2019年经济学人 电子支付(2)

 

Cash is dying out because of two forces. One is demand— younger consumers want payment systems that plug seamlessly into their digital lives. But equally important is that suppliers such as banks and tech firms (in developed markets) and telecoms companies (in emerging ones) are developing fast, easy-to-use payment technologies from which they can pull data and pocket fees. There is a high cost to running the infrastructure¹ behind the cash economy—atms, vans carrying notes, tellers² who accept coins. Most financial firms are keen to abandon it, or deter³ old-fashioned customers with hefty fees.

由于两股力量，现金正在枯竭。一个是需求——年轻的消费者希望支付系统能无缝地接入他们的数字生活。但同样重要的是，银行和科技公司(在发达市场)以及电信公司(在新兴市场)等供应商正在开发快捷简便的支付技术，这种数据可以支持从中获取数据和收取小额费用。运营现金经济背后的基础设施成本很高——自动取款机、钞票运输车、接受硬币的出纳员。大多数金融公司都热衷于放弃现金，或者用高昂的费用阻止传统的客户。

In the main the prospect⁴ of a cashless economy is excellent news. Cash is inefficient⁵. In rich countries, minting, sorting, storing and distributing it is estimated to cost about 0.5% of GDP. But that does not begin to capture the gains. When payments dematerialise, people and shops are less vulnerable to theft. Governments can keep closer tabs on fraud or tax evasion⁶. Digitalisation vastly expands the playground of small businesses and sole traders by enabling them to sell beyond their borders. It also creates a credit history, helping⁷ consumers borrow.

总的来说，无现金经济前景一片大好。现金低效。在发达国家，铸造、分拣、储存和分配这些成本估计约占GDP的0.5%。但成本高并没有带来好处。当支付电子化时，人们和商店就不那么容易被盗。政府可以对欺诈和逃税进行更密切的监控。数字化使小型企业和个体贸易商能够在海外销售产品，从而极大地拓展了经营范围。数字化还创造了信用记录，帮助消费者借贷。

Yet set against these benefits are a bundle of worries. Electronic payment systems may be vulnerable to technical failures, power blackouts and cyber-attacks—this week Capital One, an American bank, became the latest firm to be hacked⁸. In a cashless economy the poor, the elderly and country folk may be left behind. And eradicating⁹ cash, an anonymous¹⁰ payment method, for a digital system could let governments snoop on people’s shopping habits and private titans exploit their personal data.

然而，既有益处，也有令人担忧的地方。电子支付系统可能容易受到技术故障、停电和网络攻击的影响。本周，美国第一资本银行成为最新一家遭到黑客攻击的公司。在无现金经济中，穷人、老年人和乡下人可能会被落下。此外，数字系统消除了现金的匿名支付方式，可能会让政府窥探人们的购物习惯，让私人巨头利用消费者的个人数据。

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 tellers   

n.（银行）出纳员( teller的名词复数 )；（投票时的）计票员；讲故事等的人；讲述者

参考例句：

• The tellers were calculating the votes. 计票员正在统计票数。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The use of automatic tellers is particularly used in large cities. 在大城市里，还特别投入了自动出纳机。 来自辞典例句

3 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

4 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

5 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

6 evasion   

n.逃避，偷漏(税)

参考例句：

• The movie star is in prison for tax evasion.那位影星因为逃税而坐牢。
• The act was passed as a safeguard against tax evasion.这项法案旨在防止逃税行为。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 hacked   

生气

参考例句：

• I hacked the dead branches off. 我把枯树枝砍掉了。
• I'm really hacked off. 我真是很恼火。

9 eradicating   

摧毁，完全根除( eradicate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Objective: To study the acute and chronic toxicity of Ten-flavor-acne eradicating-capsule. 目的：探讨复方中药合剂十味平痤胶囊的急性及慢性毒性。
• We are on the verge of eradicating polio in the world. 我们已在世界消除小儿？痹症的边缘了。

10 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。