Q: Do you believe cryptocurrencies will become truly mainstream, i.e., be adopted by most vendors and clients alike? Is the economy ready for this? [Bill Maurer, UCI professor of anthropology and law]: Without clear guidance from regulators in the US and worldwide, cryptocurrencies are never going to be more than a niche investment for people willing to take risks -- and the risks are considerable! In the real estate market, we're beginning to see startups offering mortgage loans based on borrower's crypto holdings as collateral. But this kind of arrangement only works insofar as crypto assets are a stable store of value, which they are not, and which they won't become absent regulatory clarity.

Q: Do you believe sustainability issues could stop cryptocurrencies from gaining traction? [Bill Maurer, UCI professor of anthropology and law]: The sustainability question is real, and not just for crypto but for pretty much everything we're coming to depend upon in our machine-learning, AI-driven, internet of things world. Addressing the enormous energy consumption of cryptocurrencies has to be part of the legal and policy discussion as part of a broader look at the energy required for all computationally intensive processes.

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