As an investment they would be more flexible than Bitcoin since they integrate with the rest of a typical consumer's investment dashboard. You can buy the products on margin, schedule purchases, do program trades, and all kinds of things. And things like tax reporting is built right in to the system so it doesn't leave you a nightmare filing mess at the end of the year.
You're bringing some good points. It's just that I, personally, like
actually owning the investment, not having the investment written to my name. Maybe it has to do with the aesthetics, but I just prefer engaging in a very transparent procedure, that is buying bitcoin, than messing with broker firms and stocks that I'll have to oversee every month.
Did something about it change since then that has made in invulnerable to such devaluation?
As I said, it is absolutely vulnerable to devaluation, just as any other property or investment.