How to understand Cryptocurrency ?
( Google recognizes this word but while typing , the spellcheck does hint it is unrecognizable and the spelling need to be fixed ( seems like something is fishy here ! :) ). Moreover, Google doesn't give you a dictionary meaning for the plural - that's something like a shark :-P - bottom line, caution suggested, period !
Economics explains that the price of a product or service is discovered based on demand and supply in the market and it seems it applies even to virtual beings ( let us call it an ' asset ' ). The more the demand, more the price that is going north. North is positive and the only direction, the early courageous and sailors used to find sea routs to India. Some have incorrectly placed their compass and due to the salty air, the compass ate the wrong food and taken Columbus to America. He though it was India and the white tribes are hereafter called Red Indians - and the eventual creation of the New World. Lets us come back to the steaming word of ' Bitcoin ' the first ever virtual asset that took the world by storm and a sudden influx of real ( they call it fiat ) money flowing into it like never happened before - except for a couple of Tulip Bulbs in Netherlands in some 16th century. Fact check it for the accuracy. In one of the articles on Bitcoin, I found a very interesting line - for any bubble to be called a real bubble, there needs to be massive public participation. And the public participation is made possible in the virtual world ( internet ) giving every possible reason to own some Cryptocurrency. Presently, Bitcoin, Ethereum ( I find it very difficult every time while typing this :) ), Factom and Ripple are the ones which are on the top charts and having a decent and sometimes astonishing volumes of purchase. We all know, when the selling activity is heavy, the price becomes attractive ( for optimists ) and nay sayers find it a compelling evidence to express the bubble is getting burst. ( although they are aware that every bubble is bound to be burst by the law of nature ).
We are all not sure what is the direction of all these cryptocurrencies in the next five -ten years. Some will be left behind ( or be saved their fingers burnt ) or some will become spectacularly successful so they can control their personal time ( even through they are not sure what to do with all-day free time ) making fortunes of their life time. Will Bitcoin be the Amazon of dot com era or will it be an Enron of financial earthquake that has shaken up the entire financial community that lead to the closure of one Big Accounting Firm ( Arthur Anderson ) we are not sure.
My call? Stay glued to the fastest ever changing times and if willing, put your money where your mouth is - but not all. The quantity of money that you can afford to digest. Caution suggested - massive public participation is the greatest sign of a great bearish trend that is looming around. If you think the party is over, stay out of it. Or if you firmly believe the party is just about to start and you got the invitation, dress yourself well and make sure you don't lose your shirt in the process. It is difficult in this economy to buy a new shirt ( if you have lost it in a gamble ! )
Pardon me for errors.
Best of Luck ! !