Bitcoin's Liquidity Edge Gains Relevance as Institutional Adoption Rises

Shawn Owen, CEO and Co-Founder of SALT Lending, said that as more institutions enter the market, Bitcoin's portability, divisibility and accessibility may increasingly set it apart from traditional stores of value.

During an appearance on BMTV, Owen highlighted Bitcoin's resilience while gold and other long-duration assets were sold off. He argued that some of Bitcoin's most fundamental features offer advantages over competing assets.

"It is easier to buy Bitcoin than gold," Owen said.

That edge becomes even clearer when portability is essential.

"It's easier to move Bitcoin out of, say, somewhere where you need to leave quickly because there's unrest in the area than gold," Owen said. "It's far more portable and divisible and easy to use than real estate."

SALT CEO Shawn Owen (@Shawn_OwenJ) on why Bitcoin held up while gold and other long duration assets sold off:

"It is easier to buy Bitcoin than gold."

"It's easier to move Bitcoin out of, say, somewhere where you need to leave quickly because there's unrest in the area than… pic.twitter.com/YQ9KGauue8

— BMTV (@watchbmtv) October 7, 2026

Bitcoin's Liquidity Advantage

Gold, real estate and bitcoin can all act as long-term stores of value, but accessing and shifting that value works very differently across the three.

Physical gold requires storage and transport. Real estate is fixed to one location and can be slow to buy or sell. Bitcoin, by contrast, can be transferred globally and split into small units without those physical constraints.

These features can also give Bitcoin owners greater flexibility when they need liquidity.

Instead of selling bitcoin to get dollars, holders can potentially use it as collateral and borrow against its value while still keeping exposure to the asset.

That approach becomes especially relevant if Owen's longer-term outlook for Bitcoin adoption turns out to be right.

Institutional FOMO Is Arriving

Owen believes the journey many individual Bitcoin holders have already taken — discovering Bitcoin and wishing they had gotten in earlier — may eventually happen at much larger institutions.

"Every human goes through this experience where you learn about Bitcoin and wish you'd been earlier," Owen said. "I think that will be true of sovereigns and banks and institutions of all sizes."

Banks have taken considerably longer to enter the market, but Owen thinks that is now shifting as many of the obstacles around Bitcoin have been resolved.

"Banks have been slow, but are now getting in after all the boxes have been checked," he said. "FOMO is real."

JUST IN: Salt Lending CEO says sovereign wealth funds and banks are realizing the importance of Bitcoin

"Every human goes through this experience where you learn about Bitcoin and wish you'd been earlier…I think that will be true of sovereigns and banks of all sizes." pic.twitter.com/2pxKVh1Q2O

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) October 7, 2026

Owen warned that adoption and price appreciation will not necessarily follow a straight line. As Bitcoin matures and more capital enters, he expects some reduction in its historic volatility.

That does not alter his longer-term view.

"Adoption depends on the time horizon we're talking about," Owen said. "Dampening of volatility, and we will continue to see that, but that doesn't mean over the next decade we won't see serious adoption and increase in price."

"Never Sell Your Bitcoin"

That long-term outlook also influences how Owen thinks holders should manage their bitcoin.

"I have always said never sell your bitcoin," Owen said. "Long term we will continue to see prices increasing significantly in comparison to fiat currencies."

For holders who share that view, selling bitcoin to fund a large purchase, business expense or other liquidity need means giving up future exposure to the bitcoin they sell.

Bitcoin-backed lending offers an alternative.

SALT lets eligible borrowers use bitcoin as collateral to obtain cash without selling the underlying bitcoin. Once the loan is repaid, the collateral goes back to the borrower.

The model fits closely with Owen's broader thesis. If Bitcoin keeps becoming easier to access and more widely adopted by banks, institutions and possibly sovereigns, long-term holders may grow increasingly reluctant to sell simply because they need liquidity.

Instead, they can potentially hold onto their bitcoin position while tapping the value within it.

As Bitcoin adoption expands, the discussion may increasingly turn from how to acquire bitcoin to how holders can use the wealth they have accumulated without necessarily selling the asset.