Why isn't crypto going mainstream?

[stikboy]

Lots of good points and I'm too lazy to use the quote function :/ so some reguritation of previous points.

This post is coming from someone who is entrenched in western(US) thinking, so not a global view at all.  But US folks are very used to easy/non-complicated buying.  We can't even change to the metric system, yet you want mass adoption that would require folks to think in terms of fractions (.0002 bitcoins per whatever).  Yes we have cents to fractionalize dollars, but how many people say "This costs 75c"?  More than likely, they will round up and say "This costs $1"

Also need to define what we want mass adoption to be.  Right now, the news articles are painting pictures of crypto being investments, not currency.  And our current adoption is towards that end (investments).  Why are you here?  To find a way to spend money without fiat, or to make money?

The main things I see that need to change for mass adoption as a currency is: (and doesn't need all, just most)

Stability.  Consumers and merchants don't want a currency that can depreciate/appreciate 25% in a day

Ease of Use.  I don't want to have to unlock my wallet, scan a code, wait 10 minutes for acceptance.  Culturally I am used to swipe, sign and done.   There is progress being made in this space (at least according to the shills )

   Related:  Clear winner for currency use (btc is common, but see Stability).  "Oh cr@p, this website only accepts xyz token?  Now I have to trade some btc, lose the network fees, download a new wallet, wait for all the transferring around, *then* buy whatever". I have hopes for the multiple debit card options that are being developed to help in this space, but the average consumer does not carry dollars, euros, pesos, all at once.

   Simplification.  Currently there are just too many coins/tokens available and having that many choices scares folks away from change.  How many search  engines are there?  How many do you use?  googling is a verb, binging is not

Killer app.  This may be different for everyone.  The reason I got into crypto was online poker.  Sites I played on accepted bitcoin, and withdrawal was faster/easier with btc compared to cc/paypal.  But we need something that makes transitioning to xxxcoin easier/as easy as cc/dollar.

Economical disaster.   What is the compelling reason for the masses to adopt cyrpto?  The dollar is stable (in decline, but stable).  Venezuela is an example of this.  Their currency sucks, so btc is becoming more prevalent there.

Consumer protection.  If someone hacks my bank and steals my money there, I am federally insured up to xxxxxx.  Someone gets my phone or hacks my wallet, I am out whatever my balance is there.

[Gangy]

I think most of the people think crypto is illegal and dangerous when they first hear about it. That's why  %90 of the people who know about crypto stay aways from it. Tho i don't think this will continue like this for years. All those big moneys will attract more people everyday. We will see crypto going mainstream in couple of years.

[Hyperme.sh]

https://e11.io - we will help crypto go mainstream with projects like CryptoWars, a mobile strategic game on the blockchain, meant to be played by everyone - introducing crypto concepts to the world.

I think we should talk. I will send you a PM.

They refused to even talk.

[blacktux88]

i dont think its going not mainstream.

in austria you can buy bitcoin in public station.
also more markets accept BTC to buy stuff.

give the market more time and we will be happy

[btcdepo]

media as main stream is contolled by huge players and those huge players are still cannot dominate the crypto, so they don't want to attrat public to BTC

[VTS]

I think one of the biggest hold-back is the mostly complicated withdraw to USD. If the withdraw to USD would be easier it would grow much fast IMHO.

[Knukleks]

It is going mainstream definitely. These kind of things take a lot of time. The idea of current money system existed for way to many years for this to just be able to blow up that quickly.

[muraqaba]

it's complicated and confusing.
HUGE learning curve.
most people are stupid.

[imperatron]

I think we are on a good track to make it mainstream! It maybe will need 1 or 2 years, but we will see more and more people rushing into the markets!

[CTO@MyBitMine]

Crypto isnt going mainstream because of it hart to understand in the beginning, and so many peoples don't know about crypto now. In my circle of contacts much more then a half of peoples dont hear about crypto and it hard to explain them what it is crypto. People love comfort and simplicity. Maybe later it will be crypto.

[Sumo]

too hard to buy and get verified and limits and such.

[batang_bitcoin]

What could we do to take blockchain technology and make it accessible for everyone?

Actually we don't have to do anything but by the continuous support we will be able to see it then that is accessible to everyone. And we are getting there in the mainstream since it's name was being in the news so people are curious about cryptocurrency and they are seeing it's chart to be realistic and it's an attractive investment because there are big people that are showing its support and interest.

[Qpeep]

Most people don't really get it. They seem to be completely unable to grasp the logic and the mechanics of cryptos. Some of these people however dream of being able to enjoy the advantages that cryptos eventually bring to people who adopt it (ie getting rich - perhaps) without however getting any clue of what cryptos acctually consists. These are the people who are perfect victims for scams like the Onecoin Ponzi scheme.

[darylalban]

Hey guys,

I don't get what's holding us back. Every time I talk about crypto with a family member or someone at work their eyes glaze over.

I feel like I'm the weirdo talking about klingon mating rituals!

Which makes me wonder - why are we still on the fringe? What could we do to take blockchain technology and make it accessible for everyone?

Anyway, that's my rant for today...

What do you think?

For anything to reach the general public, expect a 3 year delay after it feels like everyone knows about it. From there, you have to have companies come in and make things simple.

I feel like there are ICO's that are very mainstream like Unkrn's UnikoinGold. They launched last month and their ICO is ending this month. They got a lot of attention when big honchos like Mark Cuban, Ashton Kutcher, and Pantera Capital (the people that funded Twitter and Snapchat) funded them. Even some of my friends who know nothing about crypto and ICO's mentioned it to me lol.

[sexycoin69]

I think the idea of blockchain and getting money for math problems just doesn't compute to most people. More "important" figures will need to adopt it in order for the sheep to follow.

[danbitcoin1]

It's still much too complicated. Crypto exchanges are hard to navigate and understand for someone new to crypto. They're also greedy and the fees are too high.

[Morphling]

It's normal that new things have a process to be known and accepted, especially it seems not illegal in some countries, but I think it maybe not a bad thing, if everyone think cryptos have a brighter future, then all of them will get involved, then it will be more difficult to gain profits

[NoiseBoy]

Simple: ease of use and security.

The bulk of crypto requires a degree of computer competence beyond perhaps 85% of people. 98% of people if you include the entire world.

Security: If someone steals my identity and drains my bank account, I report it, and my bank keeps me whole. If someone hacks my Bitcoin key and drains my wallet, I have no recourse, cannot reverse the transaction, and am totally fukt. Try convincing an elderly retiree to use bitcoin under those circumstances.

[karmakeddon]

Who said it's not? Crypto currencies are new. It is not even a decade since the initial release of the oldest one, bitcoin. Crypto currencies right now is like credit cards back in the 60's. Everything new is not easily embraced by the masses as there will always be doubts. Give it time and it will go mainstream. Japan is doing the right thing already. Integrating bitcoin into society.

[rgm108]

It will be next year, bitcoin will finish on a high despite the negativity from key market makers trying to crash the price. Marketing will increase, retail investor focused companies will begin funds and provide access to the cryptosphere.

2018 will be a big year, mark my words.