Today, . 19% of the world’s population have purchased cryptocurrencies We’re seeing , and can eclipse $10 billion. 2x growth in year-over-year statistics daily trades in digital assets Though this growth is promising, we have some ways to go before digital assets can be considered “mainstream.” And as an alternative form of money, digital assets must provide alternative value offerings to our legacy systems in order to have value in itself. Even as the balance tilts toward adoption, only the capabilities, and limitations, of cryptocurrencies. 10% of us understand Justifiably, these problems have attracted high-level attention, with the Chairman of the Federal Reserve do not begin to cover the digital asset market and remarking how digital assets are .” But as menacing as these obstacles may seem, the most pressing problem is not a technological shortcoming, but something much more simple: Jerome Powell lamenting on how extant financial rules ECB President Lagarde “shaking the system Adoption lag in digital assets is a human problem. We’re still in the early stages of the technology, and it’s natural to be skeptical of things we don’t fully understand (remember the ?). But, this situation is even more pressing because many of us . It sometimes seems like the best interests. Not to mention, the current system is still plagued by the same technological problems, especially security — is a great example. Y2K scare are more skeptical of the current financial system incumbent financial players’ interests go against their consumer’s the Equifax payout of $700M It’s clear we need to move beyond the limitations of our ailing financial system. And the remedy is digital assets. Though there are still some glitches we need to fix, the race is underway… and we’re making headway every day. Developers, affluent individuals and large institutions are actively trying to solve these issues: Scalability Though there are many ways to , we still need industry-wide consensus in order to put this issue to bed once and for all. solve the scalability dilemma Volatility The influx of institutional capital is helping combat volatility by bringing more trade volume, asset holders and a more pragmatic approach to investing. Usability & Accessibility , which, with the right focus, will self-correct. Usability is a design problem Consumer Protection & Privacy Consumer protection (read: anonymity and encryption) is central to the founding mission of digital assets—and the perfect remedy to . bank’s security issues Oversight Governments are beginning to seriously address regulation for the first time—and for more and more industry insiders. oversight is becoming a rallying cry But Trust Is The Principal Problem Stalling Adoption An idea cannot live unless people believe in it. And belief requires trust. Trust is an issue plaguing financial services across the board, as come on the heels of crippling confidence in the financial institution, and the grows and grows. Deutsche Bank layoffs seemingly-endless list of Wells Fargo scandals In fact, the whole after plunging our economy into the “ ” in 2008. Perhaps in order to make up for diminishing margins, banks have become more aggressive in limiting exposure — in extreme cases, this includes personnel. The current financial system’s problems keep coming to light, and the . financial sector has been plagued Great Recession committing crimes against active-duty military SEC keeps issuing fines for illicit and unethical practices The next scandal to befall our present financial system could be right around the corner, with and . deficits rising debt escalating But as old-world mainstays are slowly being dismantled, the digital assets sector moves forward…. And digital assets will combat most, if not all, of the problems plaguing our current financial system. Thanks to the blockchain, trust is no longer required of parties banking on the decentralized ledger technology (DLT). The transparency that comes with DLT will make us all masters of our own money. And the removal of barriers to entry fortified by our financial incumbents — such as Bank of America, whose a $1,500 daily balance or $3,000 a year in direct deposit — will promote inclusion for the in 2017. free, “no-minimum” account requires 8.4 million unbanked households in America To spark adoption, we need to bolster our understanding of, and trust in, digital assets. As a society, we need to wrap our heads around digital assets and the revolution that’s underway. Adoption Lag Is A Human Problem Though there are some technological concerns with digital assets, many experts agree “ …”, a problem that ripples onto all projects built on the distributed ledger technology. blockchain’s adoption problem is a human problem So we need to decide: can we turn a blind eye to the misdeeds perpetrated by the current financial systems? Anything that brings stability, trust and access to our global economy is a victory. And digital assets could bring just this… if we’re able to solve our own “crypto-ceptual” problems. We need to take this into our own hands before Big Tech sinks its , and the incumbent system places us into yet another financial stranglehold. FANGs into crypto This article was written on behalf of Arca, an institutional grade financial services firm building products utilizing and investing in digital assets. I do not hold a position in Arca and write on a freelance basis for them. . Subscribe to the Arca Digest here

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