Bitcoins do exist in the real physical world. They are stored in excited electrons of various atoms all over our planet, in the blockchain copies. You can even get inside an ssd with an atomic microscope and see for yourself. This is not much different from your regular gold atoms, yes you can't wear them on your neck, but they very much exist.
In fact, every atom, including gold, is just some energy spike in a vacuum. From that point of view, bitcoin is much more real than a bar of gold - that one exists in one place only.
True, gold has history with humans, that is undeniable. But bitcoin has future