Based on what little research I have done, the value of BTC seems to dip whenever the difficulty rises.  As for the hyper inflation we have all enjoyed so far, it does seem a little scary to me.  Currencies are often tied to the political and economic climate of the country to which they are bound.  Since BTC has no country backing , the value is solely based on trades - much like a stock. The future value of Bitcoins are truly unpredictable.

I am probably wrong on many counts.  Please correct me if I am way off target.

Enjoy your day!