Bitcoin and the consequences

The principle of a digital currency like Bitcoin is that we do away with banks. Everyone is turned into a bank. Transfers take place via the Internet, "assets" are stored digitally. With such a cryptocurrency, payment is easier than with our conventional money: transactions are easier, transfers are much faster. We would then only use our smartphone to pay. However, this also brings disadvantages: to use an online currency, you have to be online all the time and everywhere.

If the cell phone doesn't work, the payment process won't work either. And then there are problems that initially come as a surprise to the layman: Huge amounts of energy are needed to keep the necessary servers running. I'm also interested in the impact on banks, which are being challenged in their current form.

Personally, I don't see cryptocurrency gaining widespread acceptance in the coming years. The trend we are already seeing abroad: We will increasingly pay by card or by smartphone. Nevertheless, the questions remain: Why are we suddenly starting to look for alternative money and what consequences does that bring?