities](../concepts/commodity.md) because they have no intrinsic value needed to fulfil any productive economic activity or human need. Their definition of [use-value](../concepts/use-value.md) depends on a circular argument.

Crypto assets may also be a form of [art](../concepts/art.md) under the fuzzy definition of "artistic intent".

## Comparables

Crypto assets have no direct correspondence in traditional markets, but have several pathological equivalences of traditional assets with absurd premises or terms. 

* Zero-coupon perpetual [bond](bond.md)
* Unspendable [currency](currency.md)
* [Equity](security.md) with no cash flows or dividends
* [Commodity](commodity.md) with no use value
* Exchange traded [pyramid-scheme](pyramid-scheme.md)
* [Derivative](derivative.md) contract with no underlying
* [Libertarian](ideologies/libertarianism.md) performance [art](art.md)
* Self-organizing [ponzi-scheme](ponzi-scheme.md)

## References
* [@diehl_intellectual_2021]
* [@taleb_bitcoin_2021]
* [@iansiti_truth_2017]
* [@silverman_crypto_2021]
* [@krugman_bitcoin_2018]
* [@weisenthal_bitcoin_nodate]
* [@fletcher_currency_2013]