2019年经济学人 电子支付(2)（在线收听）

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 infrastructure behind the cash economy—atms, vans carrying notes, tellers who accept coins. Most financial firms are keen to abandon it, or deter 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 prospect of a cashless economy is excellent news. Cash is inefficient. 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 evasion. 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, helping 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 hacked. In a cashless economy the poor, the elderly and country folk may be left behind. And eradicating cash, an anonymous 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。