The problem is that unless non-investors see a potential for the coin to rise, demand (and thus price) will not increase.

Altcoins are having a tremendous day today but yet QAU is down >4%. It's not on anybody's radar and all the incremental bumps it gets from token buybacks won't put it there. This model the token uses (that keeps getting lauded as special and a fool-proof means of bringing about price increase) just isn't sustaining interest or demand.

Innovation or stagnation is the name of the game (unless you're the first mover BTC) and QAU is playing badly.