[ti:California Launches Effort to Examine How to Regulate Cryptocurrency] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]California has become the first American state [00:05.16]to launch an official effort to examine [00:09.52]how to regulate digital monies. [00:13.16]The effort began when Governor Gavin Newsom [00:17.96]recently signed an executive order calling on state agencies [00:24.04]to start considering new regulations. [00:27.96]The order also requires officials [00:32.08]to find safe ways to widely adapt [00:35.80]the use of digital currencies [00:39.28]– also called cryptocurrencies – across the state. [00:44.48]A cryptocurrency is a form of money [00:48.64]that does not exist in physical form. [00:52.16]Governments and banks do not oversee it. [00:56.64]A network of computers records [01:00.52]cryptocurrency activity between users. [01:04.84]This activity is included in a "ledger," [01:09.36]or list, known as the blockchain. [01:13.16]U.S. President Joe Biden ordered similar national action in March. [01:20.72]Biden's order directed federal agencies [01:25.20]to consider regulatory measures for cryptocurrencies. [01:30.60]It also urged the Federal Reserve, the U.S. central bank, [01:36.44]to explore whether it should create its own digital currency. [01:41.64]California has the largest economy in the United States. [01:47.68]Officials see the state as a good candidate [01:52.36]for developing cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies. [01:57.88]Dee Dee Myers is a top economic advisor to Governor Newsom. [02:04.84]She told The Associated Press she thinks the technologies [02:10.36]can be "an explosive creator" of new companies and jobs in California. [02:17.68]She added that since the industry is still developing, [02:23.04]it provides "another reason we want to engage early." [02:28.36]Governor Newsom, a member of the Democratic Party, [02:33.24]said in a statement that governments often fall behind [02:38.32]in technology development. [02:41.20]"So we're getting ahead of the curve on this." [02:45.40]He added that his order is designed to start a process [02:50.96]that aims to help citizens and businesses [02:55.24]gain economically from cryptocurrencies. [02:59.28]California has a population of about 39 million people. [03:06.04]The state's economy is worth more than $3.1 trillion, [03:12.60]larger than those of Britain and India. [03:17.08]Newsom said the state hopes to "establish a comprehensive, [03:23.56]thoughtful, and harmonized regulatory [03:27.44]and business environment" for cryptocurrencies. [03:31.80]The use of cryptocurrencies has sharply increased in recent years. [03:38.88]An estimated 16 percent of American adults have invested in, [03:45.00]traded, or used cryptocurrencies, the AP reports. [03:51.12]The percentage is much higher among younger individuals. [03:57.24]There is much debate over the legitimacy of cryptocurrencies, [04:03.56]even among some of the world's wealthiest people. [04:08.08]Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk [04:12.68]is a strong supporter of the technology. [04:16.44]But billionaire investor Warren Buffet recently said [04:21.76]he would not pay even $25 for all of the world's bitcoin, [04:28.44]the most popular cryptocurrency. [04:31.92]Each bitcoin is currently valued at about $37,000, [04:38.92]but the rate rises and falls greatly. [04:42.92]Hilary Allen is a financial regulation expert [04:47.96]and professor at American University in Washington, D.C. [04:53.72]She told the AP that California's effort can help [04:58.56]legitimize the technology and make it more widespread. [05:04.00]However, Allen said California's move to expand [05:09.56]and regulate cryptocurrencies may not be the best thing [05:14.48]for the state and its population. [05:18.00]She said one reason for this is that private investors [05:23.64]are most likely to benefit from the technology. [05:27.64]Allen urged state officials to seek simpler technological solutions, [05:35.52]rather than turning to technology that, in her words, [05:40.68]"is by its very nature complex and inefficient." [05:46.96]I'm Bryan Lynn. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM