It is real technology with competitive advantages in specific use casesBitcoin and other proof-of-work/proof-of-stake networks have run 24/7 for 15+ years without a single successful “double-spend” or reversal of settled transactions. No central operator can freeze your funds, censor transactions, or inflate supply beyond known rules. That’s a property no traditional financial system can replicate at global scale. Stablecoins (USDT, USDC, etc.) already move ~$10–20 trillion in settled volume per year (Chainalysis, 2024–2025 figures), mostly cross-border and near-instant, often cheaper and faster than SWIFT or correspondent banking. Institutions like Visa, JPMorgan, BlackRock, and PayPal now settle real money on-chain because it’s objectively better for certain corridors (e.g., LATAM remittances, Asian B2B payments). Self-custody + smart contracts remove intermediaries in niches: prediction markets (Polymarket processed >$3B wagered on the 2024 U.S. election alone), decentralized physical infrastructure (Helium, Render), transparent charity (Gitcoin), royalty enforcement for creators (NFT standards), etc. These aren’t hypothetical; they have product-market fit today.