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Bitcoin is an application which is backed by a digital ledger. They didn't say blockchain is not valuable, just that Bitcoin is not a valuable application of blockchain. (Not trying to agree or disagree on the point, just clarifying.)

That is correct.

It's just a regular database you need.

Using overhyped fancy technology like blockchains, DLTs doesn't solve anything legitimately useful.

But if there is a 'usecase' it is only of the worst and illegitimate kind, ransomware payments, speculation, ponzi / pyramid schemes, etc.

> legitimately

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

If you use a regular database for money, then some people can go in and change the digits massively in their favour without doing any work, just as we can see happening with fiat currencies.

I think you meant decentralized. Also, it's questionable BTC etc are really scalable.

"Distributed" means decentralized in this context.