Bit coin is a Ponzi scheme. Don't listen to the bit coin shills on here. The newcomers buying into bit coin and driving up the price are just making the early adopters richer.
That's how stupid people are. A sucker is born every minute. But YOU don't have to be one like all the other bit coiners.
The USD is a valid currency because people are required by law to recognize it's value. It has value because the most powerful superpower on the face of the Earth uses it and backs it.
Where does bit coin get its value from? Some computer nerds living in their mothers' basements and Chinese speculators who say it has value? The few online drug dealers who accept it?
If you can't figure out that buying into a totally faith-based economy, with no regulation whatsoever, of a imaginary currency that only exists virtually, through a broker that has no compelling reason to give you any of your money back other than possible negative word-of-mouth, is a bad idea, then maybe you should really consider spending less time speculating on BTC and more time getting remedial education.