But now, collectible items have moved into the digital space in the form of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens.

但現在，收藏品已經以 NFT，也就是非同質化代幣的形式進入了數位領域。

So what exactly are NFTs? And why are they suddenly being sold for millions?

那麼，NFT 到底是什麼？又為什麼會突然被以數百萬美元的價格賣出呢？

NFTs, known as "NFTies" by insiders, are a type of digital asset.

NFT 被業內人士稱為「NFTies」，是數位資產的一種。

Ownership of these tokens is recorded on a blockchain, a digital ledger using similar technology to the networks that underpin bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

這些代幣的所有權記錄在區塊鏈上，而區塊鏈是一種使用與比特幣及其他其他加密貨幣網路類似技術的數位賬本。

But unlike currencies, where every token is of equal value and could be swapped for any other, NFTs have unique qualities which stop them from being interchangeable, or "fungible".

但與虛擬貨幣每一枚代幣的價值相等，並可以與其他代幣互換的特質不同的是，NFT 有著自身獨特的價值，讓它們無法相互替代，使它們「非同質」。

You can think of them like the crypto alternative to rare Pokémon or baseball cards.

你可以把它們想象成稀有神奇寶貝卡或棒球卡的加密替代品。

And just like the traditional art market, NFTs are often sold at auction, with prospective buyers bidding against each other until a price is reached.

而就像傳統的藝術品市場一樣，NFT 也經常在拍賣會上出售，讓潛在買家相互競價，直到達成最終交易價格。

The rise of the internet meant that images, videos and songs could be reproduced and distributed infinitely online, often without any royalties being paid to their creators.

網際網路的興起意味著圖片、影片和歌曲可以在網上無限複製和傳播，而過程中往往不會向其創作者支付任何版稅。

And even tech giants such as YouTube and Spotify have faced criticism for not compensating artists sufficiently for their work.

即使是像是 YouTube 和 Spotify 這樣的科技巨頭，也被批評過並沒有為藝術家們所創作的作品付出足夠的金錢。

Proponents of NFTs say they address this problem by allowing ownership to be recorded on the blockchain, preventing unlimited reproduction or piracy, and enabling creators to reap the financial rewards.

NFT 的支持者表示，他們能通過在區塊鏈上記錄所有權來解決這個問題，藉此防止無限制的複製或盜版，使創作者能夠獲得金錢上的回報。

Rock band Kings of Leon sold NFTs over two weeks in March 2021, which gave buyers access to a deluxe form of their album for $50, whilst also auctioning off an even more exclusive version limited to just 18 copies.

搖滾樂隊 Kings of Leon 在 2021 年 3 月的兩個禮拜期間內賣出了 NFT，讓買家以 50 美元的價格購買豪華版專輯，同時還拍賣了一個僅限量 18 份的限定版本。

In the same month, the NFT of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's first tweet sold for nearly $3 million to Sina Estavi, a Malaysia-based crypto entrepreneur.

在同個月，推特執行長傑克‧多西第一條推特的 NFT 以近 300 萬美元的價格賣給了馬來西亞的加密企業家 Sina Estavi。

Meanwhile, art dealers are also getting in on the action, with auction house Christie's running an auction for a virtual work from the artist Beeple, which eventually sold for nearly $70 million.

於此同時，藝術品經銷商也不落人後。佳士得拍賣行為藝術家 Beeple 的虛擬作品舉辦了一場拍賣會，最終以近 7000 萬美元的價格成交。

But NFTs aren't a totally new phenomenon.

但 NFT 並其實不是一個全新的現象。

CryptoKitties, a virtual pet game based on the blockchain Ethereum, was so popular in 2017 that they clogged up the network of cryptocurrency Ether.

CryptoKitties 是一款基於區塊鏈以太坊的虛擬寵物遊戲，而這款遊戲在 2017 年時受歡迎到堵塞了加密貨幣以太幣的網絡。

To date, these colorful online cats have generated sales of over $40 million.

截至目前為止，這些五彩繽紛的網路貓貓們已經達成了超過 4000 萬美元的銷售額。

So, why are we hearing so much about NFTs now?

那麼，為什麼我們現在才聽到這麼多關於 NFT 的消息呢？

The coronavirus pandemic played a big role in the NFT boom.

新冠病毒的大流行在 NFT 的興起中扮演了很重要的角色。

In 2020, the total value of NFT transactions quadrupled to $250 million, and the market looks set to grow further in 2021.

2020 年時，NFT 的交易總額翻了四倍，達到 2.5 億美元。而在 2021 年，市場看起來還會進一步增長。

That's in no small part because of stay-at-home restrictions that resulted in most people spending a lot more time on the internet,

這在很大程度上是因為由於被迫待在家裡，導致大多數人花了更多的時間在網路上，

and many having spare cash on hand as in-person spending opportunities were limited.

並且因為沒辦法親自出去逛街消費，導致手頭上有多餘的資金。

It's a trend with parallels in the rise of retail traders betting on GameStop and other historically-unloved stocks promoted on the Reddit board WallStreetBets.

這個現象與散戶在 GameStop 等其它傳統上不受重視，但在 Reddit 板塊 WallStreetBets 上受到推廣的股票上投資的趨勢相互呼應。

The craze also arrives at a time when Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have surged in value, with Bitcoin briefly reaching a record high price of over $60,000 in March 2021.

這股熱潮也隨著比特幣和其他加密貨幣價值暴漲而來，而比特幣在 2021 年 3 月短暫達到了 6 萬多美元的歷史新高。

Many NFTs are priced in Ether, the digital token of the Ethereum blockchain.

許多 NFT 都是以以太幣，也就是以太坊的數位代幣來定價的。

That currency hovered around $2,000 in February 2021 before losing nearly a third of its value in a matter of days, reminding investors of cryptocurrencies' wild volatility.

該貨幣在 2021 年 2 月徘徊在 2000 美元左右，並在在短短幾天內便損失了近三分之一的價值，再再提醒投資者加密貨幣的價格波動有多麼瘋狂。

Many investors are buying NFTs as a speculative investment, hoping to flip them at a much higher price than they originally paid.

很多投資者把購入 NFT 作為一種投機性投資，希望能以比原來支付的價格高得多的金錢翻盤。

But a growing number of people are also holding NFTs long term as collectibles.

但也有越來越多的人將 NFT 作為收藏品長期持有。

Major brands including the NBA and Formula 1 have launched projects centered around NFTs which can be collected or traded.

包括 NBA 和 F1 在內的各大品牌都推出了圍繞著 NFT 的計畫。

And people are also finding other uses for NFTs, such as virtual real estate and video games.

許多人也正在尋求著 NFT 的其他用途，例如做為虛擬房地產或是電玩遊戲。

Nevertheless, the NFT space has been met with skepticism from some creators and investors.

儘管如此，NFT 領域還是遭到了一些創作者和投資者的質疑。

Critics view it as another crypto fad that will eventually drift into irrelevance, while there are also concerns about the carbon emissions needed to generate these tokens.

批評者認為這不過又是另一波加密熱潮，最終將漸漸變得無關緊要，而也有人擔心生產這些代幣所增加的碳排放。

But expect to hear more about NFTs so long as collectors are willing to buy them.

但只要收藏家們願意購買，NFT 的熱潮還暫時不會消退。

Thank you so much for watching. Would you buy an NFT?

非常感謝你的收看。你會買 NFT 嗎？

Let us know in the comments section and don't forget to subscribe.

請在評論區告訴我們，並也別忘了訂閱。

Bye for now.

暫時再見囉。