What has changed? Is it moving forward?

[Finestream]

The cryptocurrency market is rapidly progressing and does not stand still. Many new coins appear on the market every day. Nevertheless, Bitcoin still keeps at the very top.

Yes.I have seen that the current market condition is not that bad but it's not also very positive and progressive.Although we have seen a short price increase but then,it will also bounce back a day after.But i think we should not lose hope because bitcoin may surprisingly skyrocket again and bring us to the moon again.So we should keep trusting bitcoin and should not doubt its high volatility.

[SIDDHI777]

I think that cryptocurrencies are a good alternative to traditional fiat. But neither banks nor governments use it now. We need some time before accepting crypto. IT would be great if some companies will start accepting bitcoin as a payment. It might be a good first step.

With bitcoin acceptance in governments and other major organizations crpyotcurrencies will definitely have a chance to move forward that they are doing right now because due to lack of acceptance by majority of centralized governments or companies there progress is very slow when considering past years and that is why majority of altcoins are not yet adopted into any businesses but with the above change in the bitcoin world I think it can give a good push for cryptocurrencies to move forward with confidence

[Sithawaka]

Crypto world is expanding unlike in the past due to the use of latest technology by making transactions more secure convenient and reliable and that is something expected because from 2009 to until now the IT field has developed immensely so currency cryptocurrencies has become more effective for businesses and  that is the reason majority of companies are trying to launch there own digital currencies to target crypto communities are gain more income

[Wildwest]

Is it just a trading commodity, long term investment or is it (very very very) slowly replacing fiat. I know there are many companies and small shops that accept cryptocurrency but is that it? Is the problem still about the speed of a transaction

It has not changed much in over the four years you were away. The adoption has increased and also attention from government and external industries.
Bitcoin is not slowly replacing fiat, I do not think it is meant to replace fiat currencies.
It is an alternative currency

Until a number of times the SEC rejected Bitcoin ETFs, and it was indeed impossible to replace Fiat. Bitcoin is only a long-term trade and investment in the past. The biggest change now is the ubiquitous market game by big holders.

[aoluain]

Hi All,

I have been in cryptocurrency since 2014 but last 3 years I took a break from it. I had high hopes how it can change the financial world.

I would like to get back into it but first I would like to find out what is cryptocurrency today.

Is it just a trading commodity, long term investment or is it (very very very) slowly replacing fiat. I know there are many companies and small shops that accept cryptocurrency but is that it? Is the problem still about the speed of a transaction

Please help me catch up a little

Firstly bear in mind that bitcoin was not designed to replace FIAT,
it was designed as an alternative payment system. Today it has
been adopted as both a trading commodity and an investment.
Thats 3 utilities which it has become.

There are no processing speed or transaction fee problems any
more and they will become less so going forward.
Check out SEGWIT and LIGHTNING

[drumamat]

Is it just a trading commodity, long term investment or is it (very very very) slowly replacing fiat. I know there are many companies and small shops that accept cryptocurrency but is that it? Is the problem still about the speed of a transaction

It seems to me that all these options are suitable for today's explanation of cryptocurrency.While you were resting, many ICO collected large sums, many new cryptocurrencies appeared.You are not late for the crypto train, and therefore study the market as soon as possible and start investing.

[Coyster]

For now it is not late to get into the system,as the network is in its prime,and now the prices are low for one to purchase large amounts of coins.
For now we cannot say that cryptocurrency is replacing fiat,neither do we believe it will,and we know that they can work closely together,you for sure are not late and can tap into the networks repertoire.
Just invest with a reduced amount and cut down on your risks

[abojamal]

is it (very very very) slowly replacing fiat. I know there are many companies and small shops that accept cryptocurrency but is that it?

why do you think bitcoin has ever been replacing fiat in first place?

bitcoin was not meant to "replace" anything, specially not fiat and as far as i can tell Satoshi didn't create  bitcoin to "replace" anything either. bitcoin exists as the alternative digital cash system that offers a great  deal of freedom because of its decentralization. and the fact that more shops are now accepting bitcoin, or even a couple of countries that have adopted bitcoin as a legal way of payment aka a currency doesn't mean bitcoin is replacing fiat.

That's true
But the strange and strange that the price of btc associated with Fiat , in the sense that the relationship is reversed between them.
Here I am talking about the price of the btc , which is a fraction of the value of the btc
Which constitute a major shift towards
 a new global financial system that frees peoples from the domination of the current financial system.

[Nnedaddy1]

First , bitcoin has not replaced fiat and I am sure it's not happening anytime soon.
Both fiat and bitcoin clearly have their functions and it goes to say that bitcoin cannot function as fiat likewise fiat functioning as bitcoin.
One is decentralized while the other is centralized.
Poles apart.
The market was relatively stable prior to 2017 that saw one of the most talked about market surge in the history of Cryptocurrency.
That's why we are where we are today .

[.gustafson]

I'm sure that the moment will come when the exchanges will boil up on the number of transactions and new users! I'll get it already! At the moment there is no price increase, but as they say: "wait for the storm after a lull". Growth must necessarily occur sooner or later.

[TheUltraElite]

First , bitcoin has not replaced fiat and I am sure it's not happening anytime soon.
Both fiat and bitcoin clearly have their functions and it goes to say that bitcoin cannot function as fiat likewise fiat functioning as bitcoin.
One is decentralized while the other is centralized.
Poles apart.

Bitcoin was meant to be an alternative to the original monetary system seeing the increasing size of national debts and also the rising inflation rate. With the introduction of bitcoin the demise of fiat was not the idea. It may or may not happen. But bitcoin has its own advantages that make it unique and worth putting your time and money in it, like immutability and censorship resistance.

The market was relatively stable prior to 2017 that saw one of the most talked about market surge in the history of Cryptocurrency.

No. There were the silk road incident before which there was a big pump. We had Mt Gox incident as well with a big dump. Market was never stable to that extent.

[PlusOne88]

I do think the problem about bitcoin was not really about transaction speed. Well, we all know it did create an impact but the most pressing problem with bitcoin is its volatility and the lack of support from some countries that could have made it big as a digital currency. Banning of bitcoins did create a lot of trouble and probably spreads FUD among investors which resulted to prices going very low. As for now bitcoin settles around a low bottom which could as well be the real starting point for going up again. There was not much of a movement for now not unless some investors would lit the fire up again. Everyone was so cautious this time.

[jerrison]

the price of bitcoin and all other crypto currency and their project tokens may not have appreciated to the height in which the crypto enthusiasts expect it to get to but then the massive adoption of the technology has known no bounds as people around the globe have now accepted and started incorporating the technology into their own works and professions

[TheUltraElite]

I do think the problem about bitcoin was not really about transaction speed.

Transaction speed seemed like an issue but was not actually an issue. It was the root of propaganda for shitcoin maximalists to promote their coins trying to sabotage bitcoin something that I personally condemn. Adopt segwit and pay low fees if you are too bothered about it. But altcoin kid shills have to make a fuss about everything in life.

Well, we all know it did create an impact but the most pressing problem with bitcoin is its volatility and the lack of support from some countries that could have made it big as a digital currency.

Volatility is time dependent and news dependent and not is not under to control of anybody behind the development. Government support wont happen anytime soon so better to forget about it.

Banning of bitcoins did create a lot of trouble and probably spreads FUD among investors which resulted to prices going very low.

Typical government censorship methods. But bitcoin is censorship resistant.

[ETHICKNINE]

Hi All,

I have been in cryptocurrency since 2014 but last 3 years I took a break from it. I had high hopes how it can change the financial world.

I would like to get back into it but first I would like to find out what is cryptocurrency today.

Is it just a trading commodity, long term investment or is it (very very very) slowly replacing fiat. I know there are many companies and small shops that accept cryptocurrency but is that it? Is the problem still about the speed of a transaction

Please help me catch up a little

Since the beginning Cryptocurrency world has developed but Volatility has become a common thing for any cryptocurrency because token prices are depends on the demand and supply and in the crypto world even the supply is limited the prices tends to decrease or increase more often due to the rapid change of demand and that happens because majority of users in the cryptocurrency world use them as trading commodities but not with any businesses so with that there value is unstable most of the time but it can change by adoption in the future

[ETHICKNINE]

As we expected cryptocurrency market is moving forward due to higher demand from modernization of economical system in the current world ans that is why majority of companies tends to introduce there own altcoin by promising better benefits and features to there users but to make it more expandable the adoption rate should be increase by making cryptocurrencies more popular in among financial organizations and introducing crypto backed truly effective systems that will provide practical solutions to financial problems that we face today

[coolcoinz]

The price and the value are two different things and although the technology is improving and the value rises, the price is influenced by market psychology. In other words, don't look at the short term price. The minimum that you should be looking at is yearly average. For instance, in 2018 the price was at around 6k USD on the average and there shouldn't be any large deviation from this in 2019. We may end up at 5k average price, but there won't be any crazy lows like a sudden 1k for 2 or 3 months straight. Your chance to buy a 1k Bitcoin is gone forever.

[Emilyp]

I think a lot has changed in crypto in the last 3 years, since then the biggest bull run has come and gone and in the last year we have experienced the longest bear run. But for some months the crypto market has been less volatile, bitcoin adoption has also skyrockets in the same period.

[TheUltraElite]

I think a lot has changed in crypto in the last 3 years, since then the biggest bull run has come and gone and in the last year we have experienced the longest bear run. But for some months the crypto market has been less volatile, bitcoin adoption has also skyrockets in the same period.

The price going up is not essentially a sign of development or market adoption. These have a slow growth curve showing that more bagholders are gradually buying into it which is a good thing. But in 2017 Q4 it was a manipulated pump as per consensus with the tether minting by bitfinex, so it was bound to fall - the only thing is that it made a lot of people elated and they forgot to sell and cash out some coins at that time.

Those people are the reason why spreading of FUD occurs. They are get-rich-quick wannabes who went capitulating once the market crashed. This however did not hamper development.

[TitanGEL]

Hi All,

I have been in cryptocurrency since 2014 but last 3 years I took a break from it. I had high hopes how it can change the financial world.

I would like to get back into it but first I would like to find out what is cryptocurrency today.

Is it just a trading commodity, long term investment or is it (very very very) slowly replacing fiat. I know there are many companies and small shops that accept cryptocurrency but is that it? Is the problem still about the speed of a transaction

Please help me catch up a little

Most of the users of cryptocurrencies are only using it for speculation and not for utility purposes. It is the main problem that the market nowadays because there are bitcoin users who doesn't see the bitcoin as a new technology but rather an investment where they can make profit.