虛擬貨幣：電子復仇聯盟 EEA

【Comment】

根據WIKI，區塊鏈(blockchain technology)，是用分散式資料庫識別、傳播和記載資訊的智慧化對等網路, 也稱為價值網際網路。其技術能使資訊能即時驗證、可追溯、但難以篡改和無法遮蔽，從而創造了一套隱私、高效、安全的共享價值體系。

除EEA之外，blockchain競爭者還有R3, Chain, Digital Asset Holdings 以及the Hyperledger Project

還是不懂！

EEA目前有大咖加入，包括JPMorgan Chase & Co., BP LP, Microsoft Corp., International Business Machines Corp. and ING Groep NV，以及三菱銀行集團、豐田汽車子公司、Merck KGaA, State Street Corp。企業加入的想法，就是B2B，以及B2C。這新技術，大概可以閃過中央銀行的管制權。

目前是，虛擬貨幣方興未艾，從自治體、企業到個人，都可以發行。只要有人承認、交易，就算。這對實體貨幣產生巨大衝擊。

豐田說，此復仇者聯盟有益其自駕車發展。大概是駕駛沒事幹之後，促使其利用空閒來消費吧？

問題是，過去實體貨幣曾經多樣化，只要具稀少性、人們承認就好。後來，亂成一團，終於與貴金屬掛勾，最後變成黃金本位。

但黃金也不足，所以經過一番折騰，大家對美元，但美元保證兌黃金來過場。最後形成不列頓森林體制。

但黃金一樣不足，甚至有美國盜賣黃金的傳言，尼克森索性取消美元保證兌黃金。形成信用貨幣：大家相信就成。回到原始。

貨幣是假的，交易是真的，反正大家相信就成。

虛擬貨幣的出現，也不是天馬行空，卻還有幾場大戰要打。

三菱、豐田加入EEA技術聯盟 樂桃航空對應比特幣交易  物聯網20170606

虛擬貨幣在全球金融市場掀起熱潮，繼比特幣(Bitcoin)後，以太幣(Ethereum；ETH)也備受市場矚目。日經新聞報導，日本金融機關三菱UFJ集團與豐田汽車(Toyota Motor)旗下子公司決定加入以太幣區塊鏈技術團體「企業以太坊聯盟」(Enterprise Ethereum Alliance；EEA)，共同發展和活用以太幣。

目前以太幣市值約1.8兆日圓。以太幣不僅能作為虛擬貨幣使用，也能自動執行所有權轉讓，或自動履行契約內容，便於企業實行各種交易內容。三菱UFJ集團和豐田汽車子公司加入EEA後，可能一同著手制定標準規格。

EEA成軍於2017年2月，主要負責研究以太幣區塊鏈技術應用和制定標準規格，目前成員約30家企業，其中包含JP摩根、微軟(Microsoft)、英特爾(Intel)等。豐田子公司Toyota Research Institute(TRI)亦將加入其中。

區塊鏈技術兼具不需管理者的開放性質和可對應企業需求的封閉系統，被視為深具潛力的金融科技。許多機關著手研究區塊鏈技術，例如三菱UFJ即加入由Ripple主導的聯盟，研討次世代國際金流網路的可能性。

目前日本部分便利商店和大型家電連鎖開始研討對應虛擬貨幣的可能性。比特幣交易所bitFlyer財務長金光碧表示，2017年底前，日本對應比特幣的店家可望增加至30萬家。樂桃航空即於日前表示，2017年底前將開放比特幣購買機票，盼吸引海外遊客買氣。

樂桃認為，近年來許多民眾將比特幣視為避免資產貶值的手段，且樂桃國際航線客群7成為海外民眾，利用比特幣支付需求應不在少數。樂桃期許比特幣在日本普及。若地方經濟活性化，也有助於航空公司業績成長。

對民眾來說，比特幣最大的魅力在於交易成本極低。一般銀行施行海外匯款服務的手續費達數千日圓，比特幣卻只要數十日圓。就算將幣值起伏、兌換實體貨幣等成本納入考量，民眾負擔還是比利用銀行輕鬆許多。

全球虛擬貨幣達1,000種以上，其中700種主要貨幣的市值總額預估達770億美元以上。例如日本女性藝人佐野真彩獨自發行虛擬貨幣「SANOMAYA」，利用大阪科技企業Techbureau所研發區塊鏈技術，提供民眾購買，根據貨幣所屬的偶像明星當紅程度差異，幣值將有所起伏。此外，茨城縣霞浦市推出可透過智慧型手機交易的「當地點數」刺激經濟，盼能促進地方縣市消費。

日本政府於4月1日施行改正資金決濟法，視虛擬貨幣與易付卡、提貨券為同類型交易方法，虛擬貨幣交易所必須正式登記才可營業。預估未來將有更多網路證券機構加入市場。

即使如此，利用虛擬貨幣市場炒短線的案例不少，也有非法洗錢(money laundering)的可能性。投資人若是貿然挹注資金，很可能得不償失。虛擬貨幣在全球市場普及速度快速，許多國家的法律條約根本來不及對應。

前日本央行(BOJ)金融中心長官岩下直行認為，短期內虛擬貨幣不可能如通用貨幣般普及。儘管日本抱持高額內債，對日圓的信任度並未動搖。和幣值變動激烈的虛擬貨幣相比，日圓還是穩定許多。

Toyota, Merck Join Ethereum Group to Build Blockchain Network    Bloomberg 20170522

An effort to transform how businesses work by using blockchain technology added new members from multiple industries as Toyota Motor Corp., Merck KGaA, State Street Corp. and other companies joined industry group the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance.

They join existing EEA members JPMorgan Chase & Co., BP LP, Microsoft Corp., International Business Machines Corp. and ING Groep NV that are all trying to determine if shared databases recorded on the ethereum blockchain can cut costs by speeding up financial transactions or ensuring the efficiency of a supply chain.  The reason ethereum is creating such interest among industries from finance to health care is because it allows for much more complex actions to be done in a shared and decentralized manner than with bitcoin, which introduced the first blockchain to the world in 2009.

The bitcoin blockchain is like a banking system that runs itself -- but its main use is just to allow people to move the digital currency from one place to another. Ethereum’s ledger does more. It stores fully functioning computer programs called smart contracts on its blockchain: If person A performs job B for company C, it will trigger a payment of D back to A and so on. Ethereum is a way for people to make agreements and automate enforcement, all on a distributed network of computers. Once you can create contracts -- which are just operating procedures -- you can use them to manage almost any kind of enterprise or organization.

“The enthusiasm around EEA is remarkable," Julio Faura, chairman of EEA and head of blockchain innovation at Banco Santander SA, said in a statement announcing the additions to the group.  "Our new members come from varying industries such as pharma, mobile, banking, automotive, management consulting, and hardware.”

Toyota, for example, is experimenting with ethereum to help it develop self-driving cars and other uses.

"Toyota Research Institute supports the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance and its members in promoting common standards and tools to accelerate the adoption of this technology and the potential benefits for Toyota’s customers,” Chris Ballinger, chief financial officer of the car company’s unit Toyota Research Institute, said in the statement.

John Hancock Financial is experimenting with a tailored version of ethereum to keep track of compliance with know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering regulations in its wealth management unit.  European aircraft maker Airbus SE wants to know if its supply chain management can be shifted to a blockchain.

Merck, which says it’s the world’s oldest chemical and pharmaceutical company in the world dating back nearly 350 years, said its history isn’t stopping it from being innovative.

"Curiosity fuels business development and enables companies like ours to remain competitive," Andreas Schindler, director ideation, innovation and technology foresight for the company, said in the statement.  "We are curious to co-create with the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance on distributed ledger architectures and solutions for future digital markets in health care and life sciences.”

Adoption of blockchain technology such as ethereum has significant hurdles to overcome, such as convincing competitors to work together in a network that shares market information.  There is also the fact that very few if any actual uses of blockchain have been released to date.  Regulators also have to be convinced the system is safe.

And the EEA is far from alone in seeking an edge in creating standards for blockchain systems.  Competitors include R3, Chain, Digital Asset Holdings and the Hyperledger Project.