We don’t want to conflate value with price. For the short- to medium-term, I’m quite happy for STEEM to be available at fire-sale prices so that I can buy more whenever I happen to have some fiat to spare. Long-term I’d love to see the price make all time highs so that my holdings could provide a nice income stream. The value that will drive the price will likely come from apps that have not yet been imagined, much less launched. Splinterlands is a hint of what could come; its ability to bring outside money into the Steem ecosystem has let it grow significantly.
Might some type of financial service be the use case that creates great value on the Steem blockchain? Middleman business are under great pressure everywhere. Could a Steem blockchain app twist the knives that are being stabbed in their backs?