There is a thin line between what some consider investing vs gambling. Buying a penny stock is gambling to most, but buying Apple stock is investing. Apple can go up or down, and has no guarantees of any sort of return on your investment. The main difference is Apple is considered more stable than a penny stock. Some stocks lose half their value or more, but are still considered investments. Investments can lose money. To me, Bitcoin is an investment. Some buy it to make a quick buck. Some buy it to hedge against global currency uncertainty. Others buy it for real use-case applications and transacting with people around the world.