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It's pure speculation, like many other cryptocurrency coins. From one perspective, SBD is a far better currency than Bitcoin:

  • Free transactions
  • 3 second confirmation times
  • Fewer total coins in circulation (as of right now, in the future that will probably change, which counts again SBD since Bitcoin has a hard cap)
  • Easier wallet addresses as names instead of complicated strings of characters
  • Built-in social media aspect to the token which gives it some utility value beyond a normal cryptocurrency
  • It will never be worth less than $1 USD worth of STEEM. Even BTC doesn't have a guarantee like this.

etc, etc, etc. I could go on and on.

Ultimately, value is determined in the moment of transaction by those who choose to participate. To me, there's little sense in having two speculative tokens in the core of the STEEM blockchain. If people want to speculate, buy STEEM. I see throwing away an opportunity to have a stable pegged currency as a costly long-term decision, but I'm also not willing to destroy the great rewards the community is enjoying right now.

Thank you, @lukestokes for the detailed answer.

but I'm also not willing to destroy the great rewards the community is enjoying right now.

I believe that the high price of SBD helped give Steem a lot of attention.