Are cryptocurrencies ready to go mainstream?

Coinbase, a platform used for buying and selling cryptocurrencies, became the first major cryptocurrency company to go public on the U.S. stock market last week. The listing marks a milestone for the cryptocurrency industry as it takes on an increasingly significant role in the mainstream economy.

Cryptocurrencies are, in the simplest terms, digital money. They can be used to buy things online in the same way a credit card might be used. But cryptocurrencies differ from traditional payment methods in important ways. They aren’t issued by a government and are...