It seems that experts say that Bitcoin 'Here to Stay,' But Banks Could Disappear.
"TheStreet: How do you think FinTech will impact the way banks operate?
Frank Schwab: Banks either react on, or they will disappear. Anyway, the consolidation of the banking industry accelerates as the behaviour of people changes. Some banks will benefit from [FinTech], some will be pushed to the back end, and some will disappear."
http://www.thestreet.com/story/13419089/1/bitcoin-here-to-stay-but-banks-could-disappear-says-fintech-expert.html
What's your read on that?
"TheStreet: How do you think FinTech will impact the way banks operate?
Frank Schwab: Banks either react on, or they will disappear. Anyway, the consolidation of the banking industry accelerates as the behaviour of people changes. Some banks will benefit from [FinTech], some will be pushed to the back end, and some will disappear."
http://www.thestreet.com/story/13419089/1/bitcoin-here-to-stay-but-banks-could-disappear-says-fintech-expert.html
What's your read on that?
This is a complicated question. The reason why banks exist is because they can do credit creation (by issuing loans.) This enables a bank to lend out more “money” than reserves (at the central bank and other assets.) Bitcoin is like “gold” and if it becomes more common in everyday transactions it would mean that banks would have to build up bitcoin reserves, in case they start having accounts denominated in bitcoin. This in turn enforces central banks to hold bitcoin in case banks have to be bailed out (if bitcoin becomes very common.)
However, in parallel there’s more development happening around the bitcoin network. Although the bitcoin network cannot handle much transaction volumes, there’s work that enables decentralised high speed transactions using the bitcoin network as a settlement layer. These technologies are named lightning network, lumino, sidechains, etc. This enables high capacity transfers completely outside the banking network. If peer-to-peer lending networks enables alternative ways of people getting loans, then the need for banks may almost diminish. At least how we view “banks” today, i.e. credit creation. These institutions will of course not disappear but transform into something else. Perhaps into something like investment funds.
