Speculation is value now I guess. Also, it helps when every bad actor on earth is laundering money through it.
I hope for, and anticipate that crypto will be reigned-in and we will go back to more predictable currency. The spikes and drops of it make it much less of a currency, and more of a speculation market where everyone is going to lose big one day.
I am more of a "burn it all to the ground" type of person, but even I know that is true folly to even think that now.
It's a digital cancer that is metastasizing under this perfect storm (a US presidential administration keen on supporting it, easy manipulation of prices through painting the tape, a defanged SEC, etc) and there really isn't anything we can do about it but watch.
The only way anyone will learn is if massive tragedy struck or another major black swan... maybe... or maybe not.
Gold has a utility (or industrial) value. But that value is significantly lower than the actual price. The rest of the price of gold is monetary premium.
I say Bitcoin's large network, censorship resistance and worldwide adoption give it some base utility value. The rest is monetary premium.
I do agree with your sentiment. Stablecoins (UDSC, etc) are predictable and are much better suited for actual spending.
Monero is far better than stablecoins for spending as it leaves no trace of who got from who. Secondly, stablecoin wallets are heavily subject to being frozen, essentially the strictest form of censorship, resulting in a complete loss of funds, but this is not possible at all for Monero.
This is pretty much where we are. I wish it weren't so. But Wall Street has their claws firmly around BTC et al. They will never let go. There's no room for any kind of "innovation". They will suck retail dry and then move on.
I hope for, and anticipate that crypto will be reigned-in and we will go back to more predictable currency. The spikes and drops of it make it much less of a currency, and more of a speculation market where everyone is going to lose big one day.