http://www.valuewalk.com/2014/09/bitcoin-appeal/Bitcoins exchange rate relative to the U.S. dollar has fluctuated substantially. In April 2013 a single Bitcoin was worth about $230 and it is trading at about $481 as of September 1, 2014. Some speculators purchase Bitcoin to profit from changes in exchange rate. For example, Kristoffer Koch spent about $27 in 2009 to buy 5,000 Bitcoins and by the end of 2013 he had $886,000.