Is Bitcoin denting the economy?

So how big an impact are bitcoins really having on the global economy? The latest market stats show the digital currency continues to show a growing influence on "real" money.

Among some recent stats:

• As of April 2013, more than 11 million bitcoins have been mined so far;
• The market cap for bitcoins now exceeds $1 billion (US), and briefly stood at a high of over $2.6 billion;
• The value for a bitcoin reached a high of $237.57 in April 2013 before crashing to a low of $83.66 in a matter of days. While the value has recovered some, even the low far exceeds the $4.98 bitcoin value in early 2012.