If you are trying to figure out what a cryptocurrency is -- or why it's even remotely valuable -- rest easy: You aren't alone. While cutting-edge technologists have been pounding on the table for nearly a decade that this is the future, most mere mortals only became familiar with Bitcoin (BTC 0.31%) and Ethereum (ETH +0.38%) over the past few years.
While we'll leave it to others to determine if such cryptocurrencies are worthy of your direct investment, there are other ways to benefit from the trend. Chief among them: Coinbase Global (COIN +1.09%) -- which has developed the leading platform for buying and selling cryptocurrencies.
In this July 6 video highlighting their hour-long deep dive into the company, Motley Fool contributors Brian Stoffel and Brian Feroldi discuss the bull and bear case for Coinbase, along with the most important variable -- which is completely out of the company's control -- that will hold the most sway over its long-term fortunes.
