Grats! I am getting my Hero status soon
As for my opinion, I think Bitcoin will do extremely well for the next 2-5 years, then an altcoin may take majority of the market. There are lots of factors that determine where BTC goes.
I am more convinced that Bitcoin is now becoming "the blockchain" rather than "a blockchain"
Sidechains basically allows innovation in altchains, without the altcoins. It makes bitcoin the reserve currency and blockchain of the cryptocurrency space.
If the IOT (Internet of things) is built in a sidechain of bitcoin, then I would not be surprised to see bitcoin become the world currency.
But I will say, sometimes the conspiracy theorist in me tells me that Bitcoin is going to be really bad. It is pretty much financial surveillance. All the places you buy/sell bitcoin ask for all your personal information, and they know what address you withdraw to. Buying bitcoins with cash is pretty risky. If you mix your coins, it's basically money laundering and can be detected very easily on the blockchain. There is no privacy with bitcoin which is the only flaw. Although, sidechains may fix this, but it will also centralize the mining much more.
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Balaji S:
Remember: #Bitcoin only fully "legalized" this year.
Entrepreneurs can finally build w/o threat of jail.
So - patience! The apps are coming.
Even as late as Nov 2013,
NYT opeds predicted a Bitcoin ban. Only now clear this will not happen. Uncertainty gone.
There's still regulatory risk, but vastly less than 12-18 months ago.
Mainly technical risk now.
Means the institutional money can come in.
Obvious but...even if entrepreneurs
themselves were risk tolerant, removing Sword of Damocles over Bitcoin hugely increased customer base.
In 2014, institutions that are now neutral to positive on Bitcoin: Govts of US/UK/Japan/Israel, WSJ, NASDAQ, Bloomberg, Goldman Sachs!
The public endorsements by prominent individuals & institutions arguably more important than law per se. Provide shield for taking risk.
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PS: Got my Hero status