Nine months later, the next version of her favorite sneaker drops. Her digital wallet has a new offer reminding her of their availability at your store, along with a personalized offer on new laces she can’t find anywhere else.

They're seriously pitching "ads get sent directly to your wallet" as a positive feature. This is so comically, tragically misguided I don't know whether to laugh or cry. This is future indeed. Because, after all, a major weakness in mere credit card transactions is you don't have a relationship with your customer. In our crypto-future, they won't have a choice! Isn't that what you want? Comforting your customer every time they have a bad breakup with an algorithmically optimized offer for some ice cream and emotional shopping? Maybe try to associate your brand with their good feelings by sending a couple messages about the smooth, refreshing taste of your soft drink at their child's football game? Without your customer offering you a contact method, how could you possibly target them so effectively and personally?

The more I learn about crypto the ickier it gets.