According to the source, at 2024 LBMA gold prices of $2,000–$2,400 per troy ounce, $1 billion of physical gold equates to roughly 13.0–15.6 metric tons, far exceeding a hardware wallet’s mass; source: London Bullion Market Association; National Institute of Standards and Technology. A Ledger Nano X hardware wallet weighs 34 grams, underscoring the portability advantage for self-custodied BTC (BTC); source: Ledger. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) charges a 0.40% annual expense ratio, while leading US spot Bitcoin ETFs list management fees around 0.20–0.25%, reducing custody drag for BTC exposure; source: SPDR Gold Shares prospectus; BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust prospectus; Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund prospectus. US regulators approved spot BTC ETFs in January 2024, broadening regulated market access and trading liquidity for Bitcoin; source: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Bitcoin’s supply is capped at 21 million, reinforcing its scarcity relative to gold in portfolio construction; source: Bitcoin Core documentation.