I'd like to hear how cryptocurrency advocates address this without deploying a fallacy. Cryptocurrency makes ransomware possible, without the former, the latter cannot thrive. The defenses I usually hear come in the form of "current banking facilitates bad stuff, too," which is a fact, but doesn't absolve cryptocurrencies central role in ransomware. As the article states, there is simply no way to pay a ransom without cryptocurrency. Maybe they could do b2b or cash, but that would be sooooo bold (but not impossible?)

EDIT: See link from user 'px43' below about the history of ransomware. Good read. Predates cryptocurrency, but I think banking technology would make most payment strategies of the past impossible, like the original article argues (e.g., PO Box in Panama is quoted as a 1989 payment plan, but GP article explains that is harder due to extradition of data and logs).