Bitcoin continues to march back towards its record highs, breaking back above $4600 for the first time since September 8.

So what will it take for the digital currency to get back to record highs above $5000 and beyond?

Forbes’ Panos Mourdoukoutas offers several possible catalysts…

The return of buzz, which will bring buyers back to the market. And that will take a catalyst, like the rollback of China’s ban on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which killed Bitcoin’s buzz in the first place.

The ban may be temporary, to appease international agencies and hardcore communist members ahead of the upcoming Communist Party convention, as written in a previous piece here.

Another catalyst could be a financial crisis which could make Bitcoin the “safe heaven” asset, as investors flee financial assets. Like the 2008-9 financial crisis that extended across almost every asset category. Or a sovereign debt crisis.

Then there’s the prospect of a regional war, beginning either in North Korea or the South China Sea, which would disrupt global trade; or in the Middle East, where Saudi Arabia and Iran are moving closer to an open war.

And there’s the prospect of an endorsement by a major Wall Street institution, which wouled increase awareness among investors, helping the demand for Bitcoin cross the “tipping point” and reach cascade.

How likely is it that any of these catalysts will materialize? They are all likely, but it takes time.

The Chinese Communist Party Convention, for instance, will be over at the end of this month. This means that the first catalyst may materialize soon after.

Time may get close for the second catalyst, as financial markets undergo a crisis, every 8-10 years; and eight years have already lapsed since the last crisis.

As of the other two catalysts, it’s hard to set a time.

That’s why investors in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies should take a longer view on placing their bets on the digital currency, always keeping in mind that Bitcoin is an alternative to national currencies, and the “new gold,” a hedge against global uncertainty.