Yes this is absolutely true. But once the cryptocurrencies gain a true grip, along with alternative payment processors, we will really begin to see a true divergence. In some sense, such particulars are the bedrock of the second internet.
Maybe. I have no doubt that cryptocurrency use will be common, primarily because it will be necessary in a world dominated by software agents that can't rely on meatspace money, but I'm starting to wonder about likelihood of the original political goal. Wallstreet gave up fighting it after a couple of years, and is presently positioned as the guy selling the shovels in the gold rush, but there is an increasing amount of direct interaction. It seems like they think they'll be able to maintain the present segmented status - which is obviously not going to work. So I expect they'll go full hands on mode once it is obvious that there is no going back. What will that look like? Well every couple of years, since the very beginning, some idiot has tried to start a colored-coin/tainted-coin service - to, you know, think of the children... making the currency worthless after being tainted by activities deemed unacceptable (ransomware, exchange hacks, etc). No matter how many times it is explained that this eliminates the property of fungibility, which is what makes a currency a currency, these people keep popping up. Well wallstreet might be able to make it happen, if they make the move before there is more widespread global adoption.
