美国国家公共电台 NPR--Why Americans haven't been convinced on cryptocurrency

Why Americans haven't been convinced on cryptocurrency

Transcript¹

Despite a massive marketing² campaign, Pew research found just 16% of Americans have invested in or used cryptocurrency. Leila Fadel asks Blockchain Foundation's Cleve Mesidor why?

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

And I'm Leila Fadel. A recent Pew Research survey found that despite a high-profile ad blitz, just 16% of Americans say they've invested in, traded or used cryptocurrency. Among those who invested, nearly half say they did worse than they expected. The crypto market has rebounded³ from a, quote, "crypto winter" - basically, a bear market - up from a low of $100 billion to about $1 trillion now. But why have some people invested and others have not? Joining us is Cleve Mesidor. She's the executive director of the nonprofit Blockchain Foundation and author of "THE CLEVOLUTION: My Quest For Justice In Politics & Crypto." Good morning.

CLEVE MESIDOR: Good morning. Thank you for having me on.

FADEL: Thank you so much for being here. So 16% of American adults say they've invested, traded or used crypto. What's keeping Americans from investing more in cryptocurrency?

MESIDOR: Well, let's face it. If the traditional financial system has worked for you, if you've benefited from traditional markets, you are probably cool to crypto. That's why we've seen Black and Latino communities lead adoption⁴. But the blitz that occurred, right - the Super Bowl ads, all of the media - it happened around the time that a recession was looming⁵. Traditional markets were going into a bear market. So I think it's just timing⁶. I think, you know, every American right now, regardless of what their portfolio⁷ includes, their portfolio does not look good. They're not happy. So it's not crypto. Crypto is not happening in isolation⁸.

FADEL: Well, let's talk about what you just mentioned. You said if you're happy with traditional investments, you're not going to want it to go towards crypto. And you mention this outsized number of Latino, Black adults, Asian adults that are investing. Why do you think that is? Why are these communities moving quicker than white communities?

MESIDOR: Yes, because those who have been traditionally locked out of the traditional financial system - and we're talking beyond the unbanked, right? We're talking about Black and Latino professionals, Black and Latino businesses...

FADEL: Right.

MESIDOR: ...You know, Black and Latino, Asian nonprofits, right? Those who have been locked out all along the spectrum⁹ - I'm a Gen Xer. I'm a middle-class professional. Wealth managers do not treat me the same way. When you look at the PPP loan program that was supposed to be for minority businesses, it primarily went to wealthy businesses and hedge funds. So a large segment of the American population, regardless of socioeconomic status, have been left out of traditional financial systems and also have been operating in an alternative financial system. We saw fintechs grow because companies recognize there were people operating outside of traditional banks. Cryptocurrency is just the next iteration of that.

FADEL: I mean, the perception is, is that crypto is much more volatile¹⁰ than traditional markets. Is that the case?

MESIDOR: Again, depending on your relationship with money, depending on your relationship with traditional finance. As a Black woman who has a master's degree, who's middle class, the traditional financial markets is riskier¹¹ to me than cryptocurrency is. I have never been able to fully¹² participate. So it depends on your vantage point. That's why you see Black, Latino, Asian communities are leading adoption. And that's not just in the U.S., that's happening abroad in Latin America and the continent of Africa and India. Those who have been locked out globally are gravitating towards this new strategy, this new approach, because it looks a lot like the ways we've operated alternatively, DeFi - you know, decentralized, autonomous¹³ organization. You're going to continue to see communities of color lead adoption of cryptocurrency.

FADEL: Cleve Mesidor is the executive director of the nonprofit Blockchain Foundation. Thank you so much for your time.

MESIDOR: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

3 rebounded   

弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效

参考例句：

• The ball rebounded from the goalpost and Owen headed it in. 球从门柱弹回，欧文头球将球攻进。
• The ball rebounded from his racket into the net. 球从他的球拍上弹回网中。

4 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

5 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 portfolio   

n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位

参考例句：

• He remembered her because she was carrying a large portfolio.他因为她带着一个大公文包而记住了她。
• He resigned his portfolio.他辞去了大臣职务。

8 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

9 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

10 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

11 riskier   

冒险的，危险的( risky的比较级 )

参考例句：

• Now they are starting to demand higher returns on riskier assets. 而今他们开始在风险更高的资产上要求更高的回报。
• The problem with that: RIM's business is getting riskier every quarter. 不过问题也随之而来：RIM面临的业务风险正逐季增大。

12 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

13 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。