I still think that despite the spotlight Bitcoin will get from Banks exploring the use of blockchain, the real winner isn't Bitcoin.
Infact, i'm pretty sure that since the January low, we have already had a new player in Bitcoin, most probably a bank and what used to be 'the people's currency' will once again become more and more centralised.
I feel the same, bitcoin is not in the middle of things. Blockchain is. I think that all banks want is to cut off blockchain, destroy bitcoin and create their own coins. Just like CitiBank is doing now:
http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/07/citibank-is-working-on-its-own-digital-currency-citicoin/The blockchain is only as strong as the network hash used to confirm its blocks added to that point (e.g., cumulative difficulty). I doubt any alternative blockchain will become more secure, ergo more valuable, than Bitcoin.
The banks may want to cut off and destroy Bitcoin but the genius of its design increases the difficulty of doing so the more of a threat it becomes. Banks may be coming around to this new reality.