Bitcoin is many things. It's compared more to the function of gold in relation to gold being the foundation and beginning of Fiat.

Fiat was created because it was easier to transact with than literally gold. Gold became a denominator of the value of fiat. The problem is that through corruption and human error there is no longer any way to verify the supply of fiat and gold (printing fiat and mixing gold with other things and bad bookkeeping)

Then there's Bitcoin. Imagine the same story but instead of gold, fiat being backed by BTC. A verifiable, limited, infinitely divisible asset that is mined through proof of work (like gold)

Bitcoin is also easier to transact with directly compared to literal gold. This is why people consider it as a possible currency.

If the gold/fiat supply was trusted, then you also wouldn't transact with your precious gold. That's what fiat is for. Same with BTC. Hold BTC, spend fiat.

Truth is Bitcoin is many things. Store of value, digital energy (because unusable electricity can be used to mine Bitcoin) transactable medium (currency), a collectible (because it's limited and supply gets lower everytime somebody loses their BTC wallet keys)

BTC beats gold. BTC beats fiat. Its more scarce than gold, easy to transfer across the world, non-corruptible, decentralized, verifiable.

It's an alternative to our current Fiat/gold standard, and the only missing component is adoption.