加密货币成为关键的选举问题

唐纳德·特朗普和其他美国政客对加密货币的拥抱点燃了希望，并鼓励了将游说视为影响政策制定者的一种方式的利益相关者。

Donald Trump and other U.S. politicians’ embrace of crypto has sparked hope and encouraged stakeholders who see lobbying as a way to influence policymakers. However, lingering doubts about the sincerity of politicians should serve as a warning, reminding innovators that they thrive when prioritizing users’ needs over political interests.

唐纳德·特朗普和其他美国政客对加密货币的拥抱点燃了希望，并鼓励了将游说视为影响政策制定者的一种方式的利益相关者。然而，对政客诚意的挥之不去的怀疑应该作为一个警告，提醒创新者，当将用户的需求置于政治利益之上时，他们就会蓬勃发展。

Crypto Emerges as a Key Election Issue

加密货币成为关键的选举问题

In recent weeks and months, there has been significant discussion about the potential impact of a second Donald Trump term on BTC and the crypto industry. The former U.S. President’s vocal support for crypto has drawn attention from many, including financial freedom advocates. Crypto’s emergence as a key election issue has even prompted mainstream media outlets like The New York Times to publish op-eds exploring its growing importance.

最近几周和几个月，关于唐纳德·特朗普第二任期对比特币和加密货币行业的潜在影响进行了广泛的讨论。这位美国前总统对加密货币的直言不讳的支持引起了许多人的关注，其中包括金融自由倡导者。加密货币作为一个关键的选举问题的出现甚至促使《纽约时报》等主流媒体发表专栏文章探讨其日益增长的重要性。

Meanwhile, Trump’s endorsement of BTC and mining, along with the feedback he has received, appears to have prompted the Biden administration to reevaluate its crypto strategy. Before its recent about-face, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) appeared not only determined to refuse approval of an ether ETF but also intent on stifling the cryptocurrency altogether.

与此同时，特朗普对比特币和挖矿的认可，以及他收到的反馈，似乎促使拜登政府重新评估其加密货币战略。在最近态度转变之前，美国证券交易委员会 (SEC) 似乎不仅决心拒绝批准以太坊 ETF，而且还打算完全扼杀加密货币。

The SEC’s lawsuits against Ethereum creators and public statements from Chairman Gary Gensler regarding ethereum (ETH) were interpreted by the crypto community as a clear sign of a bleak future for the number two cryptocurrency. While the SEC initially failed to force various crypto projects to close ranks, its approach of regulation through enforcement actions made clear its intention to pursue the entire industry.

美国证券交易委员会针对以太坊创建者的诉讼以及主席加里·詹斯勒 (Gary Gensler) 关于以太坊 (ETH) 的公开声明被加密社区解读为第二大加密货币未来黯淡的明显迹象。虽然美国证券交易委员会最初未能迫使各种加密货币项目紧密合作，但其通过执法行动进行监管的方法明确表明了其追查整个行业的意图。

Therefore, fighting back became the only option, and crypto proponents and companies have coalesced around lobbying groups sympathetic to their cause. This unity seemingly contributed to the recent shift in the SEC’s stance, evidenced by both its consideration of ether ETF applications and the growing number of pro-crypto lawmakers across the political spectrum, raises fundamental questions. This growing support of political actors, however, also raises questions.

因此，反击成为唯一的选择，加密货币支持者和公司已经联合起来支持他们的游说团体。这种团结似乎促成了 SEC 最近立场的转变，这从其对以太 ETF 申请的考虑以及整个政治领域支持加密货币的立法者数量的不断增加中可见一斑，这引发了一些基本问题。然而，政治参与者日益增长的支持也引发了问题。

Embracing Political Players Comes at a Cost

拥抱政治参与者是有代价的

Are bitcoiners and crypto enthusiasts risking future regrets by supporting politicians who seemingly back their cause? What are crypto industry players offering in exchange for political backing, now deemed crucial?

比特币持有者和加密货币爱好者是否会冒着未来后悔的风险去支持那些看似支持​​他们事业的政客？加密行业参与者提供什么来换取现在被认为至关重要的政治支持？

Asking these questions is essential, as current actions may have future consequences. It’s also necessary because politicians often say one thing and do another. The recent Trump and Biden debate’s lack of crypto discussion highlights the potential risks of this approach.

提出这些问题至关重要，因为当前的行动可能会产生未来的后果。这也是必要的，因为政治家经常说一套，做另一套。最近的特朗普和拜登辩论缺乏加密货币讨论，凸显了这种方法的潜在风险。

To understand why partnering with the sometimes self-serving politicians is ill-advised, we must look back over 15 years. At the time, there was anger towards politicians and their parties stemming from failed policies that led to the 2008 financial crisis. In response to the crisis, Satoshi Nakamoto introduced a proposition that had been in the works before the meltdown. Known as bitcoin (BTC), this proposition was touted as “a purely peer-to-peer version of electronic cash [that] would allow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution.”

为了理解为什么与有时自私的政客合作是不明智的，我们必须回顾过去 15 年。当时，由于失败的政策导致了 2008 年金融危机，人们对政客及其政党感到愤怒。为了应对危机，中本聪提出了一个在崩溃之前就已经在酝酿中的提议。这一提议被称为比特币（BTC），被吹捧为“一种纯粹的点对点版本的电子现金，允许在线支付直接从一方发送到另一方，而无需通过金融机构。”

Indeed, the economic situation prevailing in most Western countries at the time convinced many people that bitcoin was a genius solution to help them insulate themselves in the future. While BTC emerged from a broken Western financial system, it nevertheless became an alternative long sought by those in the Global South, who had experienced similar crises without the means to challenge their financial systems.

事实上，当时大多数西方国家的经济形势让许多人相信比特币是一个天才的解决方案，可以帮助他们在未来隔离自己。尽管比特币诞生于破碎的西方金融体系，但它仍然成为南半球国家长期寻求的替代品，这些国家经历过类似的危机，却无力挑战其金融体系。

As it increasingly became clear that BTC and crypto were their likely saviors, these alternatives were embraced by people from the Global South. Today, the growing usage of crypto in the Global South, particularly in the post-pandemic era, shows that BTC and digital assets are functioning more as alternative stores of value than investment tools. In regions where the U.S. dollar is scarce, stablecoins like USDT and USDC are used to settle cross-border obligations.

随着人们越来越清楚地认识到比特币和加密货币可能是他们的救世主，这些替代方案受到了来自南半球国家的人们的欢迎。如今，加密货币在南半球国家的使用日益增多，尤其是在后疫情时代，这表明比特币和数字资产更多地充当替代价值储存手段，而不是投资工具。在美元稀缺的地区，USDT和USDC等稳定币用于结算跨境债务。

The efficient and cost-effective transfer of remittances using cryptocurrencies drives their utility in much of the Global South. This use case alone should convince politicians like U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren that BTC and similar innovations can do more good than harm. However, Warren’s relentless attacks and efforts to stifle their use suggest otherwise. As an influential Democrat and perhaps a key contributor to the Biden administration’s crypto policy, Warren’s actions have repercussions beyond U.S. borders.

使用加密货币进行高效且具有成本效益的汇款推动了其在南半球大部分地区的实用性。仅这个用例就应该让美国参议员伊丽莎白·沃伦（Elizabeth Warren）等政客相信，比特币和类似的创新利大于弊。然而，沃伦的无情攻击和遏制其使用的努力却表明事实并非如此。作为一位有影响力的民主党人，或许也是拜登政府加密货币政策的关键贡献者，沃伦的行为在美国境外产生了影响。

For example, Warren and other U.S. politicians have targeted stablecoin issuers Tether and Circle, highlighting Hamas and other alleged terrorist organisations’ use of USDT as evidence of stablecoins’ use by bad actors. If regulators both in and outside the U.S. were to act on Warren’s calls to restrict crypto usage, many families relying on crypto or stablecoin-based remittance platforms would suffer.

例如，沃伦和其他美国政客将稳定币发行商 Tether 和 Circle 列为目标，强调哈马斯和其他涉嫌恐怖组织使用 USDT 作为坏人使用稳定币的证据。如果美国国内外的监管机构按照沃伦的呼吁采取行动，限制加密货币的使用，许多依赖加密货币或基于稳定币的汇款平台的家庭将遭受损失。

Interestingly, the U.S. Senator has rarely addressed the potential benefits of Bitcoin (BTC) or stablecoins in her public letters. Instead, she has focused solely on instances where cryptocurrencies have been used for illegal activities. This focus is disappointing for someone who claims to champion the cause of the public.

有趣的是，这位美国参议员很少在公开信中谈到比特币（BTC）或稳定币的潜在好处。相反，她只关注加密货币被用于非法活动的情况。对于一个声称支持公众事业的人来说，这种关注令人失望。

If Sen. Warren and her colleagues truly understand the factors that made the United States one of the most innovative countries (if

如果沃伦参议员和她的同事们真正了解使美国成为最具创新性国家之一的因素（如果