digital scarcity

English

Noun

digital scarcity (uncountable)

1. (originally) The lack of access to digital infrastructure such as the Internet.
2. (cryptocurrencies) A limitation, imposed through software, of digital information; in particular, the limitation on the total supply of a cryptocurrency or other crypto-based tokens.
   • 2018, Simon Dingle, In Math We Trust: Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency and the Journey To Being Your Own Bank‎^[1], Jonathan Ball Publishers, →ISBN:

     Until 2009 digital scarcity did not exist in any meaningful way. If I had a file on my computer – a picture of a cat, say – I could copy that file for as many people as I wanted at a price too low to calculate.

   • 2018, Saifedean Ammous, The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 177:

     With this technological design, Nakamoto was able to invent digital scarcity. Bitcoin is the first example of a digital good that is scarce and cannot be reproduced infinitely.

   • 2021, Tiana Laurence, Seoyoung Kim, NFTs For Dummies‎^[2], John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 22:

     The CryptoKitties team addressed the concept of digital scarcity for singular items by way of their digital collectibles. No two CryptoKitties are alike—each one is unique.

References

• Jaya Klara Brekke, Aron Fischer (2020 November 25) “Digital scarcity”, in Internet Policy Review‎^[3]