I've been in since very early on as well. There isn't anything, other than black market transactions, that BTC is good for. The idea that it has some kind of inherent value is completely insane. People are willing to pay for it now because Tether is artificially keeping the price high. Sooner or later someone (US government, Russian mobsters) are going to nab those Tether dudes and the game is going to be up.