[yardie]

Interesting. What's $40MM in bitcoin?

I ask because most of these articles are trying to shock you with the exchange value rather than the BTC value.

[ceejayoz]

How is it any different from "one ton of gold" versus "$40 million in gold"? Surely the latter provides more useful information to the general public?

[kelnos]

Gold is generally less volatile, so saying "$40mm in gold" would likely have some lasting significance. But in a month, that $40mm in Bitcoin could be worth $20mm or $60mm or something else entirely. Giving the actual value in BTC would let us know how much exactly.

[AsymetricCom]

"Useful" for somebody, sure. I don't think that fact has any use for the pubic.

[betterunix]

The overwhelming majority of Bitcoin users are concerned with the exchange value, so it makes sense to give that rather than the "native" value.

[interstitial]

So you're saying it's not a currency, but a speculative play?

[justin]

For most buyers of bitcoin currently, yes. In the future that might change.

[alexkus]

Article says 5500BTC.

[celticninja]

96000 btc i believe was the figure being thrown around however I also saw 39000 btc at the every early stages and that is much closer to the $40million estimate given in OP.