Genuinely curious if Bitcoin/Crypto is the future or just hype?

I'm very new to the crypto space, brought in by all the headlines talking about how the price of BTC will skyrocket next year, and while I certainly see the benefits from the perspective of a short-term investment I'm struggling to understand why so many people are still holding BTC beyond simply using it as a vehicle to turn money into more money.

As a decentralized platform of global exchange I definitely see the benefits. Being able to use the same currency in the USA as I could use in Tanzania, and not have it blocked or confiscated, has its perks. What bothers me is how BTC's value seems to be driven almost entirely by hype and narrative. Ethical questions surrounding decentralized finance aside, it's concerning how an entire currency's worth could plummet if enough people say "Ew, Bitcoin, cringe". The USD may be a bloated f(i)at-ass, but at least it's backed up by regulation and military power.

I truly want to understand crypto and its benefits to the market, and the world, and I've got my finger hovering over the "buy" button as we speak. At this time, however, I can't see how BTC could be universally adopted like how so many people hope it will be and we'll all have to use it. It's too utopian. Too good to be true.

Again, my only goal is to understand crypto in a practical sense and not to throw shade at the product.