LTC jumped from under 2 dollar to 55 dollars this time around last year, from lower then we are now to 20x higher (1.2 billion).. From what I could tell 99% of that was hype generated internally from the crypto community, the average investors on the periphery being collateral damage sucked into it after the fact.
In that case it was also a question of access, but then there was so much buzz, so much insanity and hype, "LTC on GOX" and "LTC ON CHINA" - everyone could feel shit was about to go down http://trollboxarchive.com/quote/20357534
Yeah I rode that train, forget the numbers but got in 5-ish I think and out in mid twenties.
I remember Max Keiser was all over it as well, I think that really helped, he has quite a platform.
I think his pump juice is much weaker now though, felt kind of sad watching him try do the same thing for MaxCoin.
But I agree a Billion dollar + valuation can come in a blink. I'd like to think BTSX has enough penetration in the Chinese market especially that once they feel it's decentralised, stable & they like what they see, we'll see the price rise a lot.