I feel you. Just like the GPL killed Linux. That said, the GPL only covers the software, not the protocol. So banks are free to just re-implement that protocol, it's not that complicated. This should be peanuts for any larger bank. Or maybe pay money to Taler Systems to re-license the software under a commercial license?

I don't know if they're open to that, since they didn't dual license it or use something like https://polyformproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/PolyF... , or if still realistically possible.

I hope it works out in the end anyways ...

>I really like the concept and wish it was reality.

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. Does the project not actually exist? It seems like it is real and has been under development for some years now....

It exists as a demo (and on a student campus for food), but it's not like you can get Taler from your bank and pay at the supermarket or a random shop in the internet

That just sounds like a lack of real world implementation to me. Assuming it works for what the school needs, it can probably be adapted to other systems I would think. Just like if you or I wrote a project, is it not real until someone else implements it?

Banks are notoriously slow on the uptake of tech projects, it might take some internal pushing from people who care to adopt a FOSS solution. Most business I've run into prefer proprietary projects because its easier to just throw money at something, although they could throw money at their internal team to implement FOSS. Unsure if it would be more expensive in this case, I'm not very familiar with fintech

It’s not just technical, but regulatory challenges that come with issuing a new kind of prepaid-instrument (it is akin to a Casino Chip that can be accepted by _any person with a bank account_).

Central Banks are not known for speedily approving such proposals.