When will people feel comfortable using BTC ?

[jambola2]

When will people spend BTC as easily as fiat , not seeing it as an investment opportunity but a better currency for them to use ? Most of my friends that I have currently told about Bitcoin are most intrigued by its rapid rate of growth and not its outstanding features as a currency. They don't really care that it is free from government control , but are more focused on the fact that it has risen xy%

I don't really spend much of my Bitcoin , because I am always in fear.
I am not talking about cashing out , but for digital goods.

How do you spend 10 mBTC on a 5$ digital good when you believe that the same 10mBTC is worth atleast 15$ , probably more.
How much of your Bitcoin have you hoarded , and how much have you really spent ?
I am under the impression that people tend to hoard more with BTC than with fiat , considering it an investment more than a currency

I don't know how to make a poll here , so :- http://strawpoll.me/1793917
This is not referring to your blockchain.info statistic , which includes money you have moved around. I am looking at money you have truly spent vs total amount of BTC you have received.

Overall , I'm trying to look at how much my guess is true by the poll and your estimates of when majority of people will start looking at BTC as a currency.

EDIT : I'm not sure this is the right section , tell me if this should go in General Discussion or so.

[Nobitcoin]

I believe the answer to your question would be when the big supermarkets accept some form of btc for their goods.

[hilariousandco]

I think this can probably go in the main forum IMO.

I think the price fluctuations either way could be a big problem. Why would you spend money today when it could be worth a lot more tomorrow, and why would you spend money today if it's worth less than it was yesterday?

[Benjig]

When will people spend BTC as easily as fiat , not seeing it as an investment opportunity but a better currency for them to use ? Most of my friends that I have currently told about Bitcoin are most intrigued by its rapid rate of growth and not its outstanding features as a currency. They don't really care that it is free from government control , but are more focused on the fact that it has risen xy%

I don't really spend much of my Bitcoin , because I am always in fear.
I am not talking about cashing out , but for digital goods.

How do you spend 10 mBTC on a 5$ digital good when you believe that the same 10mBTC is worth atleast 15$ , probably more.
How much of your Bitcoin have you hoarded , and how much have you really spent ?
I am under the impression that people tend to hoard more with BTC than with fiat , considering it an investment more than a currency

I don't know how to make a poll here , so :- http://strawpoll.me/1793917
This is not referring to your blockchain.info statistic , which includes money you have moved around. I am looking at money you have truly spent vs total amount of BTC you have received.

Overall , I'm trying to look at how much my guess is true by the poll and your estimates of when majority of people will start looking at BTC as a currency.

EDIT : I'm not sure this is the right section , tell me if this should go in General Discussion or so.

I think it depends on how many btcs  do you have, if you were of the few holding +200 since 2013, i think now , you will be spending some of them buying stuff, but if you have only like 2-5 it will be more like a treasure and you wont spend it and the same will happen to you if the price goes to 10,000 so now you will be like the 200s guys.

[philipk999]

I buy miners with BTC, so am hoping it's a virtuous circle

[conspirosphere.tk]

I am under the impression that people tend to hoard more with BTC than with fiat , considering it an investment more than a currency
n or so.

BTC is primarily the ultimate offshore banking and the killer app of asset protection, private transactions and private property. For everything else you can dump fiat.

[xdigital]

When there is a solution for a wallet that easy to use/maintain and hard to steal from.
For now I can not recommend any of my friends to save/use bitcoin, because showing them how to secure a wallet and use them properly is a "mission impossible" for non technical users.

[hilariousandco]

When there is a solution for a wallet that easy to use/maintain and hard to steal from.
For now I can not recommend any of my friends to save/use bitcoin, because showing them how to secure a wallet and use them properly is a "mission impossible" for non technical users.

If they can't be trusted to look after a Bitcoin wallet then they shouldn't be trusted to do online banking. A blockchain.info wallet is fairly simple and easy to use and is very safe as long as you set up all the security features. I recommend starting with it for newbs.

[romneymoney]

When there is a solution for a wallet that easy to use/maintain and hard to steal from.
For now I can not recommend any of my friends to save/use bitcoin, because showing them how to secure a wallet and use them properly is a "mission impossible" for non technical users.

Mycelium is pretty easy to use and safe enough for a hot wallet for non-technical people who use Android.  I've had good experiences showing people that.  You could assist your friends cold storing their BTC if they want to buy/hodl

[maok]

When there is a solution for a wallet that easy to use/maintain and hard to steal from.
For now I can not recommend any of my friends to save/use bitcoin, because showing them how to secure a wallet and use them properly is a "mission impossible" for non technical users.

If they can't be trusted to look after a Bitcoin wallet then they shouldn't be trusted to do online banking. A blockchain.info wallet is fairly simple and easy to use and is very safe as long as you set up all the security features. I recommend starting with it for newbs.

There is so much it can happen if you own a computer and have internet connection that the best advise is to not navigate the internet at all if you're so lazy not to take few diligent steps, but yes if they have a smartphone with the blockchain app their wallet will be pretty secure.

[maok]

I don't really spend much of my Bitcoin , because I am always in fear.

Don't hoard, if you can buy something with btc instead of cash use it, also if you offer a service demand payment in btc, try to make a all-around bitcoin cycle, hording just for the sake of it is not really helping Bitcoin.

[oureptsC]

When Bitcoin will make a big step into market, as more market will accept bitcoin as sooner It will be accepted by the world. But It wont replace FIAT any time soon, at least for another 20-30 years. There is no way everyone will be using bitcoins till FIAT exists and It's virtual currency so probably only people from 18 to 65 will feel comfortable to use It and older people just can't switch we need new generation for this.

[Trading]

It's not only about feeling comfortable using bitcoin, they also need to see advantages about it.

Probably, bitcoin will start to be more popular in countries where there are capital controls and high inflation

[lyth0s]

People will use bitcoin when the following conditions are met:

1) Apps make it VERY easy to buy/sell and trade
2) Big stores and grocery stores accept it, IE Target, Walmart, Food 4 Less, Stater Bros etc
3) Stores offer discounts for using bitcoins (pass on some of the savings from credit card percentage charges to us)
4) People can take part of the their income in bitcoin (see https://bitpay.com/bitcoin-payroll-api)

[zimmah]

I believe the answer to your question would be when the big supermarkets accept some form of btc for their goods.

Yes, I reall ywonder what will be the point where supermarkets start accepting it though. Right now it seems like internet shops and bars/restaurants accept it, but not much more than that.

What's next after that?

Where in line do supermarkets stand?

People will use bitcoin when the following conditions are met:

1) Apps make it VERY easy to buy/sell and trade
2) Big stores and grocery stores accept it, IE Target, Walmart, Food 4 Less, Stater Bros etc
3) Stores offer discounts for using bitcoins (pass on some of the savings from credit card percentage charges to us)
4) People can take part of the their income in bitcoin (see https://bitpay.com/bitcoin-payroll-api)

1) coinkite has bitcoin debit-cards, maybe not thé killer app everyone is waiting for, but a step in the right direction

2) agreed, but i don't know what would trigger this event to happen

3) often happens, but they have to accept it first.

4) already happened

[jambola2]

People will use bitcoin when the following conditions are met:

1) Apps make it VERY easy to buy/sell and trade
2) Big stores and grocery stores accept it, IE Target, Walmart, Food 4 Less, Stater Bros etc
3) Stores offer discounts for using bitcoins (pass on some of the savings from credit card percentage charges to us)
4) People can take part of the their income in bitcoin (see https://bitpay.com/bitcoin-payroll-api)

Well , gyft.com fulfills 2&3 to an extent.

It provides gift cards for a multitude of locations , Target , Sears , Gamestop , Amazon.
You get a 3% cashback on any gift card you purchase.

[Trading]

Those conditions are fulfilled only if you live in the US.

In most countries, including in Europe, you can buy almost nothing with bitcoin. As long as this situation endures, bitcoin won't expand for purchasing reasons, but for investing/hoarding reasons. As a means to store value and not as mean of payment.

[jbrnt]

When price of bitcoin stablises and holders of bitcoin do not expect bitcoin price to rise much further, people will start spending bitcoin as a currency. Until then, people are just going to hold on to them. Why should anyone spend any bitcoin now when he knows they are going to be worth more in a few months' time.

[ptsigma]

if your friend just buy btc and consider it an investment, then tell them that they should invest their btc in bitcoin startups. This leads to increased overall spending.

[zimmah]

Those conditions are fulfilled only if you live in the US.

In most countries, including in Europe, you can buy almost nothing with bitcoin. As long as this situation endures, bitcoin won't expand for purchasing reasons, but for investing/hoarding reasons. As a means to store value and not as mean of payment.

This is only partly true. Shops don't accept gift cards here, or not the American ones anyway. But Europe has as many stores as the USA to directly accept bitcoin.

When price of bitcoin stablises and holders of bitcoin do not expect bitcoin price to rise much further, people will start spending bitcoin as a currency. Until then, people are just going to hold on to them. Why should anyone spend any bitcoin now when he knows they are going to be worth more in a few months' time.

Simply buy back the bitcoins you spend by using the fiat you saved by spending bitcoin instead.

So instead of doing groceries for $50, do them for 0,08 bitcoin (or something) and than use the $50 to buy back 0,08 bitcoin.

This will make dollars less useful (less people buy with dollars) and bitcoin more wanted.