This need to be accountable to SEC is keeping this coin from exchanges like Bittrex and Poloniex. No exchange will take the risk of listing a coin, which gives out fiat loan and disrupts traditional industry.
You can't have it both ways. If all rules, laws, guidelines followed then they can't actively work on being added to exchanges as their position must be that they are only a membership. This on itself will not prevent exchanges for adding them, just the opposite, as all this positioning and rules are for not being labeled a security, the one thing that would truly stop an exchange to add them.
The real problem however is exchanges became freaking prima donnas. It's becaming increasingly difficult to be added to an exchange and most of the times takes a fair amount of money, connections and an active work from the project developers. So no, SALT won't be in dozens of exchanges, but I'm sure it will be added to some (more) significant ones in time.
As far as from serving only US costumers at the beginning while accepting money all around, well I totally agree with you. Altough there might be one additional insentive to hold, they said to introduce a staking opportunity soon. (when you get reward based on the amount of coin/token you hold)
If staking is going to be introduced, then this will be a good hodl. As for adding to the exchanges part, Bittrex/polo etc needs intervention from team. And I do not think Salt team is going to pursue them looking at current scenario.