2 Reasons Why It's So Hard to Value Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, and Other Cryptocurrencies
Since the trough of the Great Recession in March 2009, the broad-based S&P 500 has returned nearly 300%. This is among the best intermediate-term returns that investors have ever seen, considering that the stock market averages a 7% historic annual return, inclusive of dividend reinvestment and adjusted for inflation.
But cryptocurrencies have one-upped the stock market. In fact, you could argue that the smorgasbord of virtual currencies has left the stock market eating their dust. Since the year began, the aggregate market cap of all cryptocurrencies has increased from $17.7 billion to north of $300 billion as of Nov. 29, a return of close to 1,600%. These are lifetime gains that cryptocurrency investors have enjoyed in just 11 months' time (assuming they've held since the year began).
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Source: Fool.com