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Bitcoin Drops Below $6,000, An 8-Month Low (reuters.com)

An anonymous reader quotes Reuters: Bitcoin's value slid to its lowest level since November on Friday, as waning investor interest and recent negative headlines from global regulators weakened demand for the cryptocurrency and most of its rivals. Virtual currencies, including the best-known and biggest, bitcoin, have been stuck in a downward trend for most of 2018 after last year's frenzied interest fizzled. Recent hacks and the "cyber intrusion" of cryptocurrency exchanges in key Asian markets has also encouraged investors to exit.

Bitcoin fell to as low as $5,774 on the Bitstamp exchange, the lowest since November 12... So far in 2018, bitcoin has tumbled almost 60 percent after soaring more than 1,300 percent last year. It is now down 70 percent from its December peak... The total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies has fallen to around $230 billion from a peak of around $800 billion in January.

Will Hobbs, Head of Investment Strategy at Barclays Smart Investor, now tells Reuters that "None of the crypto currencies currently fulfill any of the criteria that we would look for in an investible asset, and we would continue to advise extreme caution. The rout in crypto currencies is still not finished."

106 comments

  1. Going further down soon by InvalidsYnc · · Score: 1

    My guess is that within the next 5 days (maybe as many as 15, but probably closer to 5) it will go back down to between $5000 and $5500, basing it off of the unscientific theory of what my gut says.

    So this means that all you peeps that want to get in and HODL at a lower price will have your chance.

    Let the games begin!

    1. Re: Going further down soon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This post is too late (or premature). BTC is back over 6k in the last 24 hours. Just give it some time, i'll drop again.

    2. Re:Going further down soon by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 1

      basing it off of the unscientific theory of what my gut says

      That's conforting!

      --
      Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
    3. Re: Going further down soon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      God I hope not, I need it to hit at least $10k soon or my wife will find out I refinanced our house to buy more bitcoin.

    4. Re:Going further down soon by Joce640k · · Score: 2

      Wasn't it supposed to be over a million by now? I haven't been paying much attention.

      --
      No sig today...
    5. Re: Going further down soon by Joce640k · · Score: 2

      Sell now and switch to Ethereum, that's a sure thing.

      --
      No sig today...
    6. Re: Going further down soon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just tell her you had to second mortgage the house to invest in bitcoin to meet the margin call cover on your Tesla short position.

      Also,....

      AHAHAHAHAHAHA HAAAAAAAA!

    7. Re:Going further down soon by Arkham · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Hopefully it will drop down to zero where its actual value is.

      --
      - Vincit qui patitur.
    8. Re: Going further down soon by triffid_98 · · Score: 1

      So your saying we should short Nvidia GTX futures? (Yes I know hardcore miners don't use those anymore). This is fiat currency and always has been, it's just that you can't go full Zimbabwe and start printing million dollar bills. If the market decides it's worthless paper the effect is the same.

    9. Re: Going further down soon by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 2

      Hey, do you know how many Dogecoin you could buy for $500K? He could corner the Dogecoin market and do a 51% attack on himself and essentially become a trillionaire overnight!

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    10. Re:Going further down soon by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      Nah, just over $100,000 was the prediction. So only missed by 94%!

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    11. Re: Going further down soon by InvalidsYnc · · Score: 1

      Not too late. This is normal behavior. As they say: "Wait for it! Wait for it!" ;-)

      Just give it some time, i'll drop again.

      And I guess I must ask, why will you be dropping again? And dropping how (or what)?

    12. Re:Going further down soon by slashmydots · · Score: 1

      Aaaaaaand it's back to $6400.

    13. Re: Going further down soon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Says the guy who have no clue what a 51% attack really means...
      By no ways you can make a 51% attack by owning 51% of all coins... go back to learn...

    14. Re: Going further down soon by GrandCow · · Score: 1

      WOOSH

      That's the sound of a joke sailing way over your head.

      --
      "Well kids, you tried your best, and you failed. The lesson is, never try." -Homer Simpson
    15. Re: Going further down soon by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      ACs have no sense of humor...

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    16. Re: Going further down soon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      God I hope not, I need it to hit at least $10k soon or my wife will find out I refinanced our house to buy more bitcoin.

      You need to get caught with a hooker right away. That way she won't be expecting to get any of the money back.

  2. It's a good time to buy BTC! by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

    Or not. NOBODY KNOWS

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    1. Re:It's a good time to buy BTC! by careysub · · Score: 1

      This is the difference between investing and gambling.

      --
      Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
    2. Re:It's a good time to buy BTC! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is the difference between investing and gambling.

      people may have heard of dollar cost averaging

    3. Re:It's a good time to buy BTC! by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      At least with gambling in Vegas, you can get a free drink whilst letting it ride...

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    4. Re:It's a good time to buy BTC! by perpenso · · Score: 1

      At least with gambling in Vegas, you can get a free drink whilst letting it ride...

      TANSTAAFL, or a free drink. ;-)

    5. Re:It's a good time to buy BTC! by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      This is the difference between investing and gambling.

      This ain't even gambling. I can do a lot better at the blackjack tables than people who buy bitcoin in 2018.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  3. old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    already recovering over $6300

    1. Re: old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's not recovering jackass, it's automatic trading kicking into a "buy cycle" due to hitting a low price threshold.
      It's collusion between various bitcoin investors, they can execute buys and sells to artificially increase activity to hide the fact that bitcoin is a sucker's game and most of the easy marks have been drained of real assets now.

    2. Re: old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your post would be slightly better without the gratuitous insult. Not much better, as it contains little actual information, but slightly so.

    3. Re:old news by Joce640k · · Score: 2

      The Chinese gang who own most Bitcoins can afford to buy back a few at inflated prices to make you think it's "recovering", yes.

      --
      No sig today...
    4. Re: old news by Joce640k · · Score: 1
      --
      No sig today...
    5. Re: old news by Tjp($)pjT · · Score: 1

      Well, mandatory admonishment for the ad hominem attack, and suggestion you go to cox.io and watch the transactions real-time there.

      --
      - Tjp

      I am in wallow with my inner money grubbing capitalistic pig. ... Oink!

    6. Re: old news by reanjr · · Score: 1

      Except volume is up too. Typically one manipulates a market by taking advantage of opportunities to move the market on the cheap.

    7. Re: old news by InvalidsYnc · · Score: 1

      Watch for the volume to go way up, but not spike the price overly much, then the volume will trend down, and then shortly after the volume stabilizes at a low volume (relatively low) the price will begin to plummet. Anyway, that's what "My Gut"(TM) says.

  4. Good Time To INVEST! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do it now before it's too late. No money? No problem! Pawn your vehicle! Get your money back in no time and double it by the end of the year. What more can you dream than this OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME! Do it NOW!

  5. Alt Headlines: by DalM · · Score: 1, Insightful

    "BitCoin defies logic by remaining just under $6000 over priced."

    "Fratboys across the country pissed as their 'sure thing' trust fund investment continues to fall"

    "Drug dealers pleased to inform customers of lower bitcoin prices to increase sales"

    1. Re:Alt Headlines: by quantaman · · Score: 1

      "Drug dealers pleased to inform customers of lower bitcoin prices to increase sales"

      Sadly, I don't think that's the case.

      The importance of crypto-currency to the black market is that it exists at all, the value is almost irrelevant. As long as they can convert to-from the fiat currency, and then anonymize the exchange with the crypto-currency (depends on the specific currency), they're fine.

      The only sketchy activity this might cut down on it's the hackers, the lower the reward for mining the fewer people looking to hijack your devices.

      --
      I stole this Sig
    2. Re: Alt Headlines: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you think bitcoins are a "fratboy" thing you're either unaware of what bitcoins are, what fratboys are, are a total fucking imbecile, or likely all 3.

    3. Re: Alt Headlines: by DalM · · Score: 1

      Sure thing, Anonymous Coward.

  6. still can't remember my passphrase by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    half dozen locked away probably forever

    really, really sucks

    (yeah I've tried the crackers, won't work, I was too clever for my own good)

    1. Re:still can't remember my passphrase by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      if it makes you feel better, I sold about 12 of 'em in 2015 to buy meth.

    2. Re:still can't remember my passphrase by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Eh, I had close to 30 of them back when they cost ~$100, all personally mined. I lost that wallet a decade ago, and never worried too much about it. I make $600k every three years.

  7. Just wish... by Ronin+Developer · · Score: 2

    I was the pizza guy who received the first BTC (assuming I didnâ(TM)t lose them).

    There is still too much corruption and non-hardened exchanges for me to take BTC seriously.

    However, the tech is cool and some people made a lot of money.

    1. Re:Just wish... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The tech is not cool. The tech is ridiculously stupid. Requiring more power than Ireland to validate a few transactions is beyond fucking retarded.

    2. Re:Just wish... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      and non-hardened exchanges

      Why do you need your exchanges to be hardened? Keep your wallet to yourself.

    3. Re:Just wish... by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      Why do you need your exchanges to be hardened? Keep your wallet to yourself.

      Because exchanges typically require you to submit a lot of rather personal information to use... there aren't many that will simply cut you a cheque. They all insist on some sort of banking information and many are required to submit tax information as well.

      Naturally, if the exchange can't be trusted with the information, that's a lot of juicy personal identify theft information ready for stealing.

      Buying bitcoin is remarkably simple - plenty of places will take your debit card info and charge you for it (though again, you might have second thoughts about giving them access to your bank account). Converting it back out still remains a challenge.

    4. Re:Just wish... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Right I was thinking in terms of the BTC itself.

      Speaking of banking information, can you help me with something: Why do people in the USA insist on keeping this stuff secret? Do your banks typically allow others to withdraw from your account with your bank details? In most places I've lived that just isn't the case and I have no problem giving people bank account numbers, in fact I actively do because usually when I do the balance increases.

    5. Re:Just wish... by Rolgar · · Score: 1

      Surely the transaction was completed digitally before the pizza was delivered.

  8. It's actually up 8% by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's actually up 8% since yesterday. That's an awesome return for 1 day. This is more proof of why investment analysts do worse the the market as a whole.... They are either lying or don't know what they are talking about. I'll assume the later.

    https://www.coinbase.com/charts?locale=en-US

    1. Re:It's actually up 8% by arth1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's actually up 8% since yesterday. That's an awesome return for 1 day. This is more proof of why investment analysts do worse the the market as a whole.... They are either lying or don't know what they are talking about. I'll assume the later.

      And the last time I played Black Jack, I got a 100% payout. Now that's an even more awesome return for 1 day.

      If you don't understand statistics and stochastics, don't come crying once you've lost.

    2. Re:It's actually up 8% by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 1

      It's actually up 8% since yesterday. That's an awesome return for 1 day.

      Because it is a gamble, not an investment. Gambling sometimes pays off. But it mostly does not.

    3. Re:It's actually up 8% by Brett+Buck · · Score: 1

      It's almost as if the gambling is set up by organized operations just to rip you off or something.

    4. Re:It's actually up 8% by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's correct, which is why "investing" in pure Blue Chip equities, which are a true, solid, "investment" *always* returns an increase in your capital, hmmm? Investing is a subset of gambling; the outcome is not relevant to the definition except for classifying the odds thereof.

      And you're giving admonitions on language...

  9. Sold my house and bought at the peak by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When does this 'sure thing' start to rise in price again?

  10. This is good news for Bitcoin by squiggleslash · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Actually it possibly is. If Bitcoin is slowly inflating, rather than violently oscillating between extremes, it might start to be possible to take it seriously as a "currency".

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    1. Re:This is good news for Bitcoin by ISayWeOnlyToBePolite · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Actually it possibly is. If Bitcoin is slowly inflating, rather than violently oscillating between extremes, it might start to be possible to take it seriously as a "currency".

      Your hypothesis might be correct, but for the fact that bitcoin by no reasonable definition is "slowly" inflating.

    2. Re:This is good news for Bitcoin by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      If Bitcoin is slowly inflating

      It's not. It's massively price correcting after a huge bubble.

    3. Re:This is good news for Bitcoin by swillden · · Score: 1

      If Bitcoin is slowly inflating, rather than violently oscillating between extremes, it might start to be possible to take it seriously as a "currency".

      Per arth1 above, it's up 8% since yesterday. So, still violently oscillating.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
  11. Bag Hodlers by DatbeDank · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Time to call them what they are.

    1. Re:Bag Hodlers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Have you looked at the bitcoin value charts for Jan 17 to Dec 17.

      Prediction: December will bring hysteria as it climbs to $50,000

      May 2019 - Slashdot will be full of stories about the bitcoin crash to only $25,000.

      June 2019: BITCOIN CRASHES TO ONLY $20,000. "You fools!"... "'tis but a tulip bulb!" will be the cries.

      And it all begins again.

    2. Re: Bag Hodlers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wishful thinking is wishful.

    3. Re:Bag Hodlers by NicknameUnavailable · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Bitcoin has a hard limit of 2022-2024 after which the protocol can't be hacked to be safe vs quantum computers. The issue is that post-quantum signature schemes require a switch to them BEFORE the first quantum computer capable of Shor's algorithm comes out around that time. That switch has to be initiated by every wallet holder with any coins - and the smallest sizes for public key and signature combinations for that first transaction come in around 35KB combined. There are currently just under 25 million Bitcoin wallets in use and that number has grown exponentially year-over-year (in part as the necessity to do so to maintain some semblance of anonymity, so that's likely not going to change.) That means just that initial change without adjustment for the numbers of wallets in the next few years (just what currently exists) will be a blockchain 875 GB in size - just for the cutover, no actual transactions. Now add in the next 4 years of wallet count growth (on the low end,) and you get a hair under 13.5 TB for the actual cutover. Now consider that public key is the SMALL PART in every post-quantum signature scheme - every single signature requires about 30KB in addition to the data you're signing, which is trivial in comparison, so let's just call it 30KB/transaction. We're at about 150k transactions/DAY right now (after the introduction of the lightning network, before that it was about 350k/day and due to limitations of post-quantum protocols you can't make it fit a similar scheme to the lightning network - but Hell, let's be super liberal and pretend some miracles happen to keep the transaction count no higher than 150k/day and counting at that minimal growth rate previously defined.) That means by 2022 we're looking at an additional 72 GB/DAY in transactional data at the baseline - or an additional 26.3 TB/year of added transactions that first year post-cutover. That means every single user who wants to verify a transaction is secure requires at a bare minimum needs 39.8 TB to make it through the first year in addition to the current measly 173 GB size. Now take in a more realistic account by dropping the lightning network functionality and you're looking at 168 GB/DAY or 61.4 TB/year additional data.

      The short of all this: Bitcoin has 4 years left before it is entirely worthless, 7 at the outset.

    4. Re:Bag Hodlers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      False, Bitcoin is already quantum resistant if used correctly.

    5. Re:Bag Hodlers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Troll. The short of it? "4 years before it is entirely worthless"
      Do you realize how ridiculous your claim is? It assumes that a powerful representation of currency is going to let itself die peacefully, and not address any of your concerns. But if there's one industry that does take things seriously, it's money.

    6. Re:Bag Hodlers by NicknameUnavailable · · Score: 1

      This is a lie.

    7. Re:Bag Hodlers by NicknameUnavailable · · Score: 2

      Given the rate of quantum computing development we have 4-7 years (at most) before Shor's algorithm can be used to break any pre-quantum cryptographic algorithm. I outlined the reasons why post-quantum algorithms are unsuitable for use in a blockchain like Bitcoin very clearly. But go on, show the solution if you insist on pumping your fake money.

  12. And today it's above $6,300... by EvilSS · · Score: 2

    ...and up 5.36% (at 2pm EDT) for the week so can we stop spamming click-bait stories every time BTC wobbles? It's erratic and unstable, we all know that. It goes up, it goes down, it goes round and round.

    --
    I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
    1. Re:And today it's above $6,300... by Joce640k · · Score: 3, Interesting

      ...and up 5.36% (at 2pm EDT) for the week.

      Only because there was another mini-crash exactly 7 days ago.

      If you look at 8 or 6 days, it's down.

      If you look at 30 days, it's down... a LOT.

      --
      No sig today...
    2. Re:And today it's above $6,300... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And yet it's only about a third of its all time high.

      The overall trend is downward. Someone lost a lot of money on this investment scam. r/bitcoin is on suicide watch.

    3. Re:And today it's above $6,300... by Tjp($)pjT · · Score: 2

      If you look over a year, it’s up. A lot.

      --
      - Tjp

      I am in wallow with my inner money grubbing capitalistic pig. ... Oink!

    4. Re:And today it's above $6,300... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and if you look back 1 year (6 months, whatever). It's UP MASSIVELY! Like insanely up. BItcoin even at $2k is up beyond imagination. It's a good thing and you would have to be stupid not to take advantage while you can.

    5. Re:And today it's above $6,300... by DRJlaw · · Score: 1

      and if you look back 1 year (6 months, whatever). It's UP MASSIVELY! Like insanely up. BItcoin even at $2k is up beyond imagination. It's a good thing and you would have to be stupid not to take advantage while you can.

      I would have to be stupid not to go back 1 year in time and buy bitcoin. But I wasn't stupid 6 months ago to refuse to buy into bitcoin, and I'm reasonably certain that I'm not stupid in continuing to refuse to do so.

      Hindsight investing is not investing. Speculation is not investing. So many things about bitcoin scream "not investing."

    6. Re:And today it's above $6,300... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and if you look back 1 year (6 months, whatever). It's UP MASSIVELY! Like insanely up. BItcoin even at $2k is up beyond imagination. It's a good thing and you would have to be stupid not to take advantage while you can.

      Or, at least, while you could have.

  13. Someone tell when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ...bitcoin actually becomes a seamless, ubiquitous and useful currency and is not just an instrument of speculation and gambling for desperate suckers. In the meantime, I will just keep accumulating greenbacks.

  14. You need to be a bit quicker with the Bitcoin news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's above $6000 again.

  15. Over reasonable investment periods it is up a lot by Nkwe · · Score: 1

    One year ago it was about $2,400. For US tax purposes, long term investing starts at a year of holding an asset. So for the minimum definition of a long term investing, bitcoin has more then tripped. At this very moment it's up 262% over the last year. Now of course most sane people would say that bitcoin is gambling not not investing, but for those that insist it's investing, an over 250% return in a year is pretty damn good. Two years ago the price was about $650 or a 974% return. Three years ago it was about $250 or a 2533% return.

  16. Re:Over reasonable investment periods it is up a l by Nkwe · · Score: 1

    Should have read "and not investing", I didn't intend a double negative.

  17. We need it to go down further. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Hopefully as more halving cycles occur most miners will give up as it's not worth the effort, reducing the damage to the planet in the process. I'd rather have a healthy planet than some fancy 0s and 1s.

  18. The story isn't about wobbles by bjdevil66 · · Score: 1

    The story (click-bait or not) is about the overarching trend - which is, "Sell, sell, SELL!" $20,000 down to $6300 is quite a turn in a matter of six months.

    Like another person suggested already: Current Bitcoin owners are holding the hyper-inflated bag of Dutch tulips.

  19. Not divisible, therefore not money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It was all over when a recent Bitcoin conference announced that it would no longer accept Bitcoins for admission. The transaction fees were too high and the confirmation times too slow. The Bitcoin architecture naturally gives miners absolute power over the blockchain, and miners don't see high fees as a problem. Bitcoin could still be used for large, non-time-sensitive transactions, but an asset that is not easily divisible into small units -- it might cost 500,000 satoshis to send one satoshi -- is not money.

    Bitcoin is like a 1000-unit apartment complex served by a three-inch water main. As long as most of those apartments are vacant, flipping from one absentee owner to another at ever higher prices, no one notices anything wrong. And the guy who refuses all permits for new water mains makes millions selling bottled water.

  20. Re: Over reasonable investment periods it is up a by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Exactly, it hit its peak. It has nowhere to go but down. People arent investing like they were. They realize it isn't worth the risk. Besides why buy in now? It's at 6k. It won't go back up to 15k, not happening.

  21. I hope the black market by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... continues to enjoy the play money; as it has no purpose in the real world.

  22. Greater fool theory by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    Bitcoin seems to be the tech equivalent of playing the lottery. I know several out of work techs, under employed or underpaid techs who bought a bit of some odd ball currency to see if they could make it rich. Mostly those "Proof of Stake" schemes.

    I don't think Bitcoin's value will drop too much more. Maybe to $5k. Money laundering and drug traffic will keep it around there. I could be wrong though. Canada just legalized pot. If the US follow suit (it would require Trump losing in 2020 since his people are vehemently opposed to legalization even if he doesn't care; maybe even a few senate seats and the Dems taking the house...) then that'll drop it below $3k. Crack down on money laundering and currency manipulation and we might see it back below a grand. But it would take all those things.

    --
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  23. ... snob much ... ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...since when does slashdot or any nerd listen to "snobs"... LOL.

  24. Exactly. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It simply the latest in modern day tulips. Someone wake me up when Bitcoin actually becomes a seamless, ubiquitous and useful currency and is not just an instrument of speculation and gambling for desperate suckers. In the meantime, I will just keep accumulating greenbacks.

    1. Re: Exactly. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not even that. A Dutchman could buy tulips and surprise his wife or wear it on his lapel. You can't even do that with bitcoin.

    2. Re: Exactly. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tulip bulb on lapel? Bling bling!

  25. There is no basis for Bitcoin's value. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Every conventional currency is anchored to a real-world economy, with millions (sometimes hundreds of millions) of people being paid in that currency, buying their daily needs in that currency, contracting their mortgages in that currency, etc. That gives it stability (you can't really cut the value of the dollar in half overnight because it's value is intertwined with too much real world commerce to turn on a dime) as well as substance. I know what a dollar is worth because a lot of people are being paid in dollars; I know a dollar will buy about X amount of human labor today, next week, next month, and next year.

    But BitCoin has no such basis. There's not much reason for it to be worth $1 vs. $1,000,000. Nobody gets paid in it (barring some drug dealers and malware authors) and even they only use it transiently; nobody is paying their rent or mortgage at a contracted Bitcoin rate for the next year or thirty. If you're only using a cryptocurrency as an intermediate to a government backed currency, you won't hold onto it long, and there's not much reason to care what the value is. Again, there's no rational reason for it to have one value over another.

    So what, then, does determine BitCoin's value? I've seen claims that Bitcoin is currently changing hands at a rate of around $5 billion a day. But the only people actually USING it for commerce on any real scale seem to be drug dealers and other criminals. Let's say ALL the drug sales on earth are being made in bitcoin. That gets you to perhaps $1 billion a day. What on earth is all the rest of that volume from?

    Speculators. It's all bloody speculators.

    And that's the entire basis of Bitcoin's valuation: People trying to make money by guessing what the next speculator might be willing to pay. Nothing else. The market is a phantom. Bitcoin isn't an asset. It isn't an investment. It's an interesting technology, but it will never be stable and it will never have a rational basis for it's valuation. All the quants talking about trends and fundamentals are talking out of their asses, pretending that the wagers of the speculators (which is most of the activity surrounding Bitcoin) has the same grounding as the behavior of producers and end users dealing with real commodities.

    And to make it all worse, there's no real loyalty to Bitcoin among the few people who are actually using it in trade. We're one shift in fashion, one shift in technology away from Bitcoin being completely abandoned, like so many other cryptocurrencies. Any cryptocurrency is at risk of becoming the next MySpace (because again, there's no real-world economy with paychecks and mortgages and governments anchoring and stabilizing it.)

    Bitcoin is not an investment. It's gambling. If that's your thing, fine and well.

    1. Re:There is no basis for Bitcoin's value. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Criminals should be using Monero if they want to stay out of prison; Bitcoin transactions are too easy to trace. For the law-abiding, no crypto-currency is worth the high fees and long confirmation times.

  26. Covfefe! Re:Bag Hodlers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bag hodlers?

    Is that some kind of incel chastity device?

    Covfefe my friend, covfefe!

  27. $20K to $5K matches previous BTC corrections by perpenso · · Score: 1

    My guess is that within the next 5 days (maybe as many as 15, but probably closer to 5) it will go back down to between $5000 and $5500, basing it off of the unscientific theory of what my gut says.

    Well a few months ago an Ars Technica article pointed out that Bitcoin has had 3 declines of about 75% and then plateaued at that point for 2 or 3 years. So $20K'ish to $5K'ish is about right using the existing pattern. In general, not necessarily on your stated timeframe.

    Of course the previous patterns were established with speculators coming from the techie community, this time around we have had a massive influx of new speculators from wall street.

    1. Re:$20K to $5K matches previous BTC corrections by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      $20K to $5K matches previous BTC corrections

      Dude, correction territory is a 10-15% decline. $20k to $5k isn't a correction, it's a goddamn bloodbath.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:$20K to $5K matches previous BTC corrections by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not when its gone up 1300%. If you invested a year ago you could have fucked up to the point of never having pulled out and you would still be filthy rich if you did so right now. At least if you "invested" any significant amount of money. There isn't a stock on this planet you could have invested in and gotten these results. Sure. It is not stable. However risky investments can have some of the highest returns. If you can afford the risk this gamble has paid off. I've been using crypto since it was less than $200. Now had I "invested" what little I had then instead of making the next best less risky highly profitable investments I'd be a billionaire now. Insanely enough I know people who did make those investments. More than a few at that, and amongst my circle of friends, all libertarians, mostly people who weren't filthy rich, now many are. Who would have thought that making morally correct choices would lead to such prosperity. By that I mean many libertarians have adopted crypto currencies because it reduces the ability of the state to use violence against peaceful people. By not partaking in the state you reduce your involvement in murder and other violent acts. This is something crypto currencies help with.

    3. Re:$20K to $5K matches previous BTC corrections by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

      Not when its gone up 1300%.

      Oh, especially when it's gone up %1300. Because that means most of the money invested in Bitcoin was done when it was above $10,000. Those people got slaughtered. And since many of the people who got in early added to their portfolios as it went up, they got hurt, too.

      Right now, the only think keeping it afloat is that the Wall Street guys are doing the reverse of the "pump and dump", trying to get out of bitcoin. Once they do, you won't be able to buy a Beanie Baby with a bitcoin.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    4. Re:$20K to $5K matches previous BTC corrections by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I would bet 100 BTC that none of your "libertarian friends" are filthy rich. Every single one of them is scrambling to get rid of their coins, just like everyone else who got scammed :)

      Libertarians are the easiest to scam breed of people on the planet, as we all know. It's easy to scam people when they are motivated solely by greed.

  28. All cryptocurrencies and ICOs are scams by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Are (any) fiat-currency and (any) cryptocurrency really equivalent, as cryptocurrency fans claim?
    For example, US Dollar and Bitcoin are really equals?
    Value/validity/authorization of US dollar is provided/guaranteed by US Government (and in-turn whole US Public)!
    Also, not to mention, US Dollars in any US Bank is insured by US Government!
    What authorization/guarantee/insurance is behind Bitcoin? Nothing!
    Sorry but that is the end of discussion then!

    Why do you think Satoshi Nakamoto is really hiding his identity, if Bitcoin is really such a great innovation?
    He is just someone does not like media/fan attention?
    Or, could it be really because Bitcoin (and all cryptocurrencies followed it) are actually Ponzi Schemes?
    (So he knew very well that law enforcement would come after him sooner or later?!)

    If so-called cryptocurrencies are really good innovation, why they attract so many criminals/criminal activity?
    Could it really be because, all cryptocurrencies themselves are scams, and that is why they attract all kinds of criminals/criminal activity?

    If so-called cryptocurrencies are really currency, why no company/store can use Bitcoin as currency anymore?
    Because the price of Bitcoin proved to be extremely unstable to use as a currency?
    Would the result be different, if Bitcoin replaced by any other "cryptocurrency"?
    Aren't all work the same way?

    If so-called cryptocurrencies are really money; isn't people issuing their own money, illegal already, in all countries?
    If so then, why they are still not banned in all countries?

    Or, they are not actually virtual currency but virtual investment?
    But, if they are actually investment, why we need/want them?
    What would happen to world economy, if people invested in virtual investments, instead of real investments?

    Or, all so-called cryptocurrencies are actually just a modified (made decentralized and paying variable interest) Ponzi Schemes?
    (Price of cryptocurrencies would keep increasing in the long term (by their design), so it is equivalent of paying variable interest to all long term investors.)

    Also, since all so-called cryptocurrencies are actually financial scams (Ponzi Schemes), that means, they cannot be the solution for any of existing financial problems of our world!

    As more and more people invest in cryptocurrencies, it will become harder and harder to ban their trading everywhere (because people invested in cryptocurrencies, would try to stop anyone trying to ban cryptocurrencies)!
    All cryptocurrencies need to be banned globally before it is too late!

    1. Re:All cryptocurrencies and ICOs are scams by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *Blockchain* is the great invention, Bitcoin is just a scam that uses it. Obligatory nerd reference (though I'm in some doubt that there are any serious nerds left here): it's the same as people stating Lotus Notes is a lousy mail client, not realising it's a collaboration tool with a crappy mail client built on top.

  29. Price vs Value by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At $6000, it's still 600,000 times what I would pay for it :-)

    Captcha: contours: a group of Bitcoin enthusiants heading for a holiday.

  30. Actually by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't know or have an opinion, but what do you guys make of the theory that bitcoin was really created by SAmsung, TOSHIba, NAKAmichi, and MOTOrola working together: Satoshi Nakamoto?

  31. Bitcoin was never a bad deal; just stupid people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bitcoin ROSE 1,300%! WTF did you think was going to happen? Who cares if it dropped 60%. You just went from being a poor sap to one of the wealthiest on the planet if you invested any significant amount of money a few years back. Now I'm not suggesting people mortgage there house- but come on. If you bought in a year ago at $2500ish you are still talking a significant profit in spite of the drop in price since its height. It really doesn't matter to me what the price is though because I don't "invest" in it anyway. I use it. It benefits me. I don't expect to make money off its increase or decrease in value though. Crypto currencies are awesome vehicles for cutting the transaction costs that most people are too stupid to realize exist relative to other payment methods like credit cards, debit cards, wire transfers, and similar. You are probably paying about 6% more than you should be every time you buy something online and it's probably closer to 12% in many cases. This is where crypto currencies shine. My *small* single owner company saved more than $10,000 in the past six months alone just by transitioning to spending more in crypto currencies, and this isn't including what we benefited from due to rising value in crypto currency nor what we benefited from as a result of customers spending crypto currency with us. This is just reduced transaction costs when buying for us. Yea- basically my personal income jumped something like $20,000 in a six month period and probably will be closer to $40,000 / yr. I make $65,000 / yr and closer to $100,000 with benefits included and now add another $40,000 / yr. The crypto currency critics are just plain stupid. I can only say I wish I had actually invested in crypto currency because I was there before this and I know some seriously wealthy people now- but the reality is I didn't invest. And humorously I've been using crypto currency (for business and pleasure) since 2011. Since before those crazy fucks started "investing" in crypto.

  32. Re:Over reasonable investment periods it is up a l by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    yep and now it is time to get out. People have realised it is not just free money anymore and they are either withdrawing what they invested/gambled or avoiding it entirely. The price still has a long way to fall, personally I would bet that in ones years time that $2400 price will be trading at a loss if you don't et out now.

  33. 75% down after 5,000% up is not a bloodbath by perpenso · · Score: 1

    $20K to $5K matches previous BTC corrections

    Dude, correction territory is a 10-15% decline. $20k to $5k isn't a correction, it's a goddamn bloodbath.

    Not for bitcoin. Wild extremes are the norm. Also you must consider the exponential rise from $400 to $20,000, a correction to $5,000 is not a bloodbath to some. As was the 2014 exponential rise from $20 to $1,000, which was followed by a correction to $250, again not a bloodbath to some.

    Its hardly fair to call a 75% decline a bloodbath when that peak it is referenced against represents a recent 5,000% increase.

    It is inappropriate to apply the normal rules and perspectives of investing in traditional stocks and commodities to Bitcoin.

  34. Re:Over reasonable investment periods it is up a l by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It was a great investment if you had some for a year and tripled out, or had a 2533% return three years ago. That's the thing about hindsight. If Bob invested a thousand dollars into lottery tickets and won a million dollars, hindsight would make that look like a great investment too.

  35. Tron by ebvwfbw · · Score: 1

    Time to buy tron. Much better model.

  36. Re:Over reasonable investment periods it is up a l by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    While the odds of surviving are not 100%, the odds of surviving for the survivors always is. You don't need hindsight to know that, you just need to know who that will be. You just need to know what, exactly, the game is. Bitcoin's $ value is not the game, it's just icing. I'm OK with that.

  37. No analysis in mainstream media!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What is incredible to me is that nobody in the mainstream media seems to be really analyzing what's happening with bitcoin. Not just posting stories and press releases, but real, in-depth analysis. Maybe this is too much to expect. I haven't seen anyone truly analyzing the insane ups and downs in the general stock market since February either. But hey, guess what... that's EXACTLY what happened during the year leading up to the actual start of the Great Depression. Most people wrongly think that the stock market woes consisted basically of just two big drops in October 1929. Nothing could be further from the truth. By spring 1930, the markets had regained almost everything they had lost... or at least it looked that way. But there were many day to day wild swings. Hey, guess why? Several CEO'S and bankers got together and agreed to buy back stock in their own companies to stabilize the market. Which kind of, sort of, worked... until it didn't. Does that ring a bell? it should, because buying back their own stocks is exactly what companies are doing now (but in this case without even any kind of attempt to stabilize markets.)

    Does bitcoin have an exact analogy in past recessions and depressions? It's hard to say, except the same analogy it has anyway: with sixteenth century tulips and 2006 housing prices. It is just beyond belief to me that any halfway intelligent person cannot see the looming economic disaster on its way within two years. Yet so many seem to see nothing. Personally... I'm getting a large annuity payment in June 2019 and not putting even one cent into the markets. Unless the FDIC is dissolved, it goes into the bank. If that happens... .maybe under the mattress.

  38. Today, I absolutely WOULD NOT.. by Stubbyfingers · · Score: 1

    But GOD I wish I'd had $100 worth of Bitcoin when it was still kinda young.

    I'd be a millionaire several times over.

    But, honestly, it always has seemed less reliable than the Lottery.

    Seriously guys.