????比特幣愛好者剛剛經歷了動蕩的一周。世界最大的比特幣交易所Mt. Gox倒閉，動搖了投資者對這種貨幣的信心，打壓了比特幣價格，導致它在2月25日下跌到了418.78美元的低點，遠遠低于幾個月前的1,151美元。

????此后，比特幣已經收復部分下跌的價值，但這一事件已經讓很多人開始擔憂這個世界最知名的電子加密貨幣的未來。但可以肯定的一點是：比特幣面臨的最大挑戰并不是來自與比特幣相關機構的倒閉，而是美聯儲（Federal Reserve）等公共監督機構可能通過嚴厲法規予以打擊的可能性。

????正因如此，美聯儲主席詹尼特?耶倫明確有力地表態，美聯儲不會很快成為這種貨幣的監管機構，比特幣的擁躉們可以長舒一口氣了。“這是一種銀行領域之外的創新支付方式，理解這一點很重要。”耶倫在上周四早晨參加參議院銀行委員會（Senate Banking Committee）聽證會時表示。“很簡單，美聯儲就是沒有權利通過任何方式對比特幣進行監管。”

????這個回答是對西維吉尼亞州參議員喬?曼欽有關比特幣問題的回應，而這類問題難掩對這種貨幣的深度懷疑。曼欣稱，比特幣是一種“不穩定貨幣”，他認為這種貨幣主要用于非法活動。耶倫表態稱，Fed沒有權利監管比特幣，曼欣看起來也很失望。他認為，比特幣和美聯儲監管的銀行領域未來將出現交叉。

????耶倫并沒有讓步，她告訴曼欣稱，如果他希望美聯儲對這種貨幣進行進一步監管，美國國會可以采取行動要求這么做。她表示，否則，任何法規都應接受美國司法部和美國財政部的管轄。（財富中文網）

????

????Bitcoin enthusiasts have had a rough week. The collapse of the world's largest bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox, shook investors faith in the currency, sending the price of bitcoin to a low of $418.78 on Feb. 25 from a high of $1,151 just a few months before.

????The currency has since recovered some of that lost value, but the incident has left many wondering about the future of the world's most famous cryptocurrency. One thing is for sure, though: the biggest threat to bitcoin isn't from the failure of private bitcoin-related institutions but the chance that public regulators like the Federal Reserve will crack down hard with stifling regulations.

????That's why bitcoin boosters should have let out a sigh of relief when Fed Chair Janet Yellen said in no uncertain terms that her institution will not be regulating the currency anytime soon. "It's important to understand that this is a payment innovation that's happening outside the banking industry," Yellen said at a Senate Banking Committee hearing Thursday morning. "The Federal Reserve simply does not have the authority to regulate bitcoin in any way."

????The answer came in response to West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin's questions about bitcoin, which belied intense distrust of the currency. Manchin called bitcoin an "unstable currency" that he believes is being used mostly for illegal activities. Manchin was seemingly disappointed with Yellen's statement that the Fed had no authority to regulate bitcoin, saying he believed there would be an intersection between bitcoin and Fed-regulated banks in the near future.

????Yellen didn't budge, telling Manchin that if he wanted further oversight of the currency, Congress could take action to require it. Otherwise, she said, any regulation would be under the purview of the Justice Department and the Treasury Department.