... It is no different than having credit card, debit card, gift card, vouchers, and every other form of money currently available. It will just be a different way to transport your money not to mention simpler because all will have applications. To me it seems like a no-brainer but I again would only have a handful not 50 or 100 of them on my phone.
I'd like to compare using current payment cards against cryptocurrencies with the following scenarios.
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Current payment cards go through the following:
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Store -> merchant card processor -> card network (Visa/MC/AX/...) -> issuing bank -> bank account
Timeframe:
Approval/Reject notice to the cash register within 10 seconds.
Account settlement happens overnight.
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Current Cryptocurrencies (especially altcoins)
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If both consumer and producer use the same cryptocurrency, the following will apply:
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Consumer selects a service/product and tries to check out,
Store (most likely online) -> wait for payment from Consumer
Consumer sends the coin amount to Store
Store may receive the fund within a few minutes, but waits for the minimal number of block confirmations (6-20?)
Store releases the service/product after receiving required minimal confirmations.
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If the consumer and producer don't use the same cryptocurrency, things get messy:
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Consumer selects a service/product and tries to check out,
Store (most likely online) -> wait for payment from Consumer
Consumer needs to convert her coins to Store's coin via one or more exchanges.
If the Consumer does not have an account at the Store's coin exchange, the Consumer must open an account.
Consumer sends her coins to Store's coin exchange from her new wallet/exchange
Consumer purchases the necessary coin
If the purchase of the Store coin is not allowed with Consumer coin a new transaction is needed.
Consumer sends the coin amount to the Store
Store may receive the fund within a few minutes, but waits for the minimal number of block confirmations (6-20?)
Store releases the service/product after receiving the required minimal confirmations.
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So, I don't know what the future holds. I hope all these things can take place in the background and swiftly while I try to check out a product/service from a web site so it feels like I'm using just like any other current payment cards.
But who is going to pay for all the necessary development? Maybe a new coin for that purpose?