My personal hypothesis: By 3rd/4th quarter of this year we will see ETF's, options, leveraging, etc come into the market. Once this occurs major Wall Street firms will start trading. This will create volume at levels never seen before and drive the price far, far higher.
They'll trade paper bitcoins that they can't back with real ones, and keep the exchange rate artificially low just like they do with gold.
Thanks justusranvier, you saved me a post.
(of course, I used that post here, thanking you, but still.... I had the exact same thought)