The only reason I can think of why crypto is popular or have...

The only reason I can think of why crypto is popular or have believers is that it cannot be manipulated by monetary authorities, no ticket clipping banks when transaction happens although there is a $5 fee from what I have read for each transaction regardless of the amount and a supply/demand market pricing by the participants defining the valuation. AND most of all, the transferring of funds circumvent geography so that a person in Alice Spring can deal with an Alaskan instantaneously through a smart phone or anywhere around the globe with internet.

The risk are cowboys/scammers using ICO to illicit investment funds from the retail public making the right excuse by central banks to stamp down on this industry that is not regulated as we can see the Chinese authorities firing the first shot. Pretty sure more will follow as sovereign currencies are being threatened through the ticket clipping banks and tax raising. This is of course the perfect medium from criminals armed together with the TOR anonymity to indulge in their secretive but illegal activities. It also makes it difficult for authorities to track illegal funds moving globally with impunity caused by the technology of the blockchain and generic public ledging of the coins.

I would rather buy physical gold than a bitcoin of the variety available that can be invented/created out of thin air which is exactly what the complains of fiat currencies globally!