Ultimately, the broader question may be whether Bitcoin’s value proposition as a store of value or hedge against inflation outweighs the issues it faces in terms of practical adoption for everyday transactions. Perhaps, for Bitcoin to truly fulfill its original vision, it needs to tackle its scalability issues, improve usability for everyday consumers, and address the environmental impact — but those are big hurdles to clear.
In my opinion, using Bitcoin solely as an investment product, making it more of a speculative instrument than a store of value, has harmed the concept of Bitcoin as defined by the Satoshi Protocol more than it has helped it spread. With the increasing difficulty of mining, which has become a costly industry, and the rise of alternative currencies, the use of Bitcoin as a payment system has declined, and its use has been limited to a few specific tasks. Without overcoming some obstacles, bitcoin may remain a mere investment asset far from becoming the practical everyday currency that satoshi has initially envisioned.
The balance between maintaining decentralization and security on the one hand, and improving efficiency and adaptability to daily needs on the other, remains a significant challenge that may determine Bitcoin's future as a leading cryptocurrency, or simply as a store of value.