# Bitcoin as an investment? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343 "2017-10-20T02:14:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343/41 "2017-11-26T05:32:27Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Any of these people who are highly leveraged will be really screwed. And I think this is a likely scenario. I believe there’s a speculative bubble in bitcoin, and bubbles always burst. I wonder how people are highly leveraged? Are people really mortgaging their houses? In my case, I’m at $27+k on a $3500 “let’s see what happens” investment. Extra cash that I was lucky to have and not afraid to lose. I’m afraid of losing my house, though. Maybe I’m the stupid one (but I think not). ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343/42 "2017-11-26T07:22:33Z")
Whatever you may think of Bitcoin as an investment, it has given us blockchain and that has a very serious future. On Bitcoin, yes, I’m in and loving it - it’s a hell of a ride. Imo; (a) you need to be very careful as with all investments, hey Bernie Madoff! (b) start small, take hits and learn, which you will do fast, and (c) learning the environment is vital if you plan on trading, otherwise just sit in Bitcoin No one can say for sure where crypto is going medium/long term but, imo it’s either a proper gold rush or a proper bubble. Because of the basis in blockchain, my feeling for Bitcoin is pretty good but I’d still say invest when it retraces - in the next week or two now, when it subsequently gains again take out your original stake and enjoy the rest 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2017, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343/43 "2017-11-26T13:30:28Z")
My BIL, his brother, and my nephew were going on and on about this on Thanksgiving. Considering my BIL believes all those “reality/conspiracy” shows on various cable networks, I pretty much tuned them out. I just hope they don’t waste the money they \*need \*on this silliness. My sis is 55 and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to be working into her 70s. Then again, I’m a very conservative investor, and beyond a roll of nickels in 1984, I don’t even play slot machines. I’m quite content with my annuities, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343/44 "2017-11-27T03:06:14Z")
> [@Mrdeals](#): > > \ > > I really don’t know a whole lot about Bitcoin, but what do you think? nough said. This is a really bad idea. Investing in any volatile commodity without knowing a lot about the market is a bad idea by definition. I suspect Bitcoin is perhaps the most volatile widely available item in the world right now. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343/45 "2017-12-04T16:57:28Z")
I’ve no idea whether now is a good time to buy Bitcoin — based on my track record, if I should express an opinion, I recommend you all _do the opposite_ — but I am bemused to note that [Bitcoin mining is now using $1.5 Billion of electricity annually](https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/12/2/16724786/bitcoin-mining-energy-electricity) — enough electricity to power almost 3 million U.S. households. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343/46 "2017-12-04T18:51:06Z")
The key to mining is to do it where electricity is cheap - so not surprising there are humongous mining farms in places like China and, if you want the security of Europe, Iceland. Iceland is the obvious choice if you think about it for a moment 😉 Fwiw, I’m loving every moment of my involvement. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343/47 "2017-12-04T22:08:02Z")
Ive invested a small amount in Bitcoin Cash which was created in August as an offshoot of Bitcoin when there was some disagreement about the future direction of Bitcoin. It’s like the Judean People’s Front. It’s not moved much since opening hovering at $1500. I’ve invested a very small amount but might be fun. I’ll probably lose the money, but I might also multiply it. There are a few others, including things like Ripple which is a sort of internal currency for transactions between financial institutions. You’ll have to look it up to get an understanding because I don’t fully understand it, but it’s much more secure in that it’s backed by some well-known financial institutions so at least has a basis, although when the crypto bubble finally bursts I suspect this might plummet too, although it will survive. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343/48 "2017-12-05T17:56:02Z")
Well it’sbeen another lively day. I’m not going to say I made x dollars because I’ve never tried to cash in, and tomorrow is always another somewhat random day. It looks mighty pretty in the digital wallet though 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoin-as-an-investment/799343.md?page=2)