That Fort Knox doesn’t look like Ken Adam’s set at all, and that the New York vault isn’t conveniently close to a subway tunnel?
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How are they “shadowy” - the names and bios of every member is listed right on the website. Going back to 1914.
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I’m an idiot for not fully trusting financial institutions.
Banks are now buying bitcoin which is a bad sign.
Because banks are evil.
So I shouldn’t buy bitcoin, I should leave my money with the banks.
Yes. And every transaction ever made on BTC is stored on the blockchain.
When they stop producing nuclear waste - they’ll only be a limited amount left forever. Buy mine now! Don’t get shut out!
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Psst. Shadowy means “those people”… YOU Know! Wink-wink…/s
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I thought anonymity was a large part of its value. If every transaction is recorded - they will all eventually be disclosed
Speaking of transparency- who is the “founder” of bitcoin and who got those early coins?
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Oh no! Unitarians!
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Speaking of shadowy figures…
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Of a sort…
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I didn’t say that. I don’t fully trust financial institutions.
For the penny-ante cryptocurrency “investors”, it definitely is. Some will get lucky, some won’t, but the banks gathering up most of the chips tells me that they see an opportunity to play the role of the casino.
I don’t ascribe that term to banks. Banks exist to make profits for their shareholders no matter what the externalities.
As noted, it’s your prerogative whether or not to buy Bitcoin. There are other investment vehicles for people who don’t trust the banks.
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I am so glad that so many people here, despite using money and the economy every day of their lives, have filled their heads with absolutely stupid conspiracy theories about how the world works instead of using that time to actually learn economics from reputable sources. (Such as an accredited institution of higher learning, many of whom will let you audit online classes for free, or the excellent resources from the Kahn academy available for free here: Economics | Khan Academy)
You see, it makes it really easy for people to scam you of the fruits of your labor, which is hilarious to watch!
Walks away laughing to self, muttering “Gold is vAlUaBlE BeCaUsE iT’s ShInY”, laughing hysterically
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You do realize that was sarcastic, right?
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To be fair, the blockchain transactions are encrypted. The “forex” exchanges between cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies, not so much. That’s the weak point where the incompetents and the thieves see their opportunities, and where anonymity (and sometimes money) tends to go out the window.
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I believe you meant it as sarcasm, you seem to have a pretty good understanding of economics. 
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The most recent problem with banks is the deregulation, such as the repeal of Glass-Steagall. The firewall that existed between commercial banking and investment banking that existed during much of the 20th century thanks to the New Deal created banks that could give decent return rates on items like Savings Accounts. People were able to create good nest eggs via commercial banks prior to the repeal of Glass-Steagall. Now, a credit union is a much better bet, because it’s member owned, etc. Pouring money into a shadowy, unproven, and volatile “currency” that is now being bought up by commercial banks is not necessarily a wise idea for primary savings… I mean, if people want to play around with extra cash, great! But if someone is depending on bitcoin to be their savings for the future… 
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Funny how the only option being discussed is a big bank or bitcoins.
credit unions protect accounts up to $250,000 per account. What kind of reimbursement does Bitcoin provide for theft? We’ve all seen the stories.
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Yep! I’m not sure that people are aware that credit unions have a similar program to FDIC.
And of course, bitcoin, much like other risky investments such as the stock market, etc, are not secured in the same way. 
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And at least if I buy stocks there’s an actual underlying asset.
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The analogy that’s coming to mind is Big Pharma. I don’t fully trust that industry, either, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to reject science and engage in nutty conspiracy theories like anti-vaxxers do.
The only re-imbursement in that particular “free” market might come if your thugs-for-hire are successful in tracking down the former owner of the crytocurrency exchange in whatever tropical destination to which he fled. Assuming, of course, you can afford it (thugs-for-hire prefer to be paid in Benjamins, what William Gibson called " the international currency of bad sh*t".)
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