Basically you just ask for a varying amount of Bitcoin based on the current value and immediately turn the Bitcoin received into US Dollars. Coinbase is a good

Basically you just ask for a varying amount of Bitcoin based on the current value and immediately turn the Bitcoin received into US Dollars. Coinbase is a good example of a service that makes this easy. As an example, you want $10 for a widget. At 10AM that might be .001 Bitcoin, at 1PM that might be .0015 Bitcoin. You still get your $10. If there is a Very Bad Event, then that $10 widget might cost 7000 Bitcoin, you are still getting your $10.Or close to it. Generally your big risk is the value of Bitcoin falling through the floor in a matter of minutes and your system (or third party provider) failing to keep up with such a change. To answer your questions. 1. No. Bitcoin's value fluctuates pretty wildly and there's dozens of things that could cause the currency's value to implode. I think the challenges and risks for Bitcoin are different from government-backed currencies, but it is by no means immune to a crisis (has already had a few). 2. No. I'm sure some organizations and individuals would prop up Bitcoin. But there's no central authority with policy-making power acting on behalf of Bitcoin. Generally I think Bitcoin is going to make it. There's a lot of interest in the currency from the financial sector, and a lot of money flowing into companies that deal as service providers for the currency. Basically, enough people have a vested interest in it that it is worth taking seriously. But that's just my guess at the moment.