Facebook is leading the creation of a new global currency called Libra.

Facebook 正著手打造一個新的全球貨幣 Libra。

The social network is bringing together a new consortium of 28 companies,

這家靠社群網路起家的公司牽頭 28 間企業組成全新財團，

including tech giants like Uber and eBay, payment firms like PayPal and Visa, and cryptocurrency pioneers like CoinBase,

參與的公司包含科技巨頭 Uber、eBay，支付商如 PayPal、Visa，還有加密貨幣的先鋒 CoinBase。

who are all pledging millions of dollars to create this new cryptocurrency and the blockchain network that underpins it.

他們均承諾會投入數百萬美元來打造這個新的加密貨幣，以及支援 Libra 運作的區塊鏈網絡。

Before too long, Facebook hopes that billions of us will be using WhatsApp and Messenger to send each other payments using Libra, making it the first mainstream cryptocurrency.

Facebook 希望不久之後，數十億人將能透過 WhatsApp 和 Messenger 並使用 Libra 付款，將 Libra 打造成第一個主流加密貨幣。

But there are a lot of things we don't know.

但到目前為止，這件事情充滿著許多未知之數。

How will Libra be regulated, and how will fraud or money laundering be policed?

比方說，如何管制 Libra ，如何監督可能發生的詐騙或洗錢行為？

How will users load cash into their Libra wallets?

使用者要如何為 Libra 電子錢包加值？

Via a cash machine or a mobile operator, such as Vodafone?

是用提款機，還是 Vodafone 之類的電信商？

Which merchants will choose to accept Libra?

哪些商家會接受 Libra 作為支付方式？

And will the traditional banking industry see Facebook as a friend or a foe?

傳統銀行產業視 Facebook 為敵或友？

The big question for us as consumers—is it safe?

至於消費者，最關心的莫過於——它安全嗎？

Facebook is insisting that this is not another data grab and that financial information will remain private.

Facebook 不斷強調自己發行 Libra 不是為了另一波的個資收割，而且不會洩漏用戶的金融交易資訊。

It will not share account data between its Libra wallets and the rest of Facebook, and it won't use the data for targeting ads.

Facebook 不會讓 Libra 帳戶資料外流到公司其他地方，也不會用這些資料來投放廣告。

So what's in it for you?

那對你來說有什麼好處？

One, lower fees for sending money overseas.

首先，跨境匯款的費用變更低了。

Two, faster and more secure peer-to-peer payments whether that's splitting the pizza bill or paying for coffee.

第二點，可以享受更快速、更安全的點對點支付，不管你想分攤披薩錢還是買杯咖啡。

There is also potential for new microtransactions, opening up different kinds of business models online that have previously been held back by fees.

Libra 一旦普及，可能會開啓「小額付費」的全新局面，繼而發展出各種線上商業模式，解決商家過去所面臨費用的問題。

Facebook promises that Libra will simplify commerce within its family of apps, so you can buy those sneakers that you spotted on Instagram.

Facebook 承諾 Libra 會讓 Facebook 家族應用程式間的交易變得更簡單便利，讓你可以購買在 Instagram 上看到的那雙球鞋。

But what's in it for Facebook itself?

但這能為 Facebook 帶來什麼好處呢？

Facebook says its mission is one of financial inclusion, to reach 1.7 billion people who are currently unbanked and reduce transaction fees that are particularly onerous for small businesses.

Facebook 表示，Libra 的使命是普惠金融，讓全球 17 億沒有銀行帳戶的人口都能享受金融服務，並且降低對小型企業造成沉重負擔的交易費用。

Libra will also provide an on-ramp to the Facebook ecosystem for people in remote corners of the world,

Libra 也會幫助住在世界偏遠角落的人接軌 Facebook 生態系統，

whose internet connections and mobile phones are not yet up to scrolling through the newsfeed or shopping on Instagram.

這些人的網路服務和通訊設備未及精良，還無法瀏覽動態或在 Instagram 上購物。

Facebook executives see this as a way to get back on the front foot after a two-year apology tour and prove that the company can still innovate.

經過了 2 年的不斷道歉後，Facebook 高層認為這是該公司重新站穩腳步的好時機，同時希望藉此證明自己還有能力創新。

But creating Libra and recruiting these initial partners are just the first steps.

但是創造 Libra 和招募這些初期夥伴還只是第一步。

Now is where the hard work really begins of convincing the rest of the world that it needs a new global currency.

接下來要說服世界使用全新的全球貨幣才是最嚴峻的挑戰。

Maybe this time, Facebook can learn to move slowly and not break anything.

或許這次 Facebook 可以學會步調慢一點、突槌少一點。