But investing into bitcoin IS investing into something real. People invest in gold but have they ever seen the gold itself? Just certificates and online accounts. BTC is a network,,, and is highly secure and is as real as can be. I can use it every day, people use it to pay bills, to get things, to ensure no one else controls their money.
No it is not. "Investing" into Bitcoin is transferring your investment to old investors and getting numerical "signature"/mark next to your virtual address for that. Gold is a commodity, a tangible good and has nothing to do with Bitcoin. Regarding payment. You can pay with Ponzi membership stakes if someone accepts them. But you still need new investors to profit from them. So the fact that you use something for payment is besides the point of this topic.