It can't be a ponzi scheme by definition, because you can see all the transactions. People aren't holding fake "bitcoin accounts" whose value is reported by a

It can't be a ponzi scheme by definition, because you can see all the transactions. People aren't holding fake "bitcoin accounts" whose value is reported by a central controlling entity who is misrepresenting the value of the total system. "people bought early and profited" is not the definition of a ponzi scheme, or Picassos are a ponzi scheme as is anything where the value has gone up over time.