It may not be that appealing for a dollar/euro economies, but for emerging markets where their currency is not that stable and average inflation is around 3-5% it could have great potential.
* Today's bitcoin / USD High/Low trading price shows a swing of a bit more than 3%
* Today's Argentine Peso (ARS) / USD High/Low trading price shows a swing of 0.1% (Argentina being a country with high inflation problems)
If I were to work in Argentina I would rather get paid in BTC than ARS, due to liquidity constrains. I would probably convert most of the money to USD, EUR o CHF, but I would keep some bitcoin if I had where to spend them.
I believe you are looking at the official rate.
Having said that, even if I was Argentinian I wouldn't hold any significant wealth in Bitcoin.
Do you mean like a currency that was worth $650 against the US dollar a year ago, and today is worth $250 against the US dollar? That kind of stability?
Look at the Argentinian Peso, it has lost almost 90% of its value against the USD since 2001. http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=USDARS%3DX+Interactive#%7...
Even the most mismanaged government manages its currency. No one is managing bitcoin, it's price reflects the volatile market whims of a cryptocurrency backed by nothing but computation and beset by fraud. The volatility is not going away.
>Even the most mismanaged government manages its currency.
Governments don't manage currencies.
>No one is managing bitcoin,
No one managed gold when all currencies were gold backed and it did not see bitcoin's price volatility.
>it's price reflects the volatile market whims of a cryptocurrency backed by nothing but computation and beset by fraud.
No, its price reflects the low volume.
>The volatility is not going away.
Nobody can predict the future.
You might want to read up on Central Banks. [1]
>As the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve derives its authority from the Congress of the United States. It is considered an independent central bank because its monetary policy decisions do not have to be approved by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branches of government, it does not receive funding appropriated by the Congress, and the terms of the members of the Board of Governors span multiple presidential and congressional terms.
> However, the Federal Reserve is subject to oversight by the Congress, which often reviews the Federal Reserve's activities and can alter its responsibilities by statute. Therefore, the Federal Reserve can be more accurately described as "independent within the government" rather than "independent of government."
The 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks, which were established by the Congress as the operating arms of the nation's central banking system, are organized similarly to private corporations--possibly leading to some confusion about "ownership." For example, the Reserve Banks issue shares of stock to member banks. However, owning Reserve Bank stock is quite different from owning stock in a private company. The Reserve Banks are not operated for profit, and ownership of a certain amount of stock is, by law, a condition of membership in the System. The stock may not be sold, traded, or pledged as security for a loan; dividends are, by law, 6 percent per year.
Lets say you work from Argentina for a company abroad. You have three options to get paid:
1. Wire transfer, the compay send you dollars or euro and you get pesos at the oficial rate.
2. There is always people trying to pay things outside, you can give him your dollars outside in exchange of dollars inside arg por pesos at the blue rate.
3. Buy bitcoins outside sell inside.
1. You lost 30% exchange rate, you will not be able, to buy dollars back at the oficial rate.
2. Is 3%
3. Is 10%
Since 2 and 3, are not 100% legal, you will have problems buying things since you cant justify your income.
There was a case where a money transfer was seized between two european countries over Cuban cigars because at the time, the US had a trade embargo against Cuba.
Why shouldn't you invest in Bitcoin for savings? Look at a one month chart. Or look at a three month chart. Or look at a one year chart. Or look at a chart from the beginning of bitcoin and ask yourself: "is this what I want the value of every dollar in my savings to be worth?
Yougottabekidding