The entire financial value of cryptocurrencies, including STEEM, comes from speculation at present. It is entirely sufficient for STEEM to remain listed on exchanges for it to have value. It's really just brainless speculative games and that's all it is. Crypto speculators treat all altcoins as quasi-derivatives of Bitcoin. STEEM, among thousands of other altcoins only has monetary value because it's a speculative vehicle. They are not a very discerning bunch. They will throw money at anything, anything at all as long as it's listed on an exchange.

The next Bitcoin bull market will solve all of our financial problems. I'm sure of that.

The Steem blockchain code is ready once SMTs are tested. There is no need for Steemit, Inc any longer. Justin Sun can dump his holdings and cut his losses (he may have been misled or have been allowed to harbor in certain misunderstandings about the chain while negotiating with Ned). There rest of us will pick up the cheap Steem. Then whatever development or marketing needs to be done, will be funded through Steem.DAO. When that is done, this chain will fulfill its true promise as a DAO as opposed to a chain dependent on a single entity like Steemit, Inc or now the Tron foundation. If Justin Sun wants out, I have nothing against it.