New York’s top bank regulator smoothed the way for bitcoin start-ups as he gave them more time to meet the country’s first rules for licensing businesses involved in the nascent digital currency.
纽约州最高银行监管机构为比特币初创企业获得比特币业务经营牌照铺平了道路。它同意为这些企业提供更多时间，以满足获得牌照的规定。这是美国国内首例关于比特币业务牌照的规定。
The state’s Department of Financial Services on Thursday said it will offer a two-year transitional BitLicense, which would be issued to firms that cannot immediately fulfil the requirements of a full licence, and will be tailored to start-ups and small businesses.
纽约州金融服务管理局(New York state Department of Financial Services)周四表示，将为那些无法立即满足所有规定的初创企业和小企业颁发一个用于过渡的两年期比特币牌照(BitLicense)。
As the first state to propose rules for digital currencies, New York’s moves are being closely watched as regulators grapple with how to oversee bitcoin.
作为第一个提出比特币规定的州，纽约州此举受到密切关注。全球各地的监管机构正在考虑如何监管比特币。
After twelve months of hype when its value rose to around $1,150 to a US dollar, 2014 was the year the bubble burst for the digital currency. It is now worth about $315, dropping in value by about 65 per cent since the beginning of the year, when it was worth more than $900. Several scandals involving bitcoin this year have shaken confidence in the cryptocurrency, including the collapse of the Mt Gox bitcoin exchange, hacking incidents and high profile arrests.
在经历了12个月的热潮后（比特币价格曾一度升至1150美元），比特币泡沫在今年破裂。如今其价值大约为315美元，自今年初的超过900美元已下滑65%。今年几桩与比特币相关的丑闻动摇了人们对这种虚拟货币的信心，包括比特币交易所Mt Gox破产、黑客事件以及一家比特币交易商高调被捕事件。
Still, the fledgling currency is gaining traction. Time Inc recently announced it would accept bitcoins to pay for certain subscriptions, while others such as Overstock.com and travel web site Expedia.com also accept it.
然而，这种新兴货币开始被更多人接纳。时代集团(Time Inc)最近宣布，将接受比特币支付某些订购服务，Overstock.com和旅行网站Expedia.com等其他公司也已接受比特币。
The regulations would only apply to virtual currency exchanges, companies that secure or store those currencies or those who issue digital money, among others. The rules also do not apply to businesses who accept them as payments or consumers.
纽约州的新规只适用于虚拟货币交易所，即那些获取或存储这些货币的公司，以及那些发行电子货币的公司。新规不适用于那些接受比特币付款的公司或消费者。
DFS’s proposed rules for digital currencies involve consumer protection. Those subject to the rules would have to supply receipts for transactions, establish consumer complaint policies and disclose risks associated with virtual currencies.
这些新规还包括消费者保护条例。那些符合新规的企业必须提供交易收据、制定消费者投诉政策并披露与虚拟货币相关的风险。
As part of the changes, businesses can also apply to exempt certain parties if they are not involved in daily or major management decisions, which is meant to encourage angel investment.
为鼓励天使投资进入这一领域，新规还规定，如果一些相关方并不参与日常或重要管理决策，这类企业还可以免除这些人的责任。
DFS also shortened the proposed record-keeping requirement from ten to seven years, and eliminated a criteria forcing licensees to obtain addresses and other data for all parties in a transaction.
纽约州金融服务管理局还将拟议的交易记录保存要求从10年缩短到7年，并不再强行要求获得牌照的企业取得交易各方的地址或其他数据。
The agency also clarified who does not have to obtain a BitLicense. Software developers, virtual currency miners, those involved with bitcoin as a personal investment and others will not have to get a licence, Mr Lawsky said.
该机构还明确了哪些企业不必获得比特币牌照。软件开发商、虚拟货币矿工（将比特币交易作为个人投资的群体）等将不必获得牌照。