Bitcoin is not something the average person will ever use to buy and sell stuff, but is useful mainly as digital gold-as an investment, also a useful way of moving money across international borders, and that will likely be its main application over the next several years. It is most valuable as something that enables financial phenomena that have never existed before, what is known as "programmatic finance." Read more at: http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21722235-bitcoin-far-only-game-town-surge-value-crypto-currencies