科技潮概念：什么是加密货币？

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From Bitcoin to Facebook's Libra, you may have heard a lot about cryptocurrencies but still struggle to understand them.

从比特币到Facebook的Libra（天秤币）, 你可能听说过很多关于加密货币的信息，却仍然觉得很难理解。

Beginning with Bitcoin, which was invented in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the idea was to create a digital currency independent of any central authority that could be electronically transferred with minimal transaction fees.

从2008年金融危机之后诞生的比特币开始，人们的想法是创建一种独立于任何中心机构、可以通过电子方式转让，且交易费用最低的数字货币。

First of all, like normal currencies, a cryptocurrency is also designed to work as a medium of exchange, in the form of a widely accepted token that can be exchanged for goods and services.

首先，像普通的法定货币一样，加密货币也被设定为一种流通手段，即作为一种被人广泛接受的代币，可以用来兑换商品和服务。

But what's significantly different is that it also works as a peer-to-peer digital payment system, which means it allows people to make payments directly to each other without the need for intermediaries such as banks or financial service providers like PayPal.

但是它最与众不同的地方在于，它还是一个点对点的数字支付系统。这意味着它可以让人们直接相互支付，而无需通过银行或Paypal这样的金融服务提供商作为中间机构。

For cryptocurrencies to function, they use cryptographic technology such as blockchain, with "unbreakable" encryption mechanisms securing financial transactions and verifying the transfer of assets.

加密货币的运转需要用到区块链等加密技术，通过“牢不可破”的加密机制来保护金融交易的安全性，并核验资产的转移。

So what are the benefits of adopting cryptocurrencies for payment?

那么采用加密货币进行支付有什么好处呢？

Consider the current payment systems we are using. When we buy or sell things or transfer money to others, the payment is usually processed by a bank or a credit card company.

考虑一下我们现在使用的支付系统。当我们买卖东西或转账给他人时，付款通常由银行或信用卡公司进行处理。

That comes with some problems. Banks and other traditional financial institutions usually charge transaction fees, and most international payments take a long time and are expensive.

这带来一些问题：银行和其他传统的金融机构通常要收取手续费，而且大多数的国际支付需要很长时间并且手续费很高。

You also need a bank account – something that 1.7 billion people around the world still don't have access to, according to the World Bank.

你还需要一个银行账户 - 根据世界银行的数据，全世界目前仍有17亿人都没有。

With cryptocurrencies, the cost of making payments is lower thanks to the removal of intermediaries, and cross-border transactions are almost instant, requiring only an internet connection.

使用加密货币，由于中间人被移除，付款的手续费会降低，而且跨境交易几乎是即时的，只需要联入互联网。

Take Facebook's proposed Libra as an example. It aims to take on traditional national currencies by providing greater convenience to Facebook's 2.6 billion users across the globe, by giving them easier and more efficient payment services.

以Facebook提出的Libra为例，它的目标是对标传统的国家货币，通过给全球26亿用户提供更简单、高效的支付服务，为他们带来便利。

But there are risks as well.

但是加密货币也有风险。

Transactions in most cryptocurrencies are anonymous and untraceable. This has made them a useful tool for criminals involved in money laundering and other financial crime. And as technology-based currencies, they are susceptible to cyberattacks.

大多数加密货币的交易都是匿名且无法追踪的，这使其成为参与洗钱和其他金融犯罪的有用工具。 而且作为基于一种技术的货币，它们很容易受到网络攻击。

Besides, most cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, have no intrinsic value. They are simply worth what people are willing to pay for them in the market. So their prices are extremely volatile.

此外，大多数加密货币，如比特币，都没有内在价值。它们的价格仅仅取决于市场上人们愿意出价多少，所以价格波动很大。

These intrinsic risks mean cryptocurrencies are still not regarded as a widely accepted form of currency.

这些内在风险意味着加密货币仍然不被视为一种被广泛接受的货币。

In a word, the crypto sector is still in its infancy, and as an experiment in monetary systems for the digital age, it could well be the next step in the evolution of money.

加密行业仍处于起步阶段，作为数字时代对货币体系的一种尝试，它很可能是货币发展的下一步。