Virtual currencies: Media of exchange or speculative assets?
This paper uses a theoretical model to analyse the dynamic relationship of virtual currency with fiat currency. The model demonstrates that the price impact of potential users and speculators in virtual currencies adversely affects their property as a medium of exchange and renders a crowding out of existing fiat currencies such as the US dollar unlikely
Bitcoin rivals
While Bitcoin might not compete against Gold or USD, it can still catch the attention of some [gold bugs](http://www.wsj.com/articles/bitcoin-catches-on-with-gold-bugs-1463959897), [internet sellers](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/3dsyj6/the_backpage_effect), or [the unbankables](http://tpbit.blogspot.ca/2014/10/for-unbankables.html). Bitcoin might be too small to compete in the primary markets of companies like PayPal or Western Union, but it seems to be catching up in the more fringe markets.
