自從比特幣(Bitcoin)進(jìn)入金融界十年以來,各國(guó)央行都在不動(dòng)聲色地進(jìn)行著數(shù)字貨幣的研發(fā)工作?,F(xiàn)在,萬事達(dá)卡(Mastercard)推出了一種新的工具,能夠幫助央行模擬其數(shù)字貨幣在現(xiàn)實(shí)世界中的流通情況。
9月9日上午,這家支付巨頭宣布了一項(xiàng)名為“中央銀行數(shù)字貨幣測(cè)試平臺(tái)”(Central Bank Digital Currencies Testing Platform)的計(jì)劃——雖然聽起來平平無奇,但這個(gè)項(xiàng)目很可能會(huì)受到那些行事風(fēng)格極為謹(jǐn)慎的中央銀行家們的青睞。
對(duì)包括美聯(lián)儲(chǔ)(Federal Reserve)在內(nèi)的中央銀行而言,這種純數(shù)字形式的貨幣將與任何硬幣或紙幣都無關(guān),標(biāo)志著現(xiàn)有的電子支付系統(tǒng)再次向前邁進(jìn)了跨越性的一步。例如,中央銀行此后可以直接把錢發(fā)給用戶,而無需再依靠商業(yè)銀行作為中介。
這種由國(guó)家支持的數(shù)字貨幣還有望大幅提高支付和匯款的效率:商家能夠在交易中實(shí)現(xiàn)即時(shí)結(jié)算,并簡(jiǎn)化了銀行和各類清算所的很多繁雜手續(xù)——而這原本可能需要好幾天才可以完成。
萬事達(dá)卡推出的平臺(tái)——技術(shù)上稱為“沙盒”,將使中央銀行能夠在某種受控的環(huán)境中發(fā)行其數(shù)字版貨幣,并測(cè)試這些貨幣將如何融入現(xiàn)有的銀行和支付網(wǎng)絡(luò),還可以查看用戶能否在實(shí)際生活中使用這種貨幣來購買商品與服務(wù)。
萬事達(dá)卡的執(zhí)行副總裁拉杰·達(dá)莫德哈蘭在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示,該公司已經(jīng)與多家中央銀行合作,還邀請(qǐng)各種第三方組織參與其測(cè)試平臺(tái),包括銀行、科技公司等。
萬事達(dá)卡的計(jì)劃是在各國(guó)央行對(duì)數(shù)字貨幣的興趣愈發(fā)強(qiáng)烈時(shí)提出的?!度A爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》(Wall Street Journal)援引了一項(xiàng)由國(guó)際貨幣基金組織(International Monetary Fund)在2018年進(jìn)行的調(diào)查,發(fā)現(xiàn)政府銀行家已經(jīng)在測(cè)試這項(xiàng)技術(shù),旨在降低成本,并抑制比特幣等私人加密貨幣的興起。國(guó)際清算銀行(Bank for International Settlements)最近的一項(xiàng)調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn),在全球各國(guó)家地區(qū)的中央銀行中,有八成都在從事著某種形式的數(shù)字貨幣研究工作。
值得一提的是,以Facebook為首的一批公司財(cái)團(tuán)也在研究一種名為L(zhǎng)ibra的新型數(shù)字貨幣,該貨幣與傳統(tǒng)貨幣掛鉤,可以為這家社交網(wǎng)絡(luò)數(shù)十億的用戶提供一種新的購物和付款方式。
像Libra等數(shù)字貨幣項(xiàng)目,也帶來了巨大的隱私風(fēng)險(xiǎn),因?yàn)檫@種貨幣的流通網(wǎng)絡(luò)可以追蹤到是誰在花錢、他們又是在哪里花的錢。
拉杰·達(dá)莫德哈蘭表示,萬事達(dá)卡一向?qū)﹄[私問題高度重視,并正在構(gòu)建一套測(cè)試工具來反映這一問題。而對(duì)于萬事達(dá)卡用來部署其測(cè)試網(wǎng)絡(luò)的軟件,他則拒絕透露任何詳細(xì)信息,只是說它涉及區(qū)塊鏈這一與比特幣相同的技術(shù)。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
編譯:陳聰聰
自從比特幣(Bitcoin)進(jìn)入金融界十年以來,各國(guó)央行都在不動(dòng)聲色地進(jìn)行著數(shù)字貨幣的研發(fā)工作?,F(xiàn)在,萬事達(dá)卡(Mastercard)推出了一種新的工具,能夠幫助央行模擬其數(shù)字貨幣在現(xiàn)實(shí)世界中的流通情況。
9月9日上午,這家支付巨頭宣布了一項(xiàng)名為“中央銀行數(shù)字貨幣測(cè)試平臺(tái)”(Central Bank Digital Currencies Testing Platform)的計(jì)劃——雖然聽起來平平無奇,但這個(gè)項(xiàng)目很可能會(huì)受到那些行事風(fēng)格極為謹(jǐn)慎的中央銀行家們的青睞。
對(duì)包括美聯(lián)儲(chǔ)(Federal Reserve)在內(nèi)的中央銀行而言,這種純數(shù)字形式的貨幣將與任何硬幣或紙幣都無關(guān),標(biāo)志著現(xiàn)有的電子支付系統(tǒng)再次向前邁進(jìn)了跨越性的一步。例如,中央銀行此后可以直接把錢發(fā)給用戶,而無需再依靠商業(yè)銀行作為中介。
這種由國(guó)家支持的數(shù)字貨幣還有望大幅提高支付和匯款的效率:商家能夠在交易中實(shí)現(xiàn)即時(shí)結(jié)算,并簡(jiǎn)化了銀行和各類清算所的很多繁雜手續(xù)——而這原本可能需要好幾天才可以完成。
萬事達(dá)卡推出的平臺(tái)——技術(shù)上稱為“沙盒”,將使中央銀行能夠在某種受控的環(huán)境中發(fā)行其數(shù)字版貨幣,并測(cè)試這些貨幣將如何融入現(xiàn)有的銀行和支付網(wǎng)絡(luò),還可以查看用戶能否在實(shí)際生活中使用這種貨幣來購買商品與服務(wù)。
萬事達(dá)卡的執(zhí)行副總裁拉杰·達(dá)莫德哈蘭在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示,該公司已經(jīng)與多家中央銀行合作,還邀請(qǐng)各種第三方組織參與其測(cè)試平臺(tái),包括銀行、科技公司等。
萬事達(dá)卡的計(jì)劃是在各國(guó)央行對(duì)數(shù)字貨幣的興趣愈發(fā)強(qiáng)烈時(shí)提出的?!度A爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》(Wall Street Journal)援引了一項(xiàng)由國(guó)際貨幣基金組織(International Monetary Fund)在2018年進(jìn)行的調(diào)查,發(fā)現(xiàn)政府銀行家已經(jīng)在測(cè)試這項(xiàng)技術(shù),旨在降低成本,并抑制比特幣等私人加密貨幣的興起。國(guó)際清算銀行(Bank for International Settlements)最近的一項(xiàng)調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn),在全球各國(guó)家地區(qū)的中央銀行中,有八成都在從事著某種形式的數(shù)字貨幣研究工作。
值得一提的是,以Facebook為首的一批公司財(cái)團(tuán)也在研究一種名為L(zhǎng)ibra的新型數(shù)字貨幣,該貨幣與傳統(tǒng)貨幣掛鉤,可以為這家社交網(wǎng)絡(luò)數(shù)十億的用戶提供一種新的購物和付款方式。
像Libra等數(shù)字貨幣項(xiàng)目,也帶來了巨大的隱私風(fēng)險(xiǎn),因?yàn)檫@種貨幣的流通網(wǎng)絡(luò)可以追蹤到是誰在花錢、他們又是在哪里花的錢。
拉杰·達(dá)莫德哈蘭表示,萬事達(dá)卡一向?qū)﹄[私問題高度重視,并正在構(gòu)建一套測(cè)試工具來反映這一問題。而對(duì)于萬事達(dá)卡用來部署其測(cè)試網(wǎng)絡(luò)的軟件,他則拒絕透露任何詳細(xì)信息,只是說它涉及區(qū)塊鏈這一與比特幣相同的技術(shù)。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
編譯:陳聰聰
In the 10 years since Bitcoin came on the financial scene, central banks have quietly been dabbling in digital currencies of their own. Now, Mastercard has unveiled a tool designed to simulate how those currencies would work in the real world.
The payments giant announced the project on September 9 morning, calling it the Central Bank Digital Currencies Testing Platform—a bland title to be sure, but one likely to find favor with cautious central bankers.
For central banks, including the Federal Reserve, a purely digital currency—one not linked to coins or paper bills—would represent a step beyond the existing system of electronic money transfer. A central bank could, for instance, distribute money directly to consumers without relying on commercial banks as intermediary.
State-backed digital money also offers the potential for greater efficiency in payments and money transfers, letting merchants settle deals instantly, and avoid the current patchwork of banks and clearing houses, which can take days.
Mastercard's platform—or "sandbox" in tech parlance—will let central banks issue digital versions of their currency in a controlled environment, and test how those currencies plug into existing bank and payment networks, and to see if they are practical for consumers to buy goods and services.
In an interview with Fortune, Mastercard EVP Raj Dhamodharan said the company is already working with a number of central banks, and that it is inviting various third parties, from banks to tech companies, to join its testing platform.
The Mastercard initiative comes at a time of growing interest in digital currency among central banks. A 2018 survey by the International Monetary Fund, cited by the Wall Street Journal, found government bankers are experimenting with the technology as a way to lower costs and to blunt the rise of private cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. A more recent survey by the Bank for International Settlements found that 80% of the world's central banks are engaged in some form of digital currency research.
Not to be outdone, a consortium of companies led by Facebook is working on a new form of digital money called Libra, which is pegged to traditional currencies, and could offer the social network's billions of users a new way to shop and pay.
Projects like Libra, also pose significant privacy risks, as the networks on which the currencies travel can also track who is spending money and where.
According to Dhamodharan, Mastercard is sensitive to privacy issues and is building its testing kit to reflect that. He declined to provide any details about the software Mastercard is using to deploy its test network, other than to say it involves blockchain—the same technology on which Bitcoin is built.