Ten years ago, Bitcoin was introduced to the world. It was heralded as a libertarian innovation that would provide a medium of exchange unhinged from the central banking system. Computer scientists and political activists saw the potential for an alternative money system that would replace fiat currencies. Despite the hope, this vision has not materialized. Research published by Morgan Stanley in 2018 showed that only four of the top 500 US e-commerce companies accepted cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin purists describe its decentralized architecture and lack of a central authority as the key elements for crypto assets. …
