while i definately agree ltc brings nothing new to the table and is essentially a btc clone.. it found a unique spot in the crypto currency world imo. It has been by magnitudes compared to most other alt coins the most liquid & consistently in top 5 market cap. i believe this is due to china. for whatever reason they value it more than any other altcoin.. ltc's value resides simply in the fact that its a great speculation tool.. the odds of it disappearing are slim