And you are trusting in bitcoins encryption algorithm and complete infrastructure inc. internet, power etc. (Nation cyber warfare could crack the encryption and drain a countries entire financial reserves instantly, imagine china cracked the bitcoin algorithm and took all American's financial reserves one night). Anything held on a computer network is exposed and vunerable.
If SHA-256 gets bruteforced somehow, then the entire economy is at risk. Chances are that the databases that people are keeping gold track records with also use SHA-256 for the passwords, so they could change ownership records. Pretty much all the banking industry relies on that, and all kind of encryption in all kind of devices. Also we can change the algorithm if the time comes.
But are you saying that there are bigger chances at SHA-256 cracked than your gold custodian getting robbed/doing an inside job?
You are also relying on the devs not doing anything stupid or unpopular with the software as its completely out of your control.
You can use many other clients beside Bitcoin Core, also they will not do anything stupid, there is no incentive in doing so, most devs hold tons of coins themselves, they are interested in doing good to keep going richer.
You are relying on unregulated exchanges not getting hacked or the owners doing a runner with your money when you wish to cash out - not a good track record.
Same problem with gold. If you want to cash out you are trusting third parties. As time goes on there are many professional choices with good liquidity to choose from. Also the end game is that you will be able to buy your villa paying with BTC directly so no need to cash out.
You are relying on the government not coming down hard on crypto and outlawing it before you get a chance to cash out.
Government doing that would only legitmize BTC since they would show they are impotent. Would be the obligatory crash then recovery after. Also read above. And also don't forget Executive Order 6102.
There will also always be Bitcoin-friendly governments due simple game theory, so just move there.
you are praying Satoshi isnt defrosted from his cryo chamber one day and he decides to cash in the lot and go on a hooker and coke binge.
If satoshi is really some guy out there and is still alive, he is smart enough to know he can never move these coins ever again, because everyone knows what these coins mean, he would be tracked and extorted. He probably allocated a lot of coins that people aren't aware of not coming from the obvious early mining period, he should be well off in any case. No incentives to do anything stupid.
You are relying on those electronic devices holding billions or trillions not degrading and failing over time, countries need to hold wealth in centuries not years (backups would be a pain in the ass)
This is not a problem anymore with the latest efforts in optical media. Milleniatta’s M-Disc DVD and Blu-ray recordable discs are rated for 1,000 years, and non-recordable up to 10,000 years. Of course this is theoretical but governments have made rigorous tests. Their data must be preserved too, so they are very interested in ways to store digital data as well. It is a non issue, and for Bitcoin users if you are paranoid just make a yearly backup of your stuff and you are set.
Gold in your hand removes all third party risk.
And includes a ton of risks the moment you need to move it across any border or to hide it under a government that went full Nixon and is on search and destroy mode (and with 2018 technology your bullions will be easily found).