Over the past few weeks, I’ve been scouring the internet to find any legitimate storylines regarding the extreme slowdown in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It’s a familiar tale with which I’m sure you’re familiar. I’ve had no luck so far, and today was no different.

The best explanation comes courtesy of – who else? – the big international banks. According to banking analysts, bitcoin was a disease that created a valuation “infection.” However, according to their view, that infection has been cured. People are no longer buying cryptocurrencies in great volume, and therefore, we will resume a sense of normalcy.

I of course think that these mainstream critics overplay their hand. Rather than view blockchain assets as a one-time speculative bubble, I see the digital markets as a sign of things to come. Unlike other investing fevers, the run-up in bitcoin and key altcoin assets is based on groundbreaking fundamentals.

Naturally, mainstream analysts have a problem with this concept. They view cryptocurrencies as nothing but vapor, a token that’s worth nothing and backed by nothing. Yet this view is incredibly myopic for the critical reason that bitcoin, and more specifically, the blockchain technology, is a disruptor.

What other platform has turned Wall Street upside down like bitcoin? Prior to cryptocurrencies, the general public had to sign up with an account like E*Trade. That account gives you access to the domestic markets, but with serious restrictions. For one, you had to trade during Wall Street hours – 9:30am to 4:00pm EST. Another issue is that you had to pay steep commissions for the right to trade.

Not only that, at the end of every year, a brokerage firm will give you all the details on your trades. A copy is sent to you (obviously), another copy is in the brokerage’s hands, and a third one is sent to the IRS. In other words, everybody gets their cut in your investing endeavors.

Which then brings me to the ultimate reason why the mainstream hates bitcoin: nobody can benefit residually from its existence! In other words, there’s no centralized administrator that determines available supply. We don’t have a market maker that sets the bid/ask spread – and makes commissions off it. We also don’t have traditional brokerages involved, who are more than happy to lend you money at outrageous interest rates.

Lastly, the IRS is not at all kept in the loop. For all they know, you can be daytrading cryptocurrencies 500 times every session, and no watchdog agency is getting their cut. That’s the reason why the hatred is vehement – bitcoin prevents easy money from being made.

So the next time you bemoan volatility in bitcoin and the altcoin markets, just remember: you’re in the middle of a massive financial war. This story will not go away anytime soon, which means you’re better off HODL’ing than panicking.