>>If Bitcoin was less volatile, it would actually do a good job of solving some of the issues faced by poorer "underbanked" people.
Bitcoin won't help poor people _directly_, but when it stabilizes I can think of at least a few ways it can help them indirectly. Another start-up company with a bitcoin backend challenging Western Union. All the not-wealthy immigrants who want to send money home without western-union's fees. Or maybe even bitcoin credit cards? Avoid the whole Visa/MasterCard infrastructure and whatever fees/rules it has. Of course, I still don't know how to deal with fraud & chargebacks..... so....
Bitcoin won't help poor people _directly_, but when it stabilizes I can think of at least a few ways it can help them indirectly. Another start-up company with a bitcoin backend challenging Western Union. All the not-wealthy immigrants who want to send money home without western-union's fees. Or maybe even bitcoin credit cards? Avoid the whole Visa/MasterCard infrastructure and whatever fees/rules it has. Of course, I still don't know how to deal with fraud & chargebacks..... so....