You make some great points.
My "thoughts" :
- NO ONE has a crystal ball!
- BTC may or may not go up or down
- 'new' money entering the market will head to BTC due to media attention / BTC recogntion
- 'bankers' do not and cannot control BTC - they may spend a LOT of media $$ to wipe out BTC (and then buy in themselves!!)
- ALT coins typically have more 'asset value' eg steem vs BTC
ie they represent 'something' other than just the coin itself. - All crypto only has 'value' due to demand.
A drop in demand can mean a wipeout - Any 'coin' can be surpassed by a 'better' coin at any point,
ie the market is volatile
Bottom line: Only 'gamble' the amount you can afford to loose. Not your rent or food money.
I saw DOT Com boom & bust (things can move very fast with computers!)