The word you want here is "ethereum" not "crypto". Crypto is cryptography, and even if you want to redefine it as 'cryptocurrency' the sheer reckless yolo incompetence and scammyness of ethereum is not especially representative.
I think "crypto" can mean cryptography or cryptocurrency depending on context. Every cryptocurrency I've seen has a Dark Forest, even if it's not as bad as Ethereum.
For example, if you create a private key using something guessable [1], point a camera at a QR code [2], or make a wallet using software you didn't write yourself [3], you can expect your money to irreversibly disappear faster than you can react.
What IS a "representative" cryptocurrency, then, if the #2 by market cap is not representative?
Would it be Bitcoin, used for such time-honored business as drug purchases and hiring contract killers? Would it be Tether, the fiat currency for people who think that central banks are excessively transparent?
The one extra element that Ethereum brings to the table is computationally much more powerful contracts, which makes it technically intriguing, but also adds another level of scammyness and incompetence to the enterprise.
Perpetuating myth and propaganda that even the US government doesn't say about Bitcoin, I see.
Did you pay attention to the recent Bloomberg article about cryptocurrencies being the best gaining asset class of 2020, or the article about the $2 trillion dollars worth of laundered money being done using traditional USD and banks? And how much money was laundered through Bitcoin again? A money that is very hard to hide. Bitcoin has smart contracting so it would appear you're just regurgitating things you've read rather than reaching into an in-dept knowledge on this subject.
> cryptocurrencies being the best gaining asset class of 2020
And tulips were the best gaining asset class of 1636. The existence of speculation is not proof of the soundness of the underlying asset.
> trillion dollars worth of laundered money being done using traditional USD
The difference being that I have firsthand knowledge of honest economic activity being conducted with USD. I see practically zero evidence of cryptocurrencies being used in any honest economic activity, other than speculation.
> Bitcoin has smart contracting
Yes, but my understanding is that Ethereum can handle much more complex contracts.
In terms of ethereum, do you mean ethereum smart contracts? The ethereum platform, as defined by it's creators, is actually quite technical. Anyone who spends the time to learn the Solidity language and what it takes to deploy a smart contract is free to, so yes there can be legitimate, illegitimate, poorly designed or well designed smart contracts, just like other software programs.
