Why BTC is Not Digital Cash • ​Bitcoin can only process about 5 transactions per second (5 TPS), severely failing to meet the required capacity for large-scale, everyday commerce. • ​The system is designed so that fees skyrocket when transaction capacity is lacking, leading to "starvation economics" that discourages everyday use by the general public. • ​Bitcoin proponents acknowledged the failure of the system's original goal (digital cash) and shifted its identity to a 'Store of Value' strategy, effectively encouraging people not to use it. • ​Because the Bitcoin-based system cannot be used for daily payments, it is inherently forced to rely on Higher Layers, making it, in essence, a slow settlement/notarization tool for institutions. ​How BTC Distorted the Original Bitcoin • ​The Bitcoin developers designed the network to be centered around a few gatekeepers, not the public, through an engineering choice that artificially restricts transaction throughput (5 TPS), rather than focusing on the token's scarcity. • ​The true scarcity is not in the number of tokens, but is instead enforced by artificially controlling access to the system and the right to record transactions in the ledger. • ​The low throughput and high-fee structure resulted in forcing general users to consolidate their transactions and act through custodial institutions. • ​While claiming 'freedom,' the system created a structure through its extremely restricted ledger accessibility that effectively requires specific permission or authority for financial activity.