This has a good side and has a bad side at the same time. When bitcoin is something that gains value over time and dollar is something that loses value in time, then how can we expect bitcoin to be anything other than just an investment? People can definitely buy bitcoin, they can store it, they can eventually sell it for a lot more to pay for something or just retire, but how can they spend it?
If they spend bitcoin right now then they are missing out on a big profit down the road. Hence this increasing value of bitcoin means its a great investment and that's good, it helps people buy and it increases the price but at the same time it makes people not spend it and that clogs the adoption because people can't or even won't spend it on regular goods.
Yes exactly as of now you are seeing it as BTC price rising in value. But with a Cryptocurrencies only economy you would view this as decrease in prices of good because there will be no fiat to compare with. Therefore people don't spend it.
I understand your point and it's very logical, but you got something that is obviously wrong.
Why do people keep on assuming that Bitcoin is money? Bitcoin isn't money, it's an asset, it is obvious that the change in value wouldn't be the same as fiat. As it is an economic driven currency, while investments like Bitcoin is volatile and it is not determined by how much money is being printed out but how much is being mined. Gold is a very good comparison to Bitcoin, as they have the same properties as being an asset. Scarcity is pretty much what determines the price of Bitcoin, the lower the quantity the higher its price would be.
Bitcoin's whitepaper itself said it's a P2P currency which allows transaction over the globe without the use of intermediary. How can this be called an asset? Merely because it's price keeps on rising?
As a student of economics, I agree with you partially, because if having some argument I just want to reveal some points, At first, I'm going to the definition of Inflation, I think the price rise of Bitcoin is not related to the inflation, I think inflation consists of both the price and quantity, Bitcoin price has raised but not raised according to its quantity, It's all about a fluctuation, On the other hand, I agree with you on the currency issue, Bitcoin is not a good currency because of having a huge price volatility, no one can choose this trend because of having a high risk even in the payment system. for me, Bitcoin is s good for trading and investment for the current context, when the value of Bitcoin will get stable then people will use as currency for sure, otherwise not.
I really don't think you are a student of economics if you don't understand the deflationary spiral. Question isn't about volatility or price fluctuations here. It's about the prices of commodities.