One effect of cryptocurrencies is that we have all got a lot better at security. Or at least in theory: coins still go missing and people still don’t hold their private keys. Now, you’re in charge of keeping your assets safe, and can’t blame the bank or your accountant if you lose your shirt. It’s also probably a good idea to start teaching the rudiments of cryptography in schools, given how foundational the technology is going to become. Teaching children how to make better passwords is perhaps a good place to start.

A key tenet of cryptocurrencies is that they’ve unlocked trustless payments, or, put another way, you don’t need a middleman to shepherd the assets between the parties (for which, naturally, they’ll receive their cut). That said, fiat, at least in smallish amounts, probably still provides the greatest degree of privacy.