This is where I believe that there is a window of time of 2-3 years (but probably less than 2 years) where BTC must establish itself as a mainstream currency of the masses that can be traded on FOREX and justify the loftiest of predictions on its future price.  If this doesn't happen in this timeframe, another altcoin (probably government backed...maybe initially backed by gold?) will emerge that will be accepted by the mainstream and FOREX markets.  That's actually another point of debate that people miss...just because BTC was around for years already doesn't necessarily mean that it will last for the same amount of time in the future going forward.  Of the 1000 or altcoins out there I predict that the majority will disappear much like companies in the dot-bomb era.  As of now it will be a race forward to see which currencies do the right things at the right times that makes them survive and go to the next level.  As much as people want to believe the contrary, BTC is not Coca-Cola when it comes to brand recognition.  Relatively speaking they are not even in the same Universe.

From where I'm sitting, this is where the idea of Tulip-mania creeps in.  In the case of cryptos, things happen so fast and due to their completely virtual valuation, things could be uglier than when Tulip bulbs went from a value worth an estate...to whatever tulip bulbs have sold for over time.  This idea of "buy and hold for years" echoed on this forum like gospel shows how little so many understand about investing and valuation of their investment.  And I'd bet that most of these people claim to be experts in BTC and other altcoins.  Those are the first people who will panic in a very bad way.