No, it doesn't solve the actual problem which is both: a) "conveniently pay for whatever is legal" and b) "have some recourse if someone takes my money and doesn't send me anything".
You may argue that current payment processors do a poor job at b) but they do an infinitely better job than crypto since it's a division by zero situation.
It solves the actual problem of "it is literally impossible for me to pay for this digitally" with "it is possible, albeit somewhat inconvenient, to pay anyone digitally for anything".
> b) "have some recourse if someone takes my money and doesn't send me anything"
Your recourse is the legal system. Crypto isn't mutually exclusive with working with trusted, legally registered corporations whom you can sue.
> Your recourse is the legal system. Crypto isn't mutually exclusive with working with trusted, legally registered corporations whom you can sue.
I agree with this. The problem is the way from "isn't mutually exclusive" (which I also agree with) to "actually integrated with the legal system". The latter part is nonexistent and likely constitutes 99% of the moat of the current payment providers.
You are concerned that a vendor who failed to deliver a product you ordered might cancel your account if you place a chargeback on the order?
If that is a fear shared among the general population, shouldn't that be a clear anti-trust concern?
Is losing your Amazon account that big of a deal? Are there really no practical alternatives? Is this fear of displeasing Amazon rational? If so, how come I don't hear any bells going off in government regulators?
I am not the person you're replying to, but I am also concerned about this issue.
This is a concern for people who have a lot of digital content under Amazon's umbrella. I have hundreds of audiobooks, ebooks, music, and movies - and if I lose my Amazon account I lose access to hundreds if not thousands of dollars of content.
As for trying to constrain Amazon to play fair, and treat the peasants nicely? Good luck.
Amazon is a rival to Google in terms of content delivered to people, and, like Google, Amazon performs a lot of services for the federal government. They have lobbyists, legal teams, and even politicians in their pocket.
Your subjective experience, or a lack of interest from legislators, does not mean these issues do not exist.
You have described to me that you are extremely dependent on a vendor that can exercise despotic control. On the one hand you express a total mistrust in the likelihood of them doing right by you. On the other hand you keep investing more and more of your assets into their control.
This indicates to me that the assets you put into their control are disposable for you or that you have no reasonable alternative. The former is easy for me to believe. That latter is difficult for me to believe. Together, it makes me disinclined to feel that the government needs to take any action on your behalf.
You may argue that current payment processors do a poor job at b) but they do an infinitely better job than crypto since it's a division by zero situation.