They have a value that can be transferred without the approval of a third party censor. Stripe have kicked the Presidents online store off their network. Wikileaks were kicked off visa and mastercard. So they have a value to them.
Gold is manipulated by those who have unlimited amounts of paper money. Look at the failed breakout last week. Broke above a trendline from the peak and was sold.
Central bank digital currencies CBDC are coming in 2022. Automated tax collection, negative rates for savers, positive rates for favoured groups, stimulus money that disappears if not spent in 90 days, all programmed centrally not on a blockchain.