The way I see things shaping up is that Bitcoin will be used as a virtual store of value, used to transfer money to one or more other virtual currencies that pl

The way I see things shaping up is that Bitcoin will be used as a virtual store of value, used to transfer money to one or more other virtual currencies that place a higher premium on transaction speed. Ripple.com could fill this role, or it may be another virtual currency that has yet to be invented. It is incredibly easy to transfer money from Bitcoin to Ripple (and vice versa) once you know how, and any other virtual currency would doubtless share this characteristic. As the Bitcoin "market cap" grows, it will become much less volatile, but will likely continue to increase in value. Actual Bitcoin transactions on the block chain would only be used to refill the other currency for day-to-day transactions, or for large transactions that don't have to be instant, like buying a car or a house. Disclaimer: I own Bitcoins.