With the US becoming a favourite holiday destination with families, on the back of discounted airfares and some great package deals on accomodation it can be tempting to head across the Pacific Ocean. But currency valuations are going to make that cheap flight deal seem like the opening of a sinkhole. With the Aussie dollar tipped to drop below US$0.70, shopping in the land of the free is not going to be nearly as much fun.

Bitcoin, the decentralised digital currency, seemed on the verge of disappearing after every scandal, crash or hack. But eight years later, it's not only growing but accelerating, with the price of a single BTC "coin" recently climbing above $5400.

And it isn't the only cryptocurrency; competitors include Litecoin, Dogecoin and Ethereum (a currency that supports "smart contracts"). These graphs, videos and explainers contain everything you need to know.

The way we deal with money is constantly changing -- as is the nature of money itself. You can absolutely expect your money to change over the coming decades. In fact, the world of finance is on the cusp of revolutionary change.