I would say it is completely normal for a FREE MARKET. Such markets are rare. The NYSE, for example has many many controls and levers that can be used to control the market and minimize swings. Nothing like that exists in bitcoin. The price fluctuations you see were present in stock markets of the 19th. century, but they are not allowed anymore and the markets will just be shut down if it crashes hard.

As long as we have a bitcoin economy based on speculation then this will be what it looks like. If we move to an exchange economy based on retail then we should assume more stability.

Bitcoin is the fastest way to transfer money electronically. <--- That's a period.

For comparison, if you buy with a credit card it will take two to thirty days for the seller to receive payment. It may seem to you as the buyer that it was instantaneous, but it's not.

In your coffee shop example the seller could just ignore the confirmations. That is what happens when you use a credit card for a small purchase. The credit card issuer just takes the risk because it is not cost effective to commit credit card fraud for a cup of coffee. Same is true for bitcoin. A double spend for coffee is not logical.

Here is a record of all bitcoin transactions. https://blockchain.info/
There will always be a way to circumvent the system and some will be able to get away with it. However the focus will be on any attempt to spend or exchange for fiat. Monitoring alt-coins is just not cost effective. But monitoring every blockchain entry that ends in a cash settlement or purchase is. Evasion will get harder and harder and more risky as time goes on. And again, for what? Why risk jail when you are profitable?

I see this working now. Of course if you mine for the network you have a little more power. That is the way it should be. An analogy in democracy is that if you don't vote you have less power even though the government may represent you equally.  Want more power?, then do more to earn it.

Haven't a clue what this means? 

That is quite interesting. You may be on to something then. 
I find it hard to come up with valid numbers because so much of the BTC economy is speculative. One can come close to predicting the supply needs of say a payment processor like bitpay. But trying to get into the heads of people all over the world who may sell or buy more tomorrow... that is where I give up.

SIDE NOTE: Why $300? As ransom-ware spreads the asking ransom prices have converged on $300.  I wonder if that has been determined to be the sweet spot? Not too high, not too low.

 

If fake news can ruin ETH, then let her die. 

I think some ETH "investors" are starting to figure out that ETH is no bitcoin.

Well, suit yourself. I have been here since 2010 and done quite well with bitcoin. Bitcoin is fair money, not magical money. I know for a fact that EVERY bitcoin Tx in the US is now monitored. One day soon you and others are going to find out the hard way. You risk going from financial freedom to prisoner status. Failure to pay the measly 0-15% tax that you owe can result in a bill for the tax + the interest + penalties + jail time. An exchange that is not doing AML/KYC may have all their your bitcoin seized.
If you don't like paying taxes, join the club. But you are delusional to think it's a good idea to try hiding your coin using unregulated exchanges. That is sooo 2013.  

If your concern is about an exchange working with the government by insisting on KYC/AML rules, then I suggest you consider what it would be like to work with criminals. Any exchange that does not follow the law is a criminal operation and you will be sending your bitcoin to criminals. Maybe they are good, honest criminals with a heart of gold.  More likely they are going to just keep your money and leave you with absolutely no legal recourse. The police are not going to help you, the courts are not going to help you, you are done.
And for what? You could have made out with your free and clear profits.

In my opinion the only price is the price someone is willing to pay. I see all sorts of valuations from "bitcoin has no value" to "bitcoin is actually worth millions". But when you go to sell, that's when you get your answer.

At the time of writing this the average price across a bunch of exchanges is $2548.98 USD. I would think that is about as close as you can discern. 

Whatever your opinion on bitcoin the original article in marketwatch was surely garbage.  The guy creates a fictional bitcoin user then argues with his creation. And, of course, wins the argument with himself . WTF?

I can do that.  

ME: What is marketwatch good for?

Marketwatch reader: I like having sex with animals.

ME: But what's it good for?

Marketwatch reader: Ponies are soo cute.

What I have proven is that Marketwatch readers are into bestiality and that is the only reason they read marketwatch.
Therefore marketwatch is only good for having sex with animals.  

I wonder if he knows that this is what we were going for in the first place. 

Read up on the history of the cypherpunks if you really want to know the origins of our little project.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypherpunk

You are on the right track bro!

Exchanges (even trusted ones) have risks. When you do trades to buy bitcoin you should IMMEDIATELY transfer your bought coins to a wallet that you have exclusive control over. That means you and you alone have the private keys. If you leave them on the exchange you are just trusting a stranger with your money. As you mention, they could go out of business or get hacked.  
In bitcoin there is only you and your money. The only security is the security YOU are doing. So make copies and hide your private keys. Trust no one.

Cheap, hell if it's dead then the coins should be free.  

NOTE:
You will see thew term "dead cat bounce" here occasionally. It is a term borrowed from stock trading that does not apply to bitcoin, yet it is used all the time. In stock offerings the stocks value must stay above a certain threshold because the money is needed by the issuing company.  That is why they offered it for sale, they need the money to stay afloat.
Sometimes it all goes wrong and the value drops. Then just before complete collapse there is a minor rally that "bounces" the price back up. It does not last long and the price then falls to a level that causes the company to become insolvent and close. That last rally is the dead cat bounce. But bitcoin is nothing like a stock. It does not need your money to operate and worked just fine when bitcoin was $0.06

A "DCB" is also ONLY knowable after the cat has died. So you know.

Nope. The money in your pocket will only work in your country. Bitcoin is a GLOBAL currency. I can spend it in Tokyo then fly to LA or London or any major city in the world. I travel a lot and love the fact that bitcoin is now accepted in about every country. This is how I live now. It has saved me hundreds in fees.  Dollars are not something I want and when I get some I turn them into real money, bitcoin.
I still think cash has a role in buying drugs on the street or for origami, but I never put my financial data online anymore. Thank you bitcoin. 

Ah, so a guy who just heard about bitcoin is here to tell us about bitcoin.

So the $600 in purchases I have made in the last week are not real? Ok, bra. Whatever you say. 
I guess he knows bitcoin because he knows it's garbage. It is a little like garbage I suppose...? It has piled up like garbage and now I have all this money to deal with. Piles and piles of money. I should have listened to him.

hehe. 

cr1776 bringing reason to the table. The boring truth is always such a buzz kill. 

And I like that the source is "http://www.govtslaves.com/", sounds legit. 

It is never time to panic. Much less plan ahead to panic. 
Your best financial decisions are not made while fearful. Let the other guy panic and you will have an edge in the market.

The thing that makes this disingenuous is why the author cares what I do. I get the first part and I am interested to hear about "Reasons Why I'll Never Invest in Bitcoin". But why say I "shouldn't Either"?
Me, I'm doing fine.