Regarding the statement "It appears as though bitcoin may have been co-opted by the banksters (...)" - given the ROI (return on investment) rates of about 1000%, it was just a matter of time that the crypto sector will draw the attention of banks. Think about various financial products that could be created on the basis of the cryptos (as it was the case in the 200s regarding house loans). In other words, this developement should not be surprising.