One last caveat: Bitcoins are stored in a "wallet," which is nothing but an encrypted file on your computer. There is no central bank, and losing this file means you've lost all of your Bitcoins. So if you do use Bitcoin for anything serious, be sure to constantly back up this file to protect. Encryption might not go amiss either, as the suggests. Digital wallets are vulnerable to hacks, and Symantec recently reported a .

Bitcoin may not be ready for prime time yet, and the system can seem too appealing for certain types of underhanded dealings (untraceable, anonymous money, anyone?). In fact, some US senators are even , for just that reason. But even if Bitcoin itself gets shut down--unlikely as that may seem--I believe it is a sign of things to come. If you have any interest in foreign exchange or monetary systems, you would do well to give Bitcoin a quick spin.