>with blockchain your intermediary is the exchange, the developers of the cryptocurrency, etc.
You are mistaken. The transfer of cryptocurrencies takes place on the blockchain ledger. That's, like, the core "thing".
If you choose to bank with an exchange, that's like you bringing your cash money to a regular bank and depositing it. And the developers are no more intermediaries to your transaction than the Mint is an intermediary to your cash transaction.
I'm not mistaken. For an average person, they need to:
1. Understand how to use the technology and onboard onto it. In this case the technology is whichever blockchain and cryptocurrency.
2. Convert their money into the cryptocurrency. For this they need an exchange.
Then they can send money to others who also went through those steps.
Thus, there must be some kind of interaction with documentation made by devs for step 1 and a transfer of currency to an exchange for step 2. 2 middlemen/intermediaries.
All of that is entirely besides the point of this thread of conversation, which was concerning the transfer without intermediaries. The point was that if you are in possession of the currency, you are in full control with no one to interfere(or interfere by withholding cooperation) in the way that a bank would.
You also do not need an exchange. You need to find a person willing to trade whatever for your cryptocurrency, exchanges merely make this more convenient but are by no means the only option.
And saying onboarding requires an intermediary is like saying using a powerdrill or hooking up a washing machine requires an intermediary. The knowledge is so widely available and not contingent on a single or even few authorities that it's like picking fruit from a tree. It's just there.
> which was concerning the transfer without intermediaries
I mean, you have to onboard to transfer alternative currencies. People have cash and bank accounts. They don't have any random cryptocurrency.
> You need to find a person willing to trade whatever for your cryptocurrency, exchanges merely make this more convenient but are by no means the only option.
This isn't a realistic option that will work at scale and you know that.
You are mistaken. The transfer of cryptocurrencies takes place on the blockchain ledger. That's, like, the core "thing".
If you choose to bank with an exchange, that's like you bringing your cash money to a regular bank and depositing it. And the developers are no more intermediaries to your transaction than the Mint is an intermediary to your cash transaction.