Bitcoin was pretty much a prototype. There are numerous other coins that have improved on what bitcoin did and would be a more logical default for cryptocurrency, but you can't dismiss it for its technical shortcomings without considering its massive popularity.
Most people don't even know that altcoins exist. From popularity alone, bitcoin will remain king for a long time and may even stay on top long after it is totally obsolete.
Also, yes, there are 21,000,000 bitcoins, but there are 2,100,000,000,000,000 satoshi. As bitcoin grows in value and more people invest, a single satoshi may one day be giving USD and Euros a run for their money.
Kim Kardashian is a celebrity. Popularity is everything.
Hi there Rabid Parrots
I truly believe that Bitcoin gets treated more like a commodity than a currency though.
with 15 million+ Coins already mined (over 75% of the total supply) that leaves less than 6 million coins left for the so called masses that will adopt Bitcoin in the future.
Bitcoin was sold on the fact that it was a first of it's kind decentralized untraceable currency.
How many Bitcoins have been stolen or lost ? most people do not know how to keep their coins safe from thieves.
Also people now Know that Bitcoin is not Private, It is very traceable.
But with VERGE, If people can't find your currency, they can't steal it from you.
Popularity is something that is here today and gone tomorrow, it is never a constant.
But belief in something generally stays a lifetime.
I am by no means a Bitcoin Knocker, I just feel that it has too many issues for mass adoption.(I actually do hope i'm wrong on that though)