Whether it's Bitcoin or an altcoin -- crypto in general is one big speculative investment option. The much smaller size of altcoins offer people far better profit making opportunities, but the problem is that in most cases you just take a gamble. People jump into a certain altcoin just in the hope that it gets pumped, and that's really it. Most of these coins are heavily premined, or unfairly distributed through ICO. There is nothing to research, no development that might push the price forwards, etc. Most of the times it's an empty project with fake promises to trap in innocent people.