Who says virtual currencies aren't real?

I just read the related article on Dibspace. I thought this is the perfect incentive to start a post on virtual currencies.

With the start of online gaming there was a boom of virtual currencies in the virtual market. I have experienced the one of World of Warcraft in the beginning for example. But of course there are many other examples as well. The basic here is: you make virtual money and pay for virtual things, but you could optionally just buy money as well with real money.

You could play the game to make more money, or you could look for a website selling these virtual currencies (even on Ebay f.e.). To me, that sounds the same as a rather undevelopped currency market place.

Then there are websites like facebook, where you can't play for the virtual currencies but you always have to buy a first package, at least the first time you play with it. What you do with the virtual currencies is still virtual as well. The basic here is: you buy virtual money and you use it for virtual services and objects.

And then the next step is Dibspace, where you get virtual currencies if you open an account and where you can gain more money during 'the game' of referring people and offering REAL services etc. That means we are at that stage already of using virtual currencies to pay for real services...

I wond how long it will take before we have a real virtual currency (no cash available) on Wall Street...