bitshares as an asset yes, but it is much more. Bitshares is an exchange like Polo or Bittrex, but on the Blockchain. So you trade on the blockchain. It decentralises the (normally) oh so central exchanges. Your funds cannot get lost or stolen (unless you share your private key) / mt-goxxed as all your funds reside on the blockchain.

Check it out via https://bitshares.openledger.org or https://bitshares.org/wallet (many GUI interface, just like here with Steemit, Busy, ChainBB, Esteem)