As for the "bitcoin death" rumors and as a noob or a person that tries to understand bitcoin and want to invest in it and adopt it as a payment method to my small business, these posts and rumors might be discouraging to proceed cause btc might lose its value or even disappear.
Although the more i read and understand it, seeing its potential, the more i want to get involved.
Bitcoin as network/technology/community might started from scratch but sa i see it now is too big to disappear or lose interest.
I think it still evolving but the steps must be small and steady. But if the communit or the chain is goin to split in two that not very good for the whole community and the coin itself.
I might be wrong cause i havent understood fully the technical reason why this has to be done but trying to get there.

As for the exchanges you mentioned, i have open accounts in all of them,except Circle but definitely will check it out