What is XTZ used for?

Could you elaborate on the various applications and uses of XTZ in the cryptocurrency and finance landscape? I'm curious to understand its utility beyond just being a digital asset. Does it serve as a payment method? Does it have smart contract capabilities? Are there any decentralized applications or services that leverage XTZ? Furthermore, how is the community and ecosystem around XTZ evolving to support more widespread adoption and integration into the financial system? I'm interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the real-world applications and use cases for XTZ.