I think that's a fair assessment. However, I am not sure that adoption is absent. As far as a daily currency, I think that is true. However, it seems that bitcoin is being used in remmittance increasingly, and Nasdaq is now using it to track shares on their private exchange. Transactions are increasing somehow. As far as consumer apps go, I think its adoption will be less obvious. IMO Abra represents the kind of app that will increase consumer adoption. In short, it will be rails for fiat exchange.
Yes, the currency/asset only offers some improvements, along with some drawbacks. IMO it's the blockchain ledger that comprises the revolutionary technological advance. Ultimately, I think the value will derive from the fact that so much information depends upon those tokens. That said, there may eventually be an alternative to mining to secure it, but I have no idea what that could be.