你可能已經聽說了,全球最常用的區塊鏈馬上將要進行一次大規模的升級,此舉將改變其基礎設施,并讓其變得更加節能。然而,投資者需要注意的是,這里存在幾個廣為流傳的理解誤區。
借助這個萬眾期盼的名為“合并”的升級,以太坊(Ethereum)計劃從工作量證明模式轉變為權益證明模式(隨后會具體介紹)。
合并的目標是提升以太坊的可擴張性、安全性和可持續性。畢竟,如果它能夠按照計劃實施的話,以太幣挖礦就將被淘汰,繼而大幅降低以太坊的環境影響;以太幣(Ether)的供應也有可能減少,因為人們預計以太幣的發行量將減少;區塊鏈防范潛在攻擊的安全性應該會有所改善;而且流向以太坊網絡的機構投資也有望增加。
然而,這里也存在一些有關合并的不準確說法。人們可能難以判斷哪些是真,哪些是假。
以下是三大常見的誤區以及對誤區的糾正。
1.合并不會帶來“新的”以太幣
一個很大的誤區在于,以太坊在合并后會發行“新”代幣。以太坊的開發者蒂姆·貝科對《財富》雜志說,這是不準確的。以太坊的加密貨幣以太幣不會有什么變化。
有鑒于有關“新”代幣的這一錯誤認知,以太坊基金會(Ethereum Foundation)在今年1月發布了有關如何看待合并的指引。
在過去,合并被稱為“以太坊2.0”或“Eth2.”。然而,今年1月,以太坊基金會與區塊鏈核心開發者宣布,這種標簽將被淘汰,因為很多騙子嘗試說服用戶,屆時將出現不同于ETH的新“Eth2”代幣,但這是無稽之談。
以太坊基金會在一篇博文中寫道:“不幸的是,惡意參與者嘗試使用ETH2這種誤稱來誆騙用戶,并唆使他們用自己的以太幣來換取‘ETH2’代幣,或者唆使他們必須在Eth2升級之前,通過某種方式來遷移其以太幣。”
貝科建議投資者要對外部人士有關合并空投或免費代幣的承諾持“懷疑”態度。
2.合并不會降低以太坊的費用
另一個誤區就是,合并將降低以太坊的“礦工費”,也就是“交易費”。貝科說,這也是不準確的。
合并僅會把以太坊從工作量證明模式轉變為權益證明模式。
以太坊當前依靠的是大家所熟知的工作量證明模式。按照這一模式,礦機必須完成復雜的數學難題來驗證交易,并生成新的貨幣。這一流程要求大量的算力,而且通常因為其環境影響而受到詬病。
借助規劃中的升級,以太坊將轉而使用權益證明模式,它將讓用戶根據其貢獻或質押的代幣量來驗證交易。作為對質押更多代幣的回報,用戶獲選在網絡上驗證交易并獲取獎勵的概率更高。
Bitwise Asset Management的研究主任大衛·拉萬特對《財富》雜志說:“合并是以太坊到目前為止最重要的升級。每一個加密貨幣網絡都需要決定如何以去中心化方式,來選擇由誰來提出隨后可以供所有參與者驗證并添加至區塊鏈的新交易區塊。合并將標志著以太坊完成從工作量證明到權益證明的轉型。”
當前,以太坊同時運營工作量證明和權益證明兩條鏈。盡管這兩條鏈都有驗證器,但當前處理用戶交易的只有工作量證明鏈。一旦合并完成,以太坊的區塊鏈將全面轉至權益證明鏈,即信標鏈(Beacon Chain),同時淘汰挖礦。
很多人可能希望,這一構架的變化將導致“礦工費”的下降,因為這類費用有時候會給以太幣交易處理帶來數千美元的成本,而且取決于網絡的擁堵情況。不過,貝科說,這一點不會發生。
3.合并的日期尚未確定
貝科說,盡管存在大量的猜測,但合并何時進行并沒有官方時間表。
一些人預測合并可能會在今年夏季進行,但重要的一點在于,說到準確的合并時間,我們只能以以太坊基金會的消息為準。就像貝科說的那樣:“有可能騙局[和]虛假聲明會在未來幾個月層出不窮。”
時間表的確定取決于還需要為合并做多少準備工作。畢竟,合并的成功至關重要,因為很多東西都建立在以太坊之上,包括大量的資金。它不僅驅動著世界第二大加密貨幣以太幣,同時還支撐著熱門的去中心化金融(DeFi)應用和非同質化代幣(NFT)。
為了確保合并能夠順利進行,以太坊的開發者在過去數年內已經推出了多個測試和升級。
拉萬特說:“這是一個巨大的工程項目。為此我們開展了大量的測試和準備工作。此類任務關鍵型升級的口號通常是:‘一切妥當之后就會實現。’”(財富中文網)
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
你可能已經聽說了,全球最常用的區塊鏈馬上將要進行一次大規模的升級,此舉將改變其基礎設施,并讓其變得更加節能。然而,投資者需要注意的是,這里存在幾個廣為流傳的理解誤區。
借助這個萬眾期盼的名為“合并”的升級,以太坊(Ethereum)計劃從工作量證明模式轉變為權益證明模式(隨后會具體介紹)。
合并的目標是提升以太坊的可擴張性、安全性和可持續性。畢竟,如果它能夠按照計劃實施的話,以太幣挖礦就將被淘汰,繼而大幅降低以太坊的環境影響;以太幣(Ether)的供應也有可能減少,因為人們預計以太幣的發行量將減少;區塊鏈防范潛在攻擊的安全性應該會有所改善;而且流向以太坊網絡的機構投資也有望增加。
然而,這里也存在一些有關合并的不準確說法。人們可能難以判斷哪些是真,哪些是假。
以下是三大常見的誤區以及對誤區的糾正。
1.合并不會帶來“新的”以太幣
一個很大的誤區在于,以太坊在合并后會發行“新”代幣。以太坊的開發者蒂姆·貝科對《財富》雜志說,這是不準確的。以太坊的加密貨幣以太幣不會有什么變化。
有鑒于有關“新”代幣的這一錯誤認知,以太坊基金會(Ethereum Foundation)在今年1月發布了有關如何看待合并的指引。
在過去,合并被稱為“以太坊2.0”或“Eth2.”。然而,今年1月,以太坊基金會與區塊鏈核心開發者宣布,這種標簽將被淘汰,因為很多騙子嘗試說服用戶,屆時將出現不同于ETH的新“Eth2”代幣,但這是無稽之談。
以太坊基金會在一篇博文中寫道:“不幸的是,惡意參與者嘗試使用ETH2這種誤稱來誆騙用戶,并唆使他們用自己的以太幣來換取‘ETH2’代幣,或者唆使他們必須在Eth2升級之前,通過某種方式來遷移其以太幣。”
貝科建議投資者要對外部人士有關合并空投或免費代幣的承諾持“懷疑”態度。
2.合并不會降低以太坊的費用
另一個誤區就是,合并將降低以太坊的“礦工費”,也就是“交易費”。貝科說,這也是不準確的。
合并僅會把以太坊從工作量證明模式轉變為權益證明模式。
以太坊當前依靠的是大家所熟知的工作量證明模式。按照這一模式,礦機必須完成復雜的數學難題來驗證交易,并生成新的貨幣。這一流程要求大量的算力,而且通常因為其環境影響而受到詬病。
借助規劃中的升級,以太坊將轉而使用權益證明模式,它將讓用戶根據其貢獻或質押的代幣量來驗證交易。作為對質押更多代幣的回報,用戶獲選在網絡上驗證交易并獲取獎勵的概率更高。
Bitwise Asset Management的研究主任大衛·拉萬特對《財富》雜志說:“合并是以太坊到目前為止最重要的升級。每一個加密貨幣網絡都需要決定如何以去中心化方式,來選擇由誰來提出隨后可以供所有參與者驗證并添加至區塊鏈的新交易區塊。合并將標志著以太坊完成從工作量證明到權益證明的轉型。”
當前,以太坊同時運營工作量證明和權益證明兩條鏈。盡管這兩條鏈都有驗證器,但當前處理用戶交易的只有工作量證明鏈。一旦合并完成,以太坊的區塊鏈將全面轉至權益證明鏈,即信標鏈(Beacon Chain),同時淘汰挖礦。
很多人可能希望,這一構架的變化將導致“礦工費”的下降,因為這類費用有時候會給以太幣交易處理帶來數千美元的成本,而且取決于網絡的擁堵情況。不過,貝科說,這一點不會發生。
3.合并的日期尚未確定
貝科說,盡管存在大量的猜測,但合并何時進行并沒有官方時間表。
一些人預測合并可能會在今年夏季進行,但重要的一點在于,說到準確的合并時間,我們只能以以太坊基金會的消息為準。就像貝科說的那樣:“有可能騙局[和]虛假聲明會在未來幾個月層出不窮。”
時間表的確定取決于還需要為合并做多少準備工作。畢竟,合并的成功至關重要,因為很多東西都建立在以太坊之上,包括大量的資金。它不僅驅動著世界第二大加密貨幣以太幣,同時還支撐著熱門的去中心化金融(DeFi)應用和非同質化代幣(NFT)。
為了確保合并能夠順利進行,以太坊的開發者在過去數年內已經推出了多個測試和升級。
拉萬特說:“這是一個巨大的工程項目。為此我們開展了大量的測試和準備工作。此類任務關鍵型升級的口號通常是:‘一切妥當之后就會實現。’”(財富中文網)
譯者:馮豐
審校: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.’”