12 years is a lot in the world of tech, but absolutely nothing in the world of banking. Or banking system and its regulatory systems have evolved over centuries. And frankly, I'm not sure what bitcoin has actually proven in those 12 years; it's barely being used for any kind of serious commerce. It's mostly a speculation rollercoaster that goes up and down based on whether people expect it may or may not prove itself eventually.
People constantly losing bitcoin like this, or through exchanges falling over, is terrible for trust in bitcoin. Banking regulation exists exactly to prevent this kind of thing. At the end of the day, people trust their government a lot more than they trust a bunch cowboys. It may be cool, but it's no basis for a financial system.