I think ponzi is the wrong term.  It more resembles a pyramid.  Not the tech, that's irrelevant but the way it's promoted is 100% pyramid.  That's why it doesn't matter how many businesses "accept" Bitcoin, the price keeps falling. Nobody is buying and certainly not to use as a transactional currency.    Greed killed Bitcoin and better alternatives, with better distribution will reign.  You see, it doesn't matter how high you can pump the price of something, if it's not useful to people, they won't use it.  It's as simple as that.