比特币合法性被承认：飙至900美元创新高

一直未获得政府正式认可的电子虚拟货币比特币(Bitcoin)或将迎来新生。

The electronic virtual currency Bitcoin, which has not been officially recognized by the government, is either about to re-emerge.

当地时间11月18日，在美国参议院国土安全及政府事务委员会召开有关比特币的听证会上，多名出席的美国政府官员对外传递出一个消息——比特币不是非法货币，能够给金融系统带来好处，尽管其也存在被错误使用的案例。

On 18 November, local time, at a hearing on Bitcoin convened by the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, several participating United States government officials conveyed a message that Bitcoin was not an illegal currency and could benefit the financial system, despite cases of its misuse.

这次有史以来首次就虚拟货币举行的美国国会听证会总结了比特币的好处和弊端，以往官员们都是强调比特币在洗钱及其他非法活动中所扮演的角色，但这一次却表示，比特币是一项“合法”的金融服务，这给比特币带来提振。

For the first time in history, the United States Congress hearing on virtual currency summarized the advantages and disadvantages of Bitcoin, the role of which was previously emphasized by officials in money-laundering and other illegal activities, but this time indicated that Bitcoin was a “legitimate” financial service, which boosted Bitcoin.

《纽约时报》称，这是美国政府首次公开承认比特币的合法性，也意味着这种虚拟货币朝主流迈进了一大步。

According to The New York Times, this was the first time that the United States Government had publicly recognized the legitimacy of Bitcoin and meant that the virtual currency was a major step forward in the mainstream.

美国官员的积极表态助推比特币价格再创历史新高。11月19日比特币价格在Mt.Gox交易平台最高攀升至900美元、在比特币中国交易平台(BTC China)最高攀升至6989元人民币。而去年年底比特币的价格还处于13美元左右，今年上半年曾出现过266美元的高位，但之后又再次震荡，上周一(11月11日)，比特币的交易价格在320美元左右。

The price of Bitcoin rose up to $900 on November 19 at the Mt.Gox trading platform, and to $6,989 at the BTC China trading platform. At the end of last year, the price of Bitcoin was about $13, and it was about $266 in the first half of the year, but then reshuffled again, and last Monday, 11 November, Bitcoin traded around $320.

截至北京时间11月19日21时，Mt.Gox交易平台显示比特币最新价格为665美元(约合4050元人民币)，比特币中国交易平台显示比特币价格为5200元人民币，两者是目前全球最为活跃的比特币交易平台。

As at 2100 hours Beijing time on 19 November, the Mt. Gox trading platform showed that the latest price of Bitcoin was $665 (approximately RMB 4050) and the Bitcoin China trading platform showed that the price of Bitcoin was RMB 5,200, both of the most active Bitcoin trading platforms in the world today.

伯南克致信“唱多”

问世于2009年的比特币是一种电子货币，由一串代码组成。用户通过运行特定的软件，经过若干计算完成特定数学问题就可以得到一定量的比特币。尽管比特币并不存在实体，但可以在多个在线交易平台上兑换成包括美元和人民币在内的多种真实货币，而且可以匿名交易且难以追踪，不过交易价格也容易波动。

By running a specific software, users can obtain a certain amount of bitcoin after several calculations have completed certain mathematical problems. Although Bitcoin does not exist as an entity, it can be converted into multiple real currencies, including the United States dollar and the renminbi, on multiple online trading platforms, and can be traded anonymously and difficult to trace, but transaction prices are also volatile.

对于比特币的合法性，各国政府一直没有确切的说法，但之前接连出现了比特币在线交易网站因涉嫌洗钱和买卖毒品而遭官方关闭的案例，让不少持有比特币的投资者担忧监管问题。

The legitimacy of Bitcoin has not been accurately stated by Governments, but there have been successive cases in which Bitcoin online trading sites have been officially closed for suspected money-laundering and drug trafficking, raising concerns about regulatory issues among investors holding bitcoin.

在上述名为“虚拟货币潜在的威胁、风险和前景”的美参院听证会上，出席人员不仅包括美国司法部刑事部门的代理助理部长拉曼(Mythili Raman)、美国财政部金融犯罪执法局局长珍妮弗·沙斯基·卡尔韦里(Jennifer Shasky Calvery)、美国特勤局特工爱德华·洛厄里(Edward Lowery)，还有从事比特币业务的人员和相关学者。

At the above-mentioned American Senate hearing entitled “Virtual Currency Potential Threats, Risks and Prospects”, the participants included not only Acting Assistant Secretary for Criminal Affairs of the United States Department of Justice, Mythili Raman, the Director of Financial Crimes Enforcement of the United States Department of the Treasury, Jennifer Shasky Calvery, and agents of the United States Secret Service, Edward Lowery, as well as personnel working in Bitcoin and related scholars.

不少从事比特币业务的人发现在美国很难说服传统银行与之交易，但比特币的爱好者们坚信，国会中对于比特币“风险”和“前景”较为平衡的讨论有利于缓和这种气氛。

A large number of Bitcoin operators have found it difficult to persuade traditional banks to deal with them in the United States, but Bitcoin fans are convinced that a more balanced discussion in Congress of Bitcoin's “risks” and “prospects” would help to ease the climate.

值得注意的是，美国联邦储备委员会主席伯南克(Ben Bernanke)没有出席听证会，但他在致参议院的信中，援引美联储前副主席艾伦·布林德(Alan Blinder)在1995年时的表态称，美联储一直认为在虚拟货币带来洗钱和其他风险之时，也可能带来长期益处，特别是如果这种创新催生出一个更快、更安全、更高效的支付系统。

It is noteworthy that the President of the United States Federal Reserve Commission, Ben Bernanke, did not attend the hearing, but in a letter to the Senate, quoted Alan Blinder, former Vice-President of the Federal Reserve, who had stated in 1995 that the Fed had always believed that there could also be long-term benefits when virtual currency posed money-laundering and other risks, especially if such innovation gave rise to a faster, safer and more efficient payment system.

英国《金融时报》称，伯南克的话使得比特币的狂热者们关注到了比特币价值所在，即作为目前全球资金转移体系的廉价替代品。

According to the British Financial Times, Bernanke’s words have drawn the attention of bitcoin fanatics to the value of bitcoin as a cheap alternative to the current global system of financial transfers.

不过，伯南克也在信中指出，美联储并没有太多权限来监管虚拟货币，“尽管美联储通常在监控虚拟货币的发展，以及其他支付方式的创新，但这并不代表我们有权力直接监督或监管这些新的创新。”

However, Bernanke also stated in his letter that the Fed does not have much authority to regulate virtual currencies and that “although the Fed is usually monitoring the development of virtual currencies and other innovations in payment methods, this does not mean that we have the power to directly monitor or regulate these new innovations”.

正“积极制定”有关税则

无论是伯南克还是其他美国官员，几乎都将比特币与创新相挂钩，认为不应该扼杀创新。

Both Bernanke and other United States officials have almost tied bitcoin to innovation, arguing that innovation should not be stifled.

卡尔韦里称，依然会关注这种虚拟货币，防止被用于进行犯罪，“但很重要的一点是，我们也后退了一步，承认创新对于美国经济来说非常重要。”卡尔韦里指出，对于那些尊重和遵守基本法律制度的人而言，把这种虚拟货币纳入监管框架的决定应该会被视作这个领域的一种积极发展。

Calveri stated that attention would continue to be paid to the virtual currency in order to prevent it from being used to commit crimes, “but it is important that we also step back and recognize the importance of innovation for the United States economy.” Calveri noted that the decision to include such a virtual currency in the regulatory framework should be seen as a positive development in this area for those who respect and comply with the basic legal system.

拉曼也指出，虚拟货币提供合法的金融服务，并有潜力可能促进更有效的全球商业活动。拉曼还称，对于虚拟货币有着清晰的合法使用途径，但必须保持警觉，“过去的经验告诉我们，保持这种警觉是非常有道理的。”

Raman also pointed out that virtual currency provides legitimate financial services and has the potential to promote more effective global business activities. Raman also said that there are clear legal ways to use virtual currency, but that vigilance must be maintained, “as past experience has taught us, it makes very good sense to maintain such vigilance.”

按照拉曼的说法，由于每一笔比特币交易都在一个公共账本上留下了记录，调查人员能够追踪资金在账户之间流动的情况。

According to Raman, since every bitcoin transaction was recorded on a public ledger, investigators were able to track the movement of funds between accounts.

英国《金融时报》称，今年早些时候，所有美国政府机构都收到来自美国财政部的暗示，称只要比特币交易能够被监管，那么比特币就能被接受。

According to the British Financial Times, earlier this year, all United States Government agencies received indications from the United States Department of the Treasury that Bitcoin would be accepted as long as the Bitcoin transaction was regulated.

卡尔韦里也表示，美国国税局正在“积极制定”有关比特币的税则。

Calveri also indicated that the United States IRS was “actively developing” tax rules for Bitcoin.

在一方面认定虚拟货币存在可取之处以外，听证会的参与人员还表示，目前虚拟货币依然存在问题没有答案，参议院国土安全及政府事务委员会主席托马斯·卡珀(Thomas Carper)举例称，虚拟货币到底是什么，应该如何对待以及其未来到底能够做什么，这些基础问题仍需要解决，并表示国会和联邦机构必须持续关注并参与其中，研究出适合、有效和明智的决策，“我相信今天的听证会仅仅是一个开始，来讨论政府如何处理虚拟货币。” 比特币价格高涨，加之这种货币在网络和实体零售商的使用量大增，都引起了华盛顿的关注。美国监管部门警告说，比特币转账业务必须遵循与现有金融机构同样的规定，包括遵守反洗钱法等。有关部门开始与其他政府机构会谈，追踪最新进展，其中一个由美国联邦调查局牵头的小组在调查与此技术有关的新兴威胁。

In addition to recognizing the merits of a virtual currency on the one hand, the participants in the hearing also indicated that there are still no answers to the question of the virtual currency, as exemplified by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, Thomas Carper, who said that the underlying issues of what a virtual currency is, how it should be treated and what it will be able to do in the future still need to be addressed, and that Congress and federal agencies must maintain their attention and involvement in the development of appropriate, effective and informed decision-making, “I believe that today's hearing is only the beginning of a discussion on how the Government should deal with the virtual currency.” The high prices of Bitcoin, coupled with the significant increase in the use of such money in networks and in entity retailers, have raised concerns in Washington.

前金融高官的“力挺”

为比特币增加公信力的，不仅仅是美国官员的正面回应，还有美国消费者金融保护局(CFPB)前负责人戴特(Raj Date)加入Circle Internet Financial董事会，为比特币助阵。

It is not only the positive response of United States officials that adds credibility to Bitcoin, but also the former head of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPB) of the United States, Raj Date, who joined the Board of Directors of the Circle Internet Financial to help with Bitcoin.

由于比特币受到的关注越来越多，接受比特币的商户也越来越多，如何让用户更好地利用数字货币成为了一个尚待挖掘的领地。

As more attention is paid to Bitcoin and more businesses accept bitcoin, how to make better use of digital currency becomes an unexplored territory.

Circle是科技创业家阿莱尔(Jeremy Allaire)于上个月创立的，目的是要开发出让企业和消费者更便利地使用数字货币的服务，该公司此前刚拿到了900万美元的风投，阿莱尔也出席了18日的美参院听证会。

Circle was created last month by a tech entrepreneur, Jeremy Allaire, to develop services that allow businesses and consumers to use digital currency more easily. The company had just received $9 million in investment, and Ariel attended the 18-day US Senate hearing.

作为一名过去推动加强对金融系统监管的美国银行业资深人士，戴特的加入更像是对比特币等虚拟货币交易监管的保障。戴特现年42岁，2010年加入CFPB担任二号人物，今年年初离开，设立了一家消费者金融资讯和抵押贷款借贷机构。

As a senior American banker who used to promote greater regulation of the financial system, Dett’s participation is more like a guarantee for the regulation of virtual currency transactions, such as bitcoin. Dette is now 42 years old, joined the CFPB as number two in 2010, left early this year to set up a consumer financial information and mortgage lending agency.

戴特称，在CFPB工作时曾深入研究传统货币转账业务，之后开始对比特币现象感兴趣。戴特表示，支付行业的基本基础设施已经有几十上百年的历史，现在有了一个绝佳的机会来改变这一现状，为消费者提供更好的产品。

Dété stated that the traditional money transfer business had been studied in depth at the CFPB, and then became interested in the bitcoin phenomenon. Dét said that the basic infrastructure of the payment industry, which has been going on for hundreds of years, now has an excellent opportunity to change the situation and provide consumers with better products.

阿莱尔认为，戴特给公司带来了其非常丰富的经验，还有对关键监管问题以及消费者金融产品如何与政府互动的深刻理解。

Arlene argued that Dette had brought to the company a wealth of experience, as well as a profound understanding of key regulatory issues and how consumer financial products interacted with Governments.

不过，戴特加入Circle的行为也引来非议，因为其在离开CFPB两年内被禁止代表私人企业与CFPB或者美联储打交道。戴特解释称，其在合规方面为Circle提供咨询，并没有代表该企业向任何监管机构陈情的计划，不过众议院共和党人批评称，戴特是利用自己在CFPB规定方面的专长牟利。

However, Dett’s accession to the Circle was also criticized because he had been barred from dealing with the CFPB or the Fed on behalf of a private enterprise for two years after leaving the CFPB. Dett explained that he had advised the Circle on compliance and had no plans to address any regulatory body on behalf of the company, although the Republicans of the House of Representatives criticized Dett for using their expertise in the CFPB.

3D打印枪支受管制

3D printing of firearms is controlled

被美国监管部门盯上的不仅仅只有比特币这种网络新事物，还包括3D打印枪支。

The U.S. regulatory authorities are not only interested in new web-based things such as Bitcoin, but also in the printing of 3D firearms.

包括查尔斯·埃利斯·舒默(Charles Ellis Schumer)在内的3名美国民主党资深参议员正在美国国会推动一项议案，延长对3D打印枪支的现行禁令，该禁令即将于12月9日失效——《不可探测武器法》，这项生效于1988年的法案规定，禁止生产任何不含有足量金属致使探测器无法侦测的枪支，在当时，生产全塑料枪支还只是一个假设。

Three senior Senators of the United States Democratic Party, including Charles Ellis Schumer, are pushing for a bill in the United States Congress to extend the current 3D printing ban on firearms, which will expire on 9 December — the Non-Detectable Weapons Act, which entered into force in 1988 — to prohibit the production of any firearm that does not contain sufficient metal to make detectable detectors. At that time, the production of fully plastic firearms was merely an assumption.

按照舒默的说法，就眼下的水平，任何人都可以花上不多的钱从互联网下载枪支的立体图形文件，而后轻松打印出枪支的各部件，最终组装成一把可以发射子弹的枪，而且这些非金属打印出来的枪支更容易隐藏，因为不会被金属探测器探测到。

According to Schummer, at the current level, anyone can spend a small amount of money downloading from the Internet the stereo files of the guns, and then easily print out the parts of the guns and eventually assemble them into a gun that can fire a bullet, and these non-metal-printed guns are more easily hidden because they are not detected by metal detectors.

去年，美国得克萨斯州一名男子将枪支的3D打印图纸上传至网上。舒默称，在互联网上，3D打印枪支的图纸已被累计下载超过10万次。

Last year, a man in Texas, United States, uploaded a 3D printout of a gun on the Internet. Shumer said that a 3D printout of a gun on the Internet had been downloaded more than 100,000 times.

不过，3D打印出来的枪支质量参差不齐，虽然一台便宜的3D打印机只要1000美元，但能打印出枪支的打印机至少要花10万美元。美国烟酒枪械管理署(ATF)称，迄今为止美国境内还未曾发生个人遭塑料枪支枪击的事件，也从未有任何对持有此类武器进行的犯罪调查。

However, the quality of 3D-printed guns varies, and although a cheap 3D printer costs $1,000, it costs at least $100,000 to print them. According to the ATF, there have been no individual shootings with plastic guns in the United States to date, nor have there been any criminal investigations into the possession of such weapons.

ATF枪械技术部主任厄尔·格里菲思(Earl Griffith)预计，随着陶制击针等技术的发展，这类武器将变得更加难以探测，进而更具隐患。

The Director of ATF Firearms Technology, Earl Griffith, anticipates that these weapons will become more difficult to detect and thus more dangerous as technologies such as pottery needles develop.