With all the millions being poured into the BTC infrastructure, I'd say it's gained a legitimate spot in the "real economy."
I agree with this comment about bitcoin having gained a real place in the "real economy". One anecdotal observation on this point: I run a full node, but I turn my computer off every night. I've noticed the last several days that it's taking longer in the morning when I turn on my computer for it to catch up with the blockchain than it used to take. I'd call that a good sign as it means that there are more transactions taking place within the bitcoin ecosystem lately than there used to be.