你可能已经听说了,全球最常用的区块链马上将要进行一次大规模的升级,此举将改变其基础设施,并让其变得更加节能。然而,投资者需要注意的是,这里存在几个广为流传的理解误区。
借助这个万众期盼的名为“合并”的升级,以太坊(Ethereum)计划从工作量证明模式转变为权益证明模式(随后会具体介绍)。
合并的目标是提升以太坊的可扩张性、安全性和可持续性。毕竟,如果它能够按照计划实施的话,以太币挖矿就将被淘汰,继而大幅降低以太坊的环境影响;以太币(Ether)的供应也有可能减少,因为人们预计以太币的发行量将减少;区块链防范潜在攻击的安全性应该会有所改善;而且流向以太坊网络的机构投资也有望增加。
然而,这里也存在一些有关合并的不准确说法。人们可能难以判断哪些是真,哪些是假。
以下是三大常见的误区以及对误区的纠正。
1.合并不会带来“新的”以太币
一个很大的误区在于,以太坊在合并后会发行“新”代币。以太坊的开发者蒂姆·贝科对《财富》杂志说,这是不准确的。以太坊的加密货币以太币不会有什么变化。
有鉴于有关“新”代币的这一错误认知,以太坊基金会(Ethereum Foundation)在今年1月发布了有关如何看待合并的指引。
在过去,合并被称为“以太坊2.0”或“Eth2.”。然而,今年1月,以太坊基金会与区块链核心开发者宣布,这种标签将被淘汰,因为很多骗子尝试说服用户,届时将出现不同于ETH的新“Eth2”代币,但这是无稽之谈。
以太坊基金会在一篇博文中写道:“不幸的是,恶意参与者尝试使用ETH2这种误称来诓骗用户,并唆使他们用自己的以太币来换取‘ETH2’代币,或者唆使他们必须在Eth2升级之前,通过某种方式来迁移其以太币。”
贝科建议投资者要对外部人士有关合并空投或免费代币的承诺持“怀疑”态度。
2.合并不会降低以太坊的费用
另一个误区就是,合并将降低以太坊的“矿工费”,也就是“交易费”。贝科说,这也是不准确的。
合并仅会把以太坊从工作量证明模式转变为权益证明模式。
以太坊当前依靠的是大家所熟知的工作量证明模式。按照这一模式,矿机必须完成复杂的数学难题来验证交易,并生成新的货币。这一流程要求大量的算力,而且通常因为其环境影响而受到诟病。
借助规划中的升级,以太坊将转而使用权益证明模式,它将让用户根据其贡献或质押的代币量来验证交易。作为对质押更多代币的回报,用户获选在网络上验证交易并获取奖励的概率更高。
Bitwise Asset Management的研究主任大卫·拉万特对《财富》杂志说:“合并是以太坊到目前为止最重要的升级。每一个加密货币网络都需要决定如何以去中心化方式,来选择由谁来提出随后可以供所有参与者验证并添加至区块链的新交易区块。合并将标志着以太坊完成从工作量证明到权益证明的转型。”
当前,以太坊同时运营工作量证明和权益证明两条链。尽管这两条链都有验证器,但当前处理用户交易的只有工作量证明链。一旦合并完成,以太坊的区块链将全面转至权益证明链,即信标链(Beacon Chain),同时淘汰挖矿。
很多人可能希望,这一构架的变化将导致“矿工费”的下降,因为这类费用有时候会给以太币交易处理带来数千美元的成本,而且取决于网络的拥堵情况。不过,贝科说,这一点不会发生。
3.合并的日期尚未确定
贝科说,尽管存在大量的猜测,但合并何时进行并没有官方时间表。
一些人预测合并可能会在今年夏季进行,但重要的一点在于,说到准确的合并时间,我们只能以以太坊基金会的消息为准。就像贝科说的那样:“有可能骗局[和]虚假声明会在未来几个月层出不穷。”
时间表的确定取决于还需要为合并做多少准备工作。毕竟,合并的成功至关重要,因为很多东西都建立在以太坊之上,包括大量的资金。它不仅驱动着世界第二大加密货币以太币,同时还支撑着热门的去中心化金融(DeFi)应用和非同质化代币(NFT)。
为了确保合并能够顺利进行,以太坊的开发者在过去数年内已经推出了多个测试和升级。
拉万特说:“这是一个巨大的工程项目。为此我们开展了大量的测试和准备工作。此类任务关键型升级的口号通常是:‘一切妥当之后就会实现。’”(财富中文网)
译者:冯丰
审校:夏林
你可能已经听说了,全球最常用的区块链马上将要进行一次大规模的升级,此举将改变其基础设施,并让其变得更加节能。然而,投资者需要注意的是,这里存在几个广为流传的理解误区。
借助这个万众期盼的名为“合并”的升级,以太坊(Ethereum)计划从工作量证明模式转变为权益证明模式(随后会具体介绍)。
合并的目标是提升以太坊的可扩张性、安全性和可持续性。毕竟,如果它能够按照计划实施的话,以太币挖矿就将被淘汰,继而大幅降低以太坊的环境影响;以太币(Ether)的供应也有可能减少,因为人们预计以太币的发行量将减少;区块链防范潜在攻击的安全性应该会有所改善;而且流向以太坊网络的机构投资也有望增加。
然而,这里也存在一些有关合并的不准确说法。人们可能难以判断哪些是真,哪些是假。
以下是三大常见的误区以及对误区的纠正。
1.合并不会带来“新的”以太币
一个很大的误区在于,以太坊在合并后会发行“新”代币。以太坊的开发者蒂姆·贝科对《财富》杂志说,这是不准确的。以太坊的加密货币以太币不会有什么变化。
有鉴于有关“新”代币的这一错误认知,以太坊基金会(Ethereum Foundation)在今年1月发布了有关如何看待合并的指引。
在过去,合并被称为“以太坊2.0”或“Eth2.”。然而,今年1月,以太坊基金会与区块链核心开发者宣布,这种标签将被淘汰,因为很多骗子尝试说服用户,届时将出现不同于ETH的新“Eth2”代币,但这是无稽之谈。
以太坊基金会在一篇博文中写道:“不幸的是,恶意参与者尝试使用ETH2这种误称来诓骗用户,并唆使他们用自己的以太币来换取‘ETH2’代币,或者唆使他们必须在Eth2升级之前,通过某种方式来迁移其以太币。”
贝科建议投资者要对外部人士有关合并空投或免费代币的承诺持“怀疑”态度。
2.合并不会降低以太坊的费用
另一个误区就是,合并将降低以太坊的“矿工费”,也就是“交易费”。贝科说,这也是不准确的。
合并仅会把以太坊从工作量证明模式转变为权益证明模式。
以太坊当前依靠的是大家所熟知的工作量证明模式。按照这一模式,矿机必须完成复杂的数学难题来验证交易,并生成新的货币。这一流程要求大量的算力,而且通常因为其环境影响而受到诟病。
借助规划中的升级,以太坊将转而使用权益证明模式,它将让用户根据其贡献或质押的代币量来验证交易。作为对质押更多代币的回报,用户获选在网络上验证交易并获取奖励的概率更高。
Bitwise Asset Management的研究主任大卫·拉万特对《财富》杂志说:“合并是以太坊到目前为止最重要的升级。每一个加密货币网络都需要决定如何以去中心化方式,来选择由谁来提出随后可以供所有参与者验证并添加至区块链的新交易区块。合并将标志着以太坊完成从工作量证明到权益证明的转型。”
当前,以太坊同时运营工作量证明和权益证明两条链。尽管这两条链都有验证器,但当前处理用户交易的只有工作量证明链。一旦合并完成,以太坊的区块链将全面转至权益证明链,即信标链(Beacon Chain),同时淘汰挖矿。
很多人可能希望,这一构架的变化将导致“矿工费”的下降,因为这类费用有时候会给以太币交易处理带来数千美元的成本,而且取决于网络的拥堵情况。不过,贝科说,这一点不会发生。
3.合并的日期尚未确定
贝科说,尽管存在大量的猜测,但合并何时进行并没有官方时间表。
一些人预测合并可能会在今年夏季进行,但重要的一点在于,说到准确的合并时间,我们只能以以太坊基金会的消息为准。就像贝科说的那样:“有可能骗局[和]虚假声明会在未来几个月层出不穷。”
时间表的确定取决于还需要为合并做多少准备工作。毕竟,合并的成功至关重要,因为很多东西都建立在以太坊之上,包括大量的资金。它不仅驱动着世界第二大加密货币以太币,同时还支撑着热门的去中心化金融(DeFi)应用和非同质化代币(NFT)。
为了确保合并能够顺利进行,以太坊的开发者在过去数年内已经推出了多个测试和升级。
拉万特说:“这是一个巨大的工程项目。为此我们开展了大量的测试和准备工作。此类任务关键型升级的口号通常是:‘一切妥当之后就会实现。’”(财富中文网)
译者:冯丰
审校:夏林
You might’ve heard that the world’s most-used blockchain is nearing a massive upgrade that’ll change its infrastructure and make it more energy efficient—but there are a few misconceptions circulating that investors should know about.
In a highly-anticipated upgrade that’s being called the “merge,” Ethereum plans to shift from a proof-of-work model to proof-of-stake (more on that later).
The goal of the merge is to make Ethereum more scalable, secure and sustainable. After all, if it happens as planned, its crypto mining would become obsolete, which would reduce Ethereum’s environmental impact substantially; the supply of Ether would likely decline, because fewer coins are expected to be issued; blockchain security against potential attack is supposed to improve; and institutional investment in the Ethereum network is expected to increase.
But, there are other narratives surrounding the merge that are inaccurate. It might be difficult to determine what is true and what is not.
Here are three common misconceptions, corrected.
1. The merge won’t create a “new” Ethereum token
One big misconception is that Ethereum will have a “new” token following the merge. This is inaccurate, Ethereum developer Tim Beiko told Fortune. Ethereum’s cryptocurrency, Ether (ETH), will remain the same.
This fallacy surrounding a “new” token is why the Ethereum Foundation issued guidance in January regarding how the merge should be referenced.
In the past, the merge was referred to as “Ethereum 2.0” or “Eth2.” But, in January, the Ethereum Foundation and the blockchain’s core developers announced that this labeling would be phased out, as many scammers were trying to convince users that there would be a new “Eth2” token separate from ETH, which is false.
“Unfortunately, malicious actors have attempted to use the Eth2 misnomer to scam users by telling them to swap their ETH for ‘ETH2’ tokens or that they must somehow migrate their ETH before the Eth2 upgrade,” the Ethereum Foundation wrote in a blog post.
Beiko recommends investors remain “suspicious” of any promises from outsiders regarding an airdrop or free tokens related to the merge.
2. The merge will not lower Ethereum’s fees
Another misconception is that the merge will lower Ethereum’s “gas fees,” or transaction fees. This is also inaccurate, Beiko said.
The merge will only shift Ethereum from a proof-of-work model to proof-of-stake.
Ethereum currently relies on what’s known as proof-of-work, in which miners must complete complex puzzles to validate transactions and create new coins. This process requires a huge amount of computer power, and is often criticized due to its environmental impact.
With the planned upgrade, Ethereum is moving to proof-of-stake, which would let users validate transactions according to how many coins they contribute, or stake. In return for staking more coins, users have a higher likelihood of being chosen to validate transactions on the network and earn a reward.
“The Merge is Ethereum's most important upgrade to date,” David Lawant, director of research at Bitwise Asset Management, told Fortune. “Every crypto network needs to decide how it chooses, in a decentralized way, who gets to propose a new block of transactions that all participants will later validate and add to the blockchain. The Merge will mark Ethereum's shift from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake.”
Currently, Ethereum has both a proof-of-work and proof-of-stake chain running in parallel. While both chains have validators, only the proof-of-work chain currently processes users’ transactions. Once the merge is complete, Ethereum's blockchain will shift fully to the proof-of-stake chain, called the Beacon Chain, making mining obsolete.
Many might hope that this structure change would cause the price of “gas fees” to decline, since such fees can sometimes add hundreds of dollars to the cost of processing Ether transactions depending on how congested the network is. But that won’t happen, Beiko said.
3. There's no set date for when the merge will happen
Despite a lot of speculation, there is no official timeline for the merge yet, Beiko said.
Some predict it might happen this summer, but it’s important to only rely on the word of the Ethereum Foundation regarding confirmed timing. As Beiko says, “it is likely that scams [and] fake announcements will pop up in the coming months.”
The unknown timeline is due to how much preparation is required for the merge to take place. After all, the success of the merge is a big deal because there’s a lot—including a great sum of money—relying on Ethereum. It not only powers Ether, the second largest cryptocurrency, but also supports popular decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
To ensure that the merge happens smoothly, Ethereum developers have launched multiple tests and upgrades over many years.
“This is a significant engineering undertaking,” Lawant said. “[A] lot of testing and preparation goes into such endeavors. The mantra for such mission-critical upgrades usually is: ‘It will happen when it's ready.’”