比特幣價格首次超過黃金

A unit of the digital cryptocurrency Bitcoin has exceeded the value of an ounce of gold for the first time.

周四，加密貨幣比特幣單價首次超過了黃金的價格。

It closed at $1,268 on Thursday while a troy ounce of gold stood at $1,233.

周四收盤時，比特幣價格達到了1268美元，而一盎司的黃金價格則維持在1233美元。

The current high is being attributed to surging demand in China, where authorities warn it is used to channel money out of the country.

比特幣如今持續升值，被認為是由市場的強烈需求導致的。在，政府部門已經對比特幣交易有所限制，防止國內資產非法潛逃國外。

The past months' surge is a major reversal for Bitcoin, which plummeted in value in 2014 after the largest exchange collapsed.

在2014年最大的比特幣交易所倒閉后，比特幣的價格就一直徘徊在低谷。上個月的暴漲，讓比特幣又一次吸引了人們的眼球。

The value of Bitcoin has been volatile since it was first launched in 2009, and many experts have questioned whether the crypto-currency will last.

自2009年比特幣發行以來，其價格一直處于波動之中。很多行業專家也對比特幣的可持續性持懷疑態度。

Earlier this year, Chinese authorities cracked down on Bitcoin trading in an attempt to stop money flowing out of the country illegally.

今年年初，政府為了防止國內資金潛逃國外，對比特幣交易加強了監管措施。

But the closer scrutiny from Beijing only briefly sent the currency lower. After it had soared to record highs in January, it has since picked its steady rise in value.

但是，政府對比特幣的監管政策只是暫時小幅地控制了比特幣的價格。在之後，一月份的時候，比特幣依然升值到了歷史最高點，並且保持著穩定的上升趨勢。

How Bitcoin works

比特幣的原理

Bitcoin is often referred to as a new kind of currency. Yet like all currencies its value is determined by how much people are willing to exchange it for.

比特幣被認為是一種新的貨幣。但和其他所有貨幣一樣，它的價值取決於多少人願意在交易過程中使用它。

To process Bitcoin transactions, a procedure called "mining" must take place, which involves a computer solving a difficult mathematical problem with a 64-digit solution.

為了進行比特幣交易，必須要有一項名為「挖礦」的行為同時進行。「挖礦」是指電腦通過窮舉法解決一道答案為64位數字的數學難題。

For each problem solved, one block of Bitcoins is processed. In addition the miner is rewarded with new Bitcoins.

當某台電腦解決了數學難題后，一個區塊內的比特幣交易將會全部完成。而解決數學難題的人將得到一定的比特幣作為獎勵。

To compensate for the growing power of computer chips, the difficulty of the puzzles is adjusted to ensure a steady stream of new Bitcoins are produced each day.

為了將每天產生的比特幣數量維持在一個穩定的數值，當計算機性能提高后，數學難題的難度也會上升，從而每個問題的完成時間基本都差不多。

There are currently about 15 million Bitcoins in existence.

目前全世界比特幣的存世量約為1500萬個。

To receive a Bitcoin, a user must have a Bitcoin address - a string of 27-34 letters and numbers - which acts as a kind of virtual post-box to and from which the Bitcoins are sent.

一個用戶為了接收比特幣，他必須擁有一個比特幣地址，該地址是一串27-34位的字母和數字。這串地址就像一個虛擬郵箱一樣，屬於該用戶的比特幣將被發向這個地址。

Since there is no register of these addresses, people can use them to protect their anonymity when making a transaction.

因為這個比特幣地址是非公開，沒有公共記錄的。所以用戶們在交易比特幣時，他們可以匿名交易，以保護隱私。

These addresses are in turn stored in Bitcoin wallets, which are used to manage savings.

該比特幣地址會被存儲於比特幣錢包中，比特幣錢包就是用來管理比特幣的賬戶。