I asked him the question... "Do you see Bitcoin as a disruptive technology or a threat to the traditional banking system"
His answer {Most arrogantly} ....We do not consider Bitcoin as a "real" currency.
I then asked him to define a currency in his opinion ...and he said ..." a system of money in general use in a particular country "
I then told him...Bitcoin is a global currency... He then replied.. "But nobody use it"
They are clearly in the "Let's ignore it" phase of the disruption cycle... When they wake up... it will be to late to change.
In my opinion, any currency should have a legal backing by the respective country by the equivalent amount of Gold in it's reserve. What do you say? Is it correct or not?
We've already been there. After 1944 the US dollar had been allegedly backed up by gold till Nixon Shock. And many countries were on the gold standard even before that (I mean before the First World War). Didn't end very well, though...
So you see, Bitcoin is and will be a virtual currency till someone or some country start backing it by some physical property like Gold, land, or any other kind of asset which has a real value in the market.
But why would they, given they don't have control over the blockchain? If they don't back up the currency they happen to emit by anything other than law and power, I think it is highly unlikely anyone would ever be going to back up bitcoin. It just doesn't make sense since it is already in a sense backed up by its blockchain...