Like most people, I recently considered the virtual currency bitcoin to be dead. Expired. Bereft of life. Kicked the bucket. An ex-currency. But now I’m not so sure. Contrary to expectations, the currency’s value has not crashed. It’s actually gone up compared to last year’s figures, with one bitcoin worth $397 today compared to $213 in January 2014. It’s still nowhere near stable, but it’s not a disastrous investment either. Those who bought $1000 worth of bitcoin a year ago have not lost their money – indeed, they’ve gained some. So it’s strange to see Mike Hearn, a self-proclaimed Bitcoin expert, suddenly pronouncing the currency’s doom. “Despite knowing that Bitcoin could fail all along, the now inescapable conclusion that it has failed still saddens me greatly” writes Hearn. It’s an odd argument in more ways than one. The greatest threat to bitcoin – its dangerously fluctuating value – has not crippled the currency. Meanwhile, its old advantages are all still present. It remains the currency of choice for rebels and rogues: go to any drugs marketplace on the internet, and you’re likely to find a bitcoin payment option. The second great advantage is bitcoin’s phenomenally good transfers. If you’re looking