加密大幻象暴露：比特币的空洞承诺揭开面纱

Zeke Faux 的《Number Go Up》和 Michael Lewis 的《Going Infinite》两本新书深入探讨了加密货币的世界，揭露了它们的空虚和背后的愤世嫉俗的动机。 《Going Infinite》聚焦于 FTX 加密货币交易所创始人 Sam Bankman-Fried 的兴衰，而《Number Go Up》则调查“稳定币”Tether 创始人 Giancarlo Devasini 的不正当交易。这两本书都揭示了加密货币背后的犯罪活动和毫无意义，引发了人们对它们为何继续吸引如此多富有和有影响力的个人的疑问。

The Grand Crypto Illusion: Unveiling the Hollow Promise of Bitcoin

伟大的加密幻象：揭开比特币空洞的承诺

A Comprehensive Examination of the Crypto Currency Enigma

加密货币之谜的全面考察

Introduction

介绍

The realm of cryptocurrencies, exemplified by Bitcoin, has captivated the financial world, leaving seasoned experts perplexed and questioning the rationale behind its escalating value. The frenzy resembles a gold rush devoid of any tangible asset. Jamie Dimon, the esteemed CEO of JP Morgan, succinctly characterized Bitcoin as "a hyped-up fraud" in 2023.

以比特币为代表的加密货币领域已经吸引了金融界的目光，让经验丰富的专家感到困惑，并质疑其价值不断上涨背后的理由。这种狂热就像一场没有任何有形资产的淘金热。受人尊敬的摩根大通首席执行官杰米·戴蒙 (Jamie Dimon) 在 2023 年简洁地将比特币描述为“大肆炒作的欺诈行为”。

Despite Dimon's scathing assessment, there remain staunch believers who perceive cryptocurrencies as a form of financial alchemy. They employ obscure jargon, such as blockchain, digital currency, and crypto investments, leaving the uninitiated utterly bewildered.

尽管戴蒙的评价很严厉，但仍然有坚定的信徒将加密货币视为一种金融炼金术。他们使用区块链、数字货币和加密投资等晦涩难懂的术语，让外行完全摸不着头脑。

Exposing the Crypto Illusion: Two Incisive Books

揭露加密货币幻想：两本精辟的书

Two pivotal books published in late 2023 have shed light on the true nature of cryptocurrencies, revealing them to be an empty financial charade. Zeke Faux's "Number Go Up" delves into the murky depths of the cryptocurrency world, while Michael Lewis's "Going Infinite" chronicles the meteoric rise and precipitous fall of Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the erstwhile billionaire founder of the FTX crypto exchange, who currently languishes in a federal prison after being convicted of fraud.

2023 年底出版的两本重要书籍揭示了加密货币的真实本质，揭示了它们只是一场空洞的金融游戏。 Zeke Faux 的《Number Go Up》深入探讨了加密货币世界的黑暗深处，而 Michael Lewis 的《Going Infinite》则记录了 FTX 加密货币交易所前亿万富翁创始人 Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) 的迅速崛起和急剧下跌，因欺诈罪被定罪后，目前在联邦监狱中备受煎熬。

SBF: The Epitome of Crypto Cynicism

SBF：加密货币愤世嫉俗的缩影

SBF may appear as an exceptionally cynical individual, recklessly gambling away billions of his customers' funds. However, as both books elucidate, cynicism permeates the entire crypto project. Its proponents extol the virtues of a currency free from government and central bank oversight, yet they struggle to articulate its actual functionality or practical utility. This profound disconnect is telling. As Lewis astutely observes in a footnote: "What is curious is how elusive Bitcoin is, as a thing to understand... You nod along and think you are getting it but then wake up the next morning needing to hear the explanation all over again."

SBF 可能看起来是一个极其愤世嫉俗的人，不计后果地输掉了客户数十亿的资金。然而，正如这两本书所阐明的那样，愤世嫉俗的情绪弥漫在整个加密项目中。它的支持者赞扬不受政府和央行监管的货币的优点，但他们很难阐明其实际功能或实际效用。这种深刻的脱节很能说明问题。正如刘易斯在脚注中敏锐地观察到的那样：“令人好奇的是，作为一种需要理解的东西，比特币是多么难以捉摸……你点头同意，认为你明白了，但第二天早上醒来，需要再次听到解释”。

Going Infinite: A Flawed Yet Revealing Account

走向无限：一个有缺陷但有启发性的叙述

Lewis's "Going Infinite" is not without its shortcomings. The author's extensive time spent with Bankman-Fried and FTX has drawn criticism from Faux, who accuses Lewis of developing an uncomfortably close relationship with SBF. In a review for the LA Times, Faux contends that "the author's questions were so fawning they seemed inappropriate for a journalist."

刘易斯的《走向无限》并非没有缺点。作者与 Bankman-Fried 和 FTX 相处的时间很长，引起了 Faux 的批评，Faux 指责 Lewis 与 SBF 建立了令人不安的密切关系。在《洛杉矶时报》的一篇评论中，福克斯认为“作者的问题过于谄媚，似乎不适合记者”。

Nonetheless, one of the most compelling aspects of "Going Infinite" is its intimate portrayal of Bankman-Fried's brief moment of glory. A mere year ago, the world's elite flocked to his feet. Lewis was present when Tony Blair and Bill Clinton graced the stage with SBF at an FTX conference in the Bahamas in April 2022. The crypto wunderkind cut an eccentric figure, sporting cargo shorts and tube socks, while the impeccably dressed former world leaders listened intently to his every word. Anna Wintour, the former editor of Vogue, envisioned Bankman-Fried's billions bankrolling the prestigious Met Gala. Lewis vividly depicts Bankman-Fried petulantly playing computer games while Wintour made her sales pitch.

尽管如此，《走向无限》最引人注目的方面之一是它对班克曼-弗里德短暂辉煌时刻的亲密描绘。仅仅一年前，世界精英都纷纷拜倒在他的脚下。 2022 年 4 月，托尼·布莱尔 (Tony Blair) 和比尔·克林顿 (Bill Clinton) 在巴哈马举行的 FTX 会议上，托尼·布莱尔 (Tony Blair) 和比尔·克林顿 (Bill Clinton) 与 SBF 一起登上舞台时，刘易斯也在场。 这位加密货币神童的形象古怪，穿着工装短裤和筒袜，而穿着无可挑剔的前世界领导人则聚精会神地聆听他的每一句话。 《Vogue》前编辑安娜·温图尔 (Anna Wintour) 设想班克曼·弗里德 (Bankman-Fried) 将为著名的 Met Gala 提供数十亿美元的资金。刘易斯生动地描绘了班克曼·弗里德在温图尔推销产品时脾气暴躁地玩电脑游戏的情景。

Number Go Up: Unraveling the Tether Mystery

数字上升：解开系绳之谜

Faux's "Number Go Up" features Bankman-Fried on its cover, but the central character is Giancarlo Devasini, an enigmatic Italian plastic surgeon who also founded a cryptocurrency called Tether. Tether is purportedly pegged to the US dollar and marketed as a "stablecoin." Like Bankman-Fried, Devasini is a troubling and intriguing figure, albeit more elusive.

Faux 的《Number Go Up》封面是 Bankman-Fried，但主角是 Giancarlo Devasini，一位神秘的意大利整形外科医生，还创立了一种名为 Tether 的加密货币。据称，Tether 与美元挂钩，并作为“稳定币”进行营销。和班克曼·弗里德一样，德瓦西尼也是一个令人不安且有趣的人物，尽管更加难以捉摸。

Faux, a US reporter for Bloomberg, dedicates a significant portion of "Number Go Up" to tracing the murky origins of the funds propping up Tether's price. His investigation leads him from the hedonistic heights of superyacht parties to the remote depths of Cambodia, where unsuspecting Westerners are lured into anonymous cash transfers facilitated by cryptocurrencies, only to be exploited by criminal gangs engaged in human trafficking. Faux paints a damning picture of the nefarious activities that sustain and are facilitated by crypto.

Faux 是彭博社的美国记者，他在《Number Go Up》中用了很大一部分时间来追踪支撑 Tether 价格的资金的不为人知的来源。他的调查将他从超级游艇派对的享乐主义高度带到了柬埔寨的偏远深处，在那里，毫无戒心的西方人被加密货币所吸引，进行匿名现金转移，结果却被从事人口贩运的犯罪团伙所利用。 Faux 描绘了一幅由加密货币维持和促进的邪恶活动的可怕景象。

The El Salvador Experiment: A Dubious Success

萨尔瓦多实验：一次可疑的成功

Faux relentlessly pursues Devasini, even venturing to El Salvador. In 2021, Nayib Bukele, the authoritarian president of El Salvador, declared Bitcoin an official national currency. With Devasini's assistance, Bukele reportedly plans to construct a "Bitcoin City" powered by a volcano. It remains unclear whether El Salvador's experiment has been a success or a failure, primarily because no public entity tracks the extent of Bitcoin usage or the health of the government's Bitcoin reserves.

福克斯无情地追求德瓦西尼，甚至冒险前往萨尔瓦多。 2021 年，萨尔瓦多独裁总统纳伊布·布克莱 (Nayib Bukele) 宣布比特币为官方国家货币。据报道，在德瓦西尼的帮助下，布克莱计划建造一座由火山供电的“比特币城市”。目前尚不清楚萨尔瓦多的实验是成功还是失败，主要是因为没有公共实体跟踪比特币的使用程度或政府比特币储备的健康状况。

A Consensus on Crypto's Ponzi-Like Nature

关于加密货币庞氏骗局本质的共识

Despite their contrasting approaches, Lewis and Faux arrive at the same conclusion: Bitcoin is essentially a mind-boggling Ponzi scheme. However, a crucial question remains unanswered: why does something so evidently pointless continue to allure so many wealthy and influential individuals? Until this enigma is solved, the true nature of the crypto mystery will remain elusive.

尽管方法截然不同，刘易斯和福克斯得出了相同的结论：比特币本质上是一个令人难以置信的庞氏骗局。然而，一个关键问题仍未得到解答：为什么如此明显毫无意义的事情仍然吸引着如此多富有和有影响力的个人？在这个谜团被解决之前，加密货币之谜的真正本质仍然难以捉摸。

Conclusion

结论

Henry Williams, a London-based writer, poses a pertinent question that serves as a fitting conclusion: "All in all, the real question goes unasked - namely, why is something so pointless still seducing so many wealthy and powerful people? Until we can answer that, we won't be able to get to the bottom of the great crypto mystery."

伦敦作家亨利·威廉姆斯提出了一个中肯的问题，作为一个恰当的结论：“总而言之，真正的问题没有被问到——也就是说，为什么如此毫无意义的事情仍然吸引着如此多的富有和有权势的人？直到我们能够回答这个问题，我们将无法揭开这个巨大的加密谜团的真相。”