I think it also depends on what you count as "use". The #1 function of Bitcoin is as a speculative asset.

I think the interesting use is more in the blockchain than the currency. Public, verifiable, tied to an identity, decentralized statements that can be used as public records or provide an audit trail. Cryptographically & blockchain secured bodycams is an example that I've been looking into recently

The problem is that the distributed consensus in a blockchain is only possible if that blockchain is also used as a currency. If you remove the currency aspect, it's no better than a Git repository, which also has a merkle tree ( but no way to say which repo is the canonical one).

I am not sure remittance counts as a "use", especially if it is only useful for remitting money because it is also actually "used" for settling ransomware payouts or buying cocaine.

Aren't those things also purchased with usd, euro, yen, won, rmb, etc?

Yes, though (to their benefit) traditional currencies don't work as well for ransomware. Possibly the same for illegal purchases.

Remittances seems like one of the true benefits of cryptocurrency... but that's why I'd like to know what amount of usage is actually that and what is, let's say non-beneficial.

Ah I see what you're getting at now. Understandable.

Yes, take a look at this article by Coinbase for some well-sourced numbers: https://blog.coinbase.com/fact-check-crypto-is-increasingly-...

The primary use of cryptocurrency is in its name - a currency.

So... What do people use the currency for, mostly? That's what I'm asking.

Transactions, investment, store of value. Just like any other currency.

I have a lot of digital artist friends who used to rely on live performances and installations for their money, now they're seriously killing it selling NFTs

Some of them opt out of more environmentally unfriendly stuff like Ethereum for sure

Personally I've developed systems for paying for everyday things like your bus fare or phone bill using crypto in a country where there's a hell of a lot less confidence in fiat (Brazil) -- hell check out the history of the Brazilian Real if you want an idea of what real candycorn money looks like

Personally I just feel a hell of a lot of privileged bullshit out of people arguing that crypto is some good for nothing shit. Yeah sure great try living in a country where your government is fucked. We truly don't live in some francis fukuyama neoliberal fantasy world where we can trust stuff like traditional financial markets which have gone and failed us in the non english speaking world time and time again. I welcome any and all alternatives

TL;DR [CITATION NEEDED] ;-)

Wow, you can actually pay your bus fare and phone bills in Brazil with crypto? That sounds either very impressive or totally unbelievable.

I could not find anything on Google, so if someone could you link/cite to some actually used examples (I guess apps or utility website?) that would be very helpful. Sincere thanks.

As with anything cryptocurrency related, it's safe to assume that the justification is contrived and the actual use case is niche, at best.

My experience as a Brazilian is that I've never seen anyone using cryptocurrencies in real life. On the other hand, the government's new instant payments system (Pix), allows anyone with a mobile phone to easily make small payments. In less than one year since launch it's already ubiquitous.

by the way you try searching in portuguese?

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=comprar%20passagem%20d...

plenty of options now wow so hard to find

yeah i mean not like a condescending tone is going to covince me to try and convince you to give away PII on this one i mean this account is linked to my name you can do your thing