A simple interface to make BTC usable for the mass population would be good, yes.

For me one of the biggest risks for BTC overall is security, and a 'bank' model could provide this. If BTC moons, everyone holding 0.1 may be in the equivalent state to hoarding $50,000 under their mattress. That's a lot of insecurity (and temptation for crims) right there.

It would also provide a framework for BTC investment legacy, something that doesn't seem to get a lot of attention (as long as the early adopters are alive...)

I think a BTC bank is inevitable if mass adoption is to occur, even if it does sit outside many folks vision for BTC. Good luck with it.

Bitcoin itself may be free of government regulatory control, but governments will always be able to exert an element of control through taxation (especially if the much-vaunted mass adoption is to occur).

- UK government already does this to an extent through Capital Gains Tax. If you sell up and convert to FIAT, you are liable to pay.
- As adoption increases, govt can put onus on vendors to charge VAT. If you want your purchases protected (consumer protection) the transaction will need to be recorded and will be on vendor accounts.
- Informal payments (including but not limited to black economy) won't be taxed, same as now with FIAT.

You can try and bypass taxation, but then you're technically committing a crime (insert your own caveat re. big business here).

BTC offers freedom from the existing banking system, not taxation.

I first heard about BTC around five years back. A pal of mine runs a tech company and he was mining and using his rig to heat his office through the winter. I disregarded what he told me as 'just more tech stuff I'm never likely to understand' although I did read a few articles over the following years. Around a year ago I asked how BTC was going and he said he'd switched to mining ETH. For some reason this captured my imagination this time and he told me more over a few beers. Since then I've got more into it and have been lurking around this forum for a few months now, although this is my first actual post.