VOA慢速英语2017--比特币在委内瑞拉获飞速

Venezuelans Survive on Bitcoin

In the last month, John Villar has bought plane tickets to Colombia, purchased medicine for his wife, and paid the employees of his business in Venezuela — all in bitcoin.

As Venezuela’s national currency loses value, Venezuelans have increasingly turned to bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, for daily uses.

For two years, Villar could not find the medication needed in Venezuela to treat his wife’s serious illness. So he bought them in other countries with bitcoin and used a delivery service to get them to Venezuela.

“This is not a matter of politics,” Villar said. “This is a matter of survival.”

Like Villar, poor retirees and wealthy business leaders are changing their bolivars, Venezuela's currency, into bitcoins. They used bitcoin to pay for everything from doctor appointments and honeymoons¹ to motorcycles and beer. Some even purchase a small fraction of one bitcoin to build their savings².

The U.S. dollars remain the number one currency for many Venezuelans but finding them can be difficult and requires a black market connection.

Buying bitcoin eliminates the bureaucracy because transactions can be done peer-to-peer. In addition, saving bitcoin does not require a foreign bank account. Venezuelans cannot hold dollars in a local account.

The transactions are easy for anyone with a smartphone: Websites like LocalBitcoin and Colibit work as exchanges where Venezuelans can buy and sell bitcoins using a local bank account.

The move toward cryptocurrencies in Venezuela is taking place as the price of bitcoin has climbed to a peak of more than $17,000 this month. The digital currency debuted³ on a major U.S. exchange with its first futures⁴ contract on Dec. 10.

The number of Venezuelans using cryptocurrencies is unclear. But weekly bitcoin trading numbers from one website in Venezuela has soared from about $225,000 earlier this year to nearly $2.1 million in the first week of December.

While the price of bitcoin is very unstable⁵, Venezuelans unable to exchange their bolivars for another currency say bitcoin is safer than bolivars.

Rafael Useche is the founder⁶ of Colibit. He said, “Venezuelans are taking refuge in digital currencies.”

Venezuelan authorities have allowed trading of bitcoin in Venezuela, though they have fined and arrested people who use computers to earn bitcoins by watching online cryptocurrency transactions. Such “mining” operations use large amounts of electricity, which is paid for by the state.

At the bitcoin’s current value, one miner computer alone can now earn more than $10,000 in six months.

“It’s a really great opportunity for Venezuelans in a desperate position,” said Andrea O’Sullivan, a cryptocurrency expert at George Mason University.

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has proposed a government-backed version of bitcoin called the petro. The government met with Venezuelan bitcoin sellers to explore the possibility. Many Venezuelans, however, say they would not use a government-owned cryptocurrency.

Even as the use of bitcoin becomes more common, few businesses admit they accept it. Some fear that they will face criminal activity.

Mariana Leon advises businesses on the use cryptocurrency. She said she has helped several companies in the sugar, chocolate and rum industries to put their bolivares in cryptocurrencies. The moves have kept them in business while other companies closed.

“The only reason they have survived is because they invested in cryptocurrencies,” she said.

For Villar, he is developing a computer game using an alternative cryptocurrency called Pepecash. He employs 12 people and all get part of their pay in bitcoin.

Right now, he says, “I don’t have any bolivars.”

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

cryptocurrency - n. money that only exists electronically

fraction - n. a portion of an amount

black market - n. an illegal trade in officially controlled products

refuge - n. a place that provides shelter or protection

mining - v. the process by which transactions are confirmed and made public via computer code known as block chain

peer-to-peer - n. the practice of lending money to individuals or businesses through online services that match lenders with borrowers.

1 honeymoons   

蜜月( honeymoon的名词复数 )； 短暂的和谐时期； 蜜月期； 最初的和谐时期

参考例句：

• I suppose all honeymoons are more or less alike. 我想所有的蜜月多多少少都是相似的。
• Honeymoons are stupid things. 蜜月是乏味的事情。

2 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

3 debuted   

初次表演，初次登台（debut的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• In late 2003 a full-size SUV, the Pathfinder Armada, debuted. 2003年末，全尺寸SUV的探路者无敌舰队，推出。
• The album debuted at number two and quickly went platinum. 专辑一亮相就荣登排行榜第二名，很快就取得了白金销量。

4 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

5 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

6 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。