中國央行在上周三宣布，對北京和上海的大型比特幣交易平臺展開現場檢查，使這種秘密貨幣的價格下跌超過10%，跌至三周新低。

據中國人民銀行表示，對比特幣中國（BTCC）、火幣網（Huobib）和幣行網（OKCoin）等比特幣交易平臺進行的調查，目的是發現各種潛在違規行為，包括操縱市場、洗錢和非法融資等。但其并未公布是否發現了任何違規情況。

中國政府一直在不斷采取措施阻止資金外流，減緩人民幣貶值的壓力。去年，人民幣兌美元貶值了超過6.5%。

在此次現場檢查之前，中國人民銀行曾發出警告，公開要求投資者理性、慎重對待比特幣投資。不論是否巧合，現在，比特幣的交易模式開始變得與過去兩年中國金融市場出現的一系列泡沫驚人地相似，比如股票、房地產和鐵礦石期貨等等。

中國的交易平臺占到了這種隱秘貨幣逾90%的交易量。隨著比特幣價格的不斷上漲，再加上其相對的匿名屬性，有人認為比特幣成為了精通技術的中國人對沖人民幣的一種具有吸引力的選擇，可以規避關于個人每年可購買外匯限額的規定。去年年底，這些規定變得更加嚴格，中國政府推出了詳細的調查問卷，要求購買者回答為什么需要購買外匯。

中國人民銀行上海分行表示，其在上周三檢查了比特幣中國。

聲明稱：“此次檢查的重點是該企業是否超范圍經營，是否未經許可或無牌照開展信貸、支付、匯兌等相關業務，是否涉嫌操縱市場，是否違反反洗錢規定，或是否（存在）資金安全風險等。”中國人民銀行的北京總部關于對幣行網和火幣網的突襲檢查，也發表了類似的聲明。

上海比特幣中國的CEO李啟元確認了此次檢查，但他表示，相信公司沒有違規。

他通過電話告訴路透社：“我們認為我們完全符合中國有關比特幣交易的所有現行規章制度。

我認為這并不是一次檢查。而是與我們密切合作，深入了解我們的業務模式和比特幣交易行業。”李啟元稱此次會面“成果顯著”。

一位拒絕透漏姓名的火幣網高管確認，中國人民銀行在上周三檢查了他們的辦公地，但拒絕提供詳情。幣行網的發言人告訴路透社，其平臺仍在正常運營，公司也在配合當局的工作。（財富中文網）

譯者：劉進龍/汪皓

China's central bank said on last Wednesday it launched spot checks on major bitcoin exchanges in Beijing and Shanghai, knocking the price of the crypto-currency down by more than 10 percent to a new three-week low.

The probe of bitcoin exchanges, including BTCC, Huobi and OKCoin, was to look into a range of possible rule violations, including market manipulation, money laundering and unauthorized financing, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said. It did not say if any violations had been found.

Chinese authorities have been ratcheting up efforts to stop capital outflows and relieve pressure on the yuan to depreciate. The currency lost more than 6.5 percent against the dollar last year.

The spot checks follow a shot across the bows from the PBOC, when it publicly urged investors to take a rational and cautious approach to investing in Bitcoin. Whether by coincidence or not, trading patterns in Bitcoin are now starting to look uncannily like a series of bubbles in Chinese financial markets over the last couple of years, in assets as diverse as stocks, housing and iron ore futures.

Chinese exchanges account for over 90% of trading in the crypto-currency. With its soaring price and the relative anonymity it affords, some believe Bitcoin has become an attractive option for tech-savvy Chinese to hedge against the yuan and get round rules that limit the amount of foreign exchange individuals can buy each year. Those rules were tightened at the end of last year, as the authorities introduced exhaustive questionnaires asking buyers why and how they needed the foreign exchange.

The Shanghai arm of the PBOC said it visited BTCC on last Wednesday.

"The checks focused on whether the firm was operating out of its business scope, whether it was launching unauthorized financing, payment, forex business or other related businesses, whether it was involved in market manipulation, anti-money laundering or (carried) fund security risks," it said. The PBOC's office in Beijing put out a similar statement about its raid on OKCoin and Huobi.

Shanghai-based BTCC's CEO Bobby Lee confirmed the visit, but said he believed the company was not out of line.

"We think we are in compliance with all the current rules and regulations of running a Bitcoin exchange in China," he told Reuters by phone.

"I wouldn't call it an investigation. I think they are working closely with us to learn more about our business model and the Bitcoin exchange industry," Lee said, calling the meeting "very fruitful."

A Huobi executive who declined to be named confirmed the PBOC visited their office on last Wednesday, but declined to provide details. A spokeswoman for OKCoin told Reuters its platform was operating normally, and it was working with the authorities.