Is 2015 the Year for the Bitcoin?

Alternative payment systems are becoming more prevalent in the payments world and there are many new systems that diminish the need for traditional banking processes. Bitcoins, which came about in 2009, are a currency used that are increasingly being looked at as another alternative payment system in the future.

Bitcoins are an online payment currency that have been revolutionary since their creation for being able to make peer to peer transactions without a middle man, i.e. not having to use a bank. Transactions can also be anonymous and there are no fees which make them very efficient and useful for consumers. ANX have recently issued a Bitcoin debit card which can be shipped to users and is the first Bitcoin debit card to allow users to pay with Bitcoins with the traditional credit card payment system, online and for carrying out cash withdrawals. The card supports 10 different currencies and sold out within 24 hours of being available.

The new card could mean an increase in interest in Bitcoins and their flexibility and versatility for payment could mean an upsurge in popularity. Being able to transfer money easily online without transaction fees or needing bank transfers is very useful for a consumer and so using Bitcoins means large savings on transaction costs. Also being able to pay now with Bitcoins means less dependency on banks and ATMs to get out cash.

However, there are still question marks regarding Bitcoins and the events of 2014 hit their credibility hard. Ross Ulbricht, the alleged creator of Silk Road, an online drug marketplace where Bitcoins are the currency, has recently been found guilty of charges related to drug trafficking, money laundering plus more and faces a minimum of 20 years in prison. Bitcoins are seen by many as a resource for illegal activity and is still generally not particularly well known globally.

An issue raised by many is the problem with the sporadic nature of the Bitcoin’s value. The value of the Bitcoin today is below $250 whereas at its peak in 2013 it reached a little over $1200. Will the volatility of the value affect a day to day consumer’s interest in getting an ANX debit card or even investing in Bitcoins in the first place? There has however been a lot of investment in Bitcoins by large investors, who say that there simply is a need for one ‘killer app’. In 2014, around $300 million was invested in Bitcoin startups, with startup apps such as ‘Purse.io’ which sources Amazon credits or gift cards and people can buy them off someone looking to get rid of them for Bitcoins.

2015 will be a very big year for the Bitcoin and the next year or two will be crucial to see whether it can evolve into a vital resource in the payment world. Better security and a stabilization of the value are important for whether other big companies such as ANX may invest and provide payment services that cater Bitcoins. This new card could mean even less reliance on traditional payment systems and pave the way for payment systems using Bitcoins.

Cryptocurrency has the potential to be the biggest commerce disruptor since the web. Now is the time to evaluate and leverage the inherent opportunities in Bitcoin's transactional currency applications and the underlying protocol.

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Why Does Bitcoin's Value Fluctuate So Much?

Introduced as open-source online payment software in 2009, Bitcoin in simple words refers to a purely digital currency which is used primarily for online payment purpose. Although, it was recognized by the US Treasury as a decentralized virtual currency, the popularity of cryptocurrency is still in developmental stages and is not as widely accepted. Despite of being a purely virtual currency, Bitcoin is one of the most volatile currencies and the prices can fluctuate even in a normal market situation. Despite of several shortcomings as a viable currency, the popularity of Bitcoin among online users has grown rapidly since its introduction. Given below are the various reasons why the value of Bitcoin fluctuates so much.


1. Buyer Protection
Several banking agencies like the European Banking Agencies have issued several warnings about Bitcoin lacking any sort of consumer protection. This means that if you use Bitcoin online to buy a product and the seller doesn’t deliver it or the product is faulty, then there is absolutely nothing that you can do to recover your lost Bitcoin cash. While this problem can be resolved through escrow services, but this definitely makes the investors apprehensive about investing in a poorly protected currency.

2. Bad Press Reviews And Use In Illegal Trade
Bitcoin’s popularity was severely hampered due to the news about Bitcoin being regulated by the government. There were several instances of it being used in illegal drug trade via the Silk Road which also resulted in the marketplace being shut down by the FBI in 2008. Trade has picked up since then but these incidents have also created an unrest and disbelief in the value of Bitcoin among the people.

3. Digital Wallets Are Prone To Technical Issues
The vulnerability of digital wallets to data corruption and virus make it a really dangerous currency to invest. Bitcoin currency is usually stored on a computer hard drive which is susceptible to data loss and can very well bankrupt a wealthy investor. The coins collected on the hard drive are also lost permanently with no chance of recovery and will be permanently orphaned by the system.

4. Deflation
Unlike regular currencies which are valued against a solid standard such as gold or silver or another valuable currency, Bitcoin’s price is regulated due to its limited production. The current mining technology limits its production to 21 million and is thus prone to deflation. Since the value of each Bitcoin will increase each day, the question of when to spend the currency will be a serious problem for the investors and result in spending sprees. A sudden surge in spending can not only cause deflation but also unexpected volatility.

5. Security Breaches Due To Poor Software Design
Due to being operated through an open-source database, the source-code can easily be modified and hacked by anyone. This makes it an extremely unsecure form of currency to invest in. Recent news about the OpenSSL attacks by the Heartbleed bug in April, 2014 has led to even further repercussions in the value of Bitcoin in the market. The value of Bitcoin is highly based on the people’s confidence in the software design and security breaches as such can act like a bane to its popularity and use.

6. Tax Treatment
Despite of its small value, the volatility of Bitcoin was highly affected by the recent announcements by the IRS. In March 2014, the IRS announced and recognized Bitcoin as an asset that is taxable under the US law and made it mandatory for the users to record its value at the time of each transaction. This has led to a sudden decline of Bitcoin users and investors as book keeping is essentially troublesome for what the currency is worth.

Despite of its several advantages as an unofficial cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is met with several challenges and obstacles to its growth in use. The above reasons for its volatile and constantly fluctuation prices have led to a bad perception of its value in the investors.  Nevertheless, Bitcoin is also viewed as a sign of a maturing market and changing trends in global economics by several investors and there might be a bright future after all for the digital currency.


Author: Luke Peters is an active trader on several forex related platforms like Cornertrader.ch and has written several articles related to law, trading, finance, and financial management. He likes to spend most of his time reading various books and literature related to the respective niches

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