"I don't get why crypocurrency even has to be a replacement for normal currency." The entire point of Bitcoin is to replace "normal" currency. Otherwise, we c

"I don't get why crypocurrency even has to be a replacement for normal currency." The entire point of Bitcoin is to replace "normal" currency. Otherwise, we could just push for Chaum-style systems, which are better designed, more secure, and allow for things like offline transfers. The point of Bitcoin is to remove central authorities, which are the very thing that make other currencies valuable (yes, even gold, which would have been little more than a rare shiny metal were it not for ancient governments).