Can Cryptocurrency Replace the Modern Financial System?

First and foremost, cryptocurrency allows for bypassing financial intermediaries such as banks or payment service providers. This reduces the time and resources used in traditional finance. In addition, cryptocurrency can offer users more financial freedom and security since they do not need to rely on institutions that manage and store funds.

Smart contracts provide significant opportunities for the financial industry. They enable automatic execution of financial transactions and ensure compliance with contractual conditions. Moreover, they eliminate the need for unnecessary intermediaries and the potential for human error or corruption. Smart contracts provide transparency by tracking all transactions, and their information cannot be deleted. All of this is permanently recorded on the blockchain.

Cryptocurrency can provide financial services to the underbanked population. There are certain countries that do not have a well-developed banking system, and their citizens face high fees and long waits for money transfers. Cryptocurrency provides a fast, affordable, and secure way to make payments or receive finances within the country or abroad. In addition, there are no weekends or lunch breaks to worry about.

Despite the possibilities of cryptocurrency, there are several problems that still need to be overcome. One of them is regulation. While some countries use cryptocurrency and create a favorable regulatory framework for it, others adhere to a more skeptical approach, establishing full or partial bans. This creates challenging conditions for the crypto industry and prevents it from fully realizing its potential.

In addition, cryptocurrency is prone to significant price fluctuations, making it a less stable means of storing value compared to traditional currencies. However, this problem can be solved if crypto becomes more widespread. If it has the same large market capitalization that the US dollar has, the issue of high volatility is likely to be resolved.

The immaturity of cryptocurrency can be called a problem (or rather a feature). In part, it currently resembles the "Wild West," as there is still room for fraud and hacking in this industry. Such cases damage its reputation, but certain steps are already being taken to overcome these setbacks.

Despite some traditional finance supporters seeing cryptocurrency as a threat, most participants in the financial system are trying to benefit from it. This applies to certain banking institutions, as well as international payment systems such as Visa or Mastercard. Instead of fighting the crypto industry, they are starting to cooperate with it by introducing new technologies into their field.