It is good that marketplace is already working and it is possible to buy goods on marketplace using EDC.
I agree with you, this enables the coin to perform a certain function that will positively affect its price.
Now coin to be popular and useful must have any practical use. I think that the time of speculation of altcoins finished. Besides many altcoins do not have liquidity at all.
I do not agree with you. A lot of depends from exchanges. Some exchanges are actively used for speculations by different altcoins.
When exchange is used for speculations it is not good for the reputation of exchange. But it is more simple to speculate by altcoins that by Bitcoin.
Any coin on the exchange is a tool for buying and selling, and this is speculation. In order for any coin to be sold, users should know that it has practical application and confidence in the value of the asset.