Imagine waking up in an America where Bitcoin and Dogecoin have replaced the dollar. The President tweets, "Farewell, Federal Reserve," while Elon Musk, clutching a Dogecoin plushie, heralds a new financial epoch.
想像在美國醒來,比特幣和狗狗幣已經取代了美元。總統在推特上寫道:“再見,美聯儲”,而埃隆馬斯克則抱著狗狗幣毛絨玩具,預示著一個新的金融時代的到來。
While this may seem like a fantasy, it appears disconcertingly plausible, given Donald Trump's return to the White House and Elon Musk's growing influence.
雖然這看起來像是一個幻想,但考慮到唐納德·川普重返白宮和伊隆·馬斯克日益增長的影響力,它似乎令人不安地合理。
Elon's Visions, Trump's Actions
埃隆的願景,川普的行動
Trump, known for his disruptive nature, appears intent on establishing the U.S. as the "crypto capital of the world." His administration is considering establishing a Bitcoin reserve to supplant gold.
以破壞性聞名的川普似乎有意將美國打造為「世界加密貨幣之都」。他的政府正在考慮建立比特幣儲備以取代黃金。
And Elon? He now leads a government agency known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). If you find that coincidence striking, you haven't been paying close attention.
埃隆呢?他現在領導一個名為政府效率部 (DOGE) 的政府機構。如果你發現這種巧合驚人,那就表示你沒有密切注意。
Bloomberg reports that Musk was the driving force behind Trump's critical decision to oppose government funding.
彭博社報道稱,馬斯克是川普反對政府資助這項關鍵決定背後的推動力。
Cryptocurrency markets naturally surged following Trump's election victory. Bitcoin reached $108,000 on December 17, more than doubling in value since the beginning of the year. Dogecoin has also seen a significant rise, reaching approximately $0.30.
川普當選後,加密貨幣市場自然飆漲。 12 月 17 日,比特幣價格達到 108,000 美元,自年初以來價值增加了一倍多。狗狗幣也大幅上漲,達到約 0.30 美元。
Elon's tweets are no longer merely memes; they are policy teasers. For the first time, I have his notifications turned on. Everyone is watching this man's every move.
伊隆的推文不再只是迷因;它們是政策預告片。我第一次打開他的通知。所有人都在看著這個男人的一舉一動。
With DOGE as the face of a government efficiency department, speculators have invested billions in Dogecoin futures. Open interest has skyrocketed from 7 billion to 8.3 billion tokens in a matter of weeks.
由於狗狗幣是政府效率部門的代表,投機者已在狗狗幣期貨上投資了數十億美元。幾週內,未平倉合約從 70 億枚飆升至 83 億枚。
However, it's not all smooth sailing. Cryptocurrency markets are experiencing wild fluctuations. Bitcoin prices have been more volatile than Wall Street in 2009. A single statement from Fed Chair Jerome Powell sent Bitcoin tumbling from around $106,000 to $95,000 at the time of writing.
然而,這並非一帆風順。加密貨幣市場正在經歷劇烈波動。 2009 年,比特幣價格的波動性比華爾街還要大。
Envision if Crypto Became America's Legal Tender
設想加密貨幣是否成為美國的法定貨幣
Let us indulge in some speculation. Suppose Bitcoin and Dogecoin replace the U.S. dollar as official currencies. It would undoubtedly send shockwaves through the global economy. The U.S. dollar, the world's go-to reserve currency and America's formidable weapon, would lose its dominance.
讓我們進行一些猜測。假設比特幣和狗狗幣取代美元成為官方貨幣。毫無疑問,這將為全球經濟帶來衝擊波。美元作為世界首選儲備貨幣和美國的強大武器,將失去其主導地位。
Countries and businesses holding dollars would engage in panic selling, destabilizing entire economies. Bitcoin and Dogecoin, on the other hand, would be burdened with responsibilities they are ill-prepared for. Their prices would need to stabilize, a daunting task given Bitcoin's notorious swings of thousands of dollars within hours.
持有美元的國家和企業將進行恐慌性拋售,從而破壞整個經濟的穩定。另一方面,比特幣和狗狗幣將承擔他們沒有準備好的責任。它們的價格需要穩定下來,鑑於比特幣在幾個小時內波動數千美元,這是一項艱鉅的任務。
Inflation as we understand it would be irrevocably changed. Traditional economic principles would become largely obsolete. We know that Bitcoin has a hard cap of 21 million coins, preventing it from being inflated into oblivion like fiat currencies. Dogecoin, on the other hand, continues to mint coins, albeit at a reasonably predictable rate.
我們所理解的通貨膨脹將發生不可逆轉的改變。傳統的經濟原理將在很大程度上變得過時。我們知道,比特幣的硬上限為 2,100 萬枚,防止其像法定貨幣一樣因通貨膨脹而被遺忘。另一方面,狗狗幣仍在繼續鑄造硬幣,儘管其速度是合理可預測的。
These mechanisms would redefine inflation rates, but at what cost? The average American would struggle to navigate the volatility, and businesses would demand more transparent pricing frameworks for goods and services.
這些機制將重新定義通貨膨脹率,但代價是什麼?一般美國人將難以應對波動,企業將要求更透明的商品和服務定價框架。
Speaking of frameworks, how would cryptocurrency taxation work? Trump has remained silent on this matter. Blockchain transactions are decentralized, meaning the government would lose its grip on taxation.
說到框架,加密貨幣稅將如何運作?川普對此事一直保持沉默。區塊鏈交易是去中心化的,這意味著政府將失去對稅收的控制。
And what of hacking? According to recent reports, North Korea has stolen more cryptocurrency than ever before this year.
那麼駭客攻擊呢?根據最近的報道,北韓今年竊取的加密貨幣比以往任何時候都多。
Moreover, let's not assume this transition would be seamless. Cryptocurrencies are notoriously inconvenient for everyday spending. Imagine buying a cup of coffee with Dogecoin—its value could swing so dramatically that its price could double or halve before you finish your sip.
此外,我們不要假設這種轉變是無縫的。眾所周知,加密貨幣對於日常支出來說不方便。想像一下用狗狗幣買一杯咖啡——它的價值可能會大幅波動,以至於在你喝完之前它的價格可能會翻倍或減半。
Salaries, rent, groceries—everything would be enveloped in a nightmare of conversions. People might resort to using the dollar as a shadow currency to interpret prices, similar to how unstable economies unofficially rely on the dollar. How disheartening would that be?
薪水、房租、食品雜貨——一切都將包裹在一場轉變的噩夢中。人們可能會使用美元作為影子貨幣來解釋價格,類似於不穩定的經濟體非正式地依賴美元。那將是多麼令人沮喪?
But then again, convenience is not the primary goal, is it? Revolutions seldom are.
但話又說回來,便利不是首要目標,不是嗎?革命很少發生。