http://gigaom.com/2013/08/06/can-bitcoin-enable-the-fabled-micropayments-revolution-coinbase-thinks-its-worth-a-shot/Closing paragraph:
As I said back in April, the great thing about Bitcoin is not necessarily this particular crypto-currency itself – it’s the way in which Bitcoin is stimulating and developing the virtual currency space as a whole, with the wider benefit being the disruption of the traditional financial system.
Banks levy usurious fees on international money transfers, and virtual currencies make it possible to severely undercut them. The card companies hold back the development of much-needed micropayments ecosystems, and perhaps virtual currencies can work their magic there too. This is why, hype and speculation aside, Bitcoin really does matter.
