Let the experiments begin

Whenever I think of Bitcoin, I can’t help to think of the Liberty Dollar, a paper-based alternative currency that the Fed shut down in 2009 after about an 11 year run.

Bitcoin has a unique value proposition in currency.

It carries cachet among techies (and maybe druggies) and is in limited supply. The former gives it collectible value. The latter gives it purpose for citizens of countries with bureaucrats who have inked their money presses. It feels better heading to the store with currency that may not lose half its value before you get there.

If allowed to continue, I think Bitcoin has the potential of spawning an evolution in alternative currency experiments that may find all different sorts of niches for value propositions and, more importantly, reduce the power the Fed has to mess up the economy.

There already is a Bitcoin cousin, Litecoin. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the likes of Starbucks, Walmart, Amazon.com and Google test the waters. Why just supply a wallet when you can also supply the currency?