I think it all starts with Bitcoin being the FIRST digital currency. As for many pioneers in different field, by simply being the first one, bringing to the world a new brilliant concept and in this case a proper revolution, if this concept is good enough to catch the wide audience attention as for Bitcoin, then yes, your popularity increases, your system improves -because it has the chances to be tested and adjusted. And then of course, the more it is traded, the higher the value