It's falling up into the sky again. 

If the USA wants people to join in their sanctions then they are going to have to become legitimate in their efforts. It was the US who blew the Iran deal not Iran.

PRO-TIP: all bitcoin TA and speculation is just guessing. Nothing more to it than that.  

It is literally impossible to account for enough of the economic activity in crypto to generate any meaningful numbers. There is still nothing wrong with it. Guessing is fun.

I pay my taxes. That is the end of it for me. If the gov pushes too hard then I will just take my bitcoin elsewhere and pay taxes there.

It's hard to do the same scam again and again and find new suckers. 

Can I pick door #3?

What I think would push the price up is something else that bitcoin is not being used for. But I don't know what that is.

Interesting. However, like all the other TA here it is a complete guess. There is simply no way to know the future price. Even if "Data" claims it to be so.

There is only one fee in the bitcoin protocol and it is the lowest competitive fee. If anyone on the network thinks they can do it for less, then they can. I frequently send money overseas and I assure you, there is no cheaper option.

The bitcoin protocol (and alt-coin clone networks) is the fastest way to send money. For comparison, a credit card takes between two days an a month to settle. As a user you may not know that. It is well known to business owners.

Now if you are trying to mix bitcoin with fiat currency, then yes, it is going to take forever. But it has nothing to do with bitcoin. The slowdown is in meeting legal requirements for the use of dollars or euros. Those currencies have many, many, laws.

What you should know is that the casino is going to be the only one with money in the end.

Dobar-Dan!

It's been a while since I stayed in Croatia. Maybe I have a reason to go back now?

Why should it?
What have you done to cause a rise in valuation? Things happen for reason, a cause. They don't happen because we want it.

Implied in this question is the notion that bitcoin COULD be stopped by any government. It CAN'T.

This should be a great help to China. It's not like they are buying U.S. made ASICs.
What a moron Trump is.

What an utterly pointless post. 

By "cold storage" I am going to assume you mean a private key kept offline. If that is the case you should start by installing wallet software. Electrum or Core are good choices. It's likely best to go with the software that created the wallet you are storing.

It will need to sync, so settle in for a few days at least. During that time set up an exchange account linked to your bank. It should be an exchange that has a business license. NEVER send to an unlicensed business.

Now you are set! Send the BTC to the exchange, sell it, withdraw the fiat currency to your bank.

Our problem is that if we do not speak up for bitcoin then someone else will. Someone less qualified and with their own agenda.  So if you do not like regulation then now is the time to contact your senator. This is a YOU job!

I doubt we disagree much. I don't think it's a "golden rule" to not sell at a loss. But in his situation as a new user, buying actual bitcoin with it's history and growth potential, selling would be a bad call statistically.

For the reasons both of you stated in your posts, I agree that loss cutting is part of the game in investing. If you need the money for a better opportunity, or the return on investment time is to long, or if you just don't see more growth. However, bitcoin compares very favorably to most investments on these fronts. I have seen a lot of new users buy into a silly rally only to then panic sell into a crash. Six months later their capitol is gone and the valuation of bitcoin has doubled.

So my advice to the OP is start by taking a breath and ridding your mind of emotion. Our emotional side works well for some things, but is a shitty mathematician. If the price is falling you may "feel" that something must be done. Selling may give a sense of control by stopping the bleeding, but try stepping back and looking at fundamental facts.

1. Why am i doing this bitcoin thing, what is my goal?
2. What are the chances of meeting the goal by doing nothing at this moment vs. selling?

I think your fears are well founded. This could happen even if the user has multiple wallet backups. One might consider writing a letter explaining how to get access to their bitcoin, then keeping it in a safe deposit box. In the event of death or incapacitation the box will be opened by the executor who will then be able to recover the funds.

The main lesson here is "NEVER EVER do business with an unlicensed exchange". Without a business license this is not an actual business. That means you have zero legal recourse to get your money back.
Bummer.  

It is easier to make your deals denominated in BTC not dollars. Dollars are just local money and only apply to some.