Discounted Cash Flow Valuation
Discounted cash flow valuation is a method used to estimate the value of an investment based on its expected future cash flows, adjusted for the time value of money. By applying a discount rate, which reflects the risk and the opportunity cost of capital, future earnings are brought back to their present value.
In crypto, this model is applied to projects with revenue-generating utility, such as decentralized exchanges or lending protocols. The discount rate is highly sensitive to macro factors like interest rates, meaning that as rates rise, the present value of future cash flows decreases.
This framework provides a fundamental basis for comparing the intrinsic value of digital assets against their current market prices.