虛擬貨幣主管機關沒著落 陳冲:別把虛擬當空虛
前行政院院長、現任新世代金融基金會董事長陳冲指出，當台北疫情正緊之際，5月18日中國銀行業協會、互聯網金融協會等三大團體聯合公告，要求業者勿用虛擬貨幣為產品定價、不得提供虛擬貨幣相關服務、並要求消費者提高風險防範意識，熟悉大陸環境的人說，「你懂的」，此舉實已代表官方的風向。
上月在扶輪社一場演講後，聽眾席有人發問，「你認為數位貨幣的前途如何」？大哉問，但所謂數位貨幣又是啥？
陳冲指出，如果說的是央行數位貨幣(CBDC)，請參考2021/1/27國際清算銀行BIS的報告，三年內可見真章，時下是人民幣暫居領先。如果說的是穩定幣(Stable coin)，個人非常看好，但目前各主要央行好像相當不爽。如果說的是加密幣(Cryptocurrency)，那也許是投資工具，但不是貨幣，小心為上。
當時正值比特幣價位迭創新高，提問人關心的自然是Cryptocurrency，也就是前述北京三大團體口中的虛擬貨幣。同樣一件事，不同名稱，虛擬乎？數位乎？加密乎？大家了解就好，interchangeable也無妨。
陳冲指出，全世界加密幣大約有五千種，Bitcoin比特幣當然是箇中翹楚。
2014/1/7，國內剛開始認識Bitcoin時，我在工商時報一篇專欄中提到，在美國擁有1,200萬觀眾的法庭影集The good wife，於2012/1/15播出一集名為Bitcoin for dummies(一語雙關，因美國有for dummies叢書)，講述法律事務所內眾律師討論Bitcoin的性質，最後結論是Bitcoin不是錢，就像Commodity一樣。
不要小看美國影集的編劇，背後專業智囊不是一般水準。2014年，我連續兩篇文章，談論比特幣，也都認為只是商品、投資工具，不是貨幣，更不是法償。此一看法，至今並無改變，最主要原因，虛擬(貨)幣沒有intrinsic value(內在價值)。
有商品，就有交易。十多年來，各種虛擬幣價格起伏劇烈，也成為洗錢工具的首選，常是國際洗錢防犯討論的要角，晚近各種交易平台的透明度，也被質疑，本月初，韓國金管會FSC主席表示，鑒於業者均未於3/25依法提出登記文件，政府有可能在9月24日新法所定期限，將全國二百家交易所全部勒令停業，以符國際上對VASP(Virtual Asset Service Provider)的期待。
陳冲指出，無獨有偶，本年4月9日，配合國際趨勢，行政院以院台法字第1100167722號令，完成依洗錢防制法第五條第四項之指定，其中將虛擬通貨平台及交易業務，界定為虛擬通貨與法定貨幣之互換、虛擬通貨間之交換/移轉、保管/管理虛擬通貨等，規定雖不盡完美，但都還有所本，卻暴露洗錢防制法長期以來的一項爭議，「三個和尚沒水喝」，五六個單位開會，結果卻無主管機關。
陳冲指出，行政院院長蘇貞昌可能樂於扛責任，但今年7/1以後，虛擬通貨交易所以及通貨間的移轉/交換等，如果發生糾紛、出了問題，甚至刑事責任，還是得有主管機關負責，難不成還要行政院出馬管VASP？看看其他國家由單一機關主政，或是數機關會銜，都有前例，這才是超前部署，「有政府，請安心」。
陳冲指出，看看中國，想想韓國，環顧全球，安心真不容易。
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Facebook Diem announces US stablecoin launch
Facebook’s stablecoin project Diem has announced it is to launch a U.S. dollar pegged stablecoin, in the latest paring back of its international ambitions.
The project, formerly known as Libra, had been envisaging a worldwide roll-out for its stablecoin, which it had planned would be pegged to a weighted basket of international currencies. However, run-ins with regulators worldwide have resulted in several significant changes of direction in recent months, with the recent announcement the culmination of its reshaped ambitions ahead of launch.
The Diem Association, which runs the project, said it was moving its headquarters from Switzerland to the U.S., and would be withdrawing its application for a payment system license with the Swiss financial authorities.
Diem is now preparing to register as a money services business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
A pilot launch of the stablecoin is being planned in connection with California’s Silvergate Bank, though Diem has yet to confirm when the rollout will take place.
“We are committed to a payment system that is safe for consumers and businesses, makes payments faster and cheaper,” according to Diem.
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority issued its own statement confirming Diem’s intentions to revoke its Swiss license application.
“Diem is planning to launch the payment system from the USA in a first phase because initially the project will focus on the USA as its target market.”
Plans for Facebook’s stablecoin, or Libra as it was then, were unveiled in June 2019, part of the company’s strategic ambition to expand into the global payments sector.
It had been hoped that Libra would allow for transactions between consumers, and consumers to businesses, as a form of digital payment native to the Facebook ecosystem.
The revised USD-only stablecoin strategy will now see Diem turn its focus to its domestic market in attempting to establish its foothold in the space.
See also: CoinGeek Live panel, The Future of Banking, Financial Products & Blockchain
New to Bitcoin? Check out CoinGeek’s Bitcoin for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about Bitcoin—as originally envisioned by Satoshi Nakamoto—and blockchain.
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