The article specifically focuses on using BTC for settlement - essentially, Joe Consumer wouldn't be using on-network transactions to buy coffee. He'd use an of

The article specifically focuses on using BTC for settlement - essentially, Joe Consumer wouldn't be using on-network transactions to buy coffee. He'd use an off-network transaction at a wallet provider, his wallet provider would tell the merchant's provider, at the end of an agreed time period (daily, usually in banking today) the two providers "settle" whatever net balance differential lies between them. If this makes you start asking questions like "wait, aren't 'wallet providers' here just unregulated banks? How is this better?", remember the Cryptocurrency Creed: "From each according to his gullibility, to each according to his greed."