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by ahoy 4682 days ago
Is trading shares of stock or oil futures any more legitimate? Or even terribly different?
3 comments

Actually, yes, both are substantially different from Bitcoin. Both stock and futures contracts carry legal weight -- basically they are contracts and their value is ultimately a result of their legal meaning, despite all the speculators you hear about. From time to time you can see news about shareholder lawsuits or elections of corporate leadership. Companies often use futures contracts to reduce the risk of buying raw materials (fuel, food, etc.) for their operations.

With Bitcoin you have no legal guarantees at all.

Well, traffic volume is probably vastly different.
Comex rules are stacked in favor of larger investors. CFTC regulators catch about as many cheaters as the SEC, probably fewer.