[slaman]

Could an alternate means of settlement be used? Runescape gold or hawala?

Potentially the involvement of those banks is a feature and provides value?

Things to ponder...

[CryptoPunk]

Those alternate means are not very durable.

[typon]

Gold isn't durable? It will still be valuable long after crypto currencies are a footnote in history.

[CryptoPunk]

I didn't realize you suggested gold. I thought you meant "runescape gold". Yes gold is durable.

I suspect cryptocurrency will be a store of value far further into the future than gold. Gold becomes plentiful once extracting resources from asteroids becomes economically viable.