“无现金时代”即将到来?

导读：随着移动支付的兴起与普及，越来越多的人出门不再带钱包，仅凭一部手机就可以随意地买买买。然而，移动支付为人们带来便捷的同时，也引发了一些质疑……

Cashless Trend

无现金的趋势

Experts agree that it is becoming a growing trend that more and more consumers across the country are using cashless payment methods.

In fact， as early as 1988， the State Council， the country’s cabinet， released regulations to encourage bank transfers and to reduce using cash during economic activities.

“Today， the move toward a cashless society could reduce the risks of using cash， save on costs and as a matter of convenience， prevent illegal activities such as money laundering，” Dong Ximiao， a research fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at the Renmin University of China， told the Global Times.

The rapid development of third-party mobile payment tools， to some extent， is helping to boost cashless payments across the country， said Dong.

Transactions involving third-party mobile payments rose 46.8 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the previous quarter to 18.8 trillion yuan， according to a report Beijing-based research consultancy Analysys released. There were 3.4 billion third-party payment accounts in total in China in 2016， a Goldman Sachs report showed.

But China is not the first country to seek a cashless society. Developed states like Sweden， Denmark and Singapore are also witnessing cashless payment methods proliferate.

专家们承认，国内（中国）越来越多的消费者正在使用无现金的支付方式，这成为一种日渐增长的趋势。

事实上，早在1988年，我国国务院就已发布了相关条例，鼓励银行转账，以及在经济活动中减少现金使用。

“如今，向无现金社会发展的这一趋势能够减少现金使用的风险，节约成本，而且方便，还能阻止洗钱等非法活动。”中国人民大学重阳金融研究院研究员董希淼在接受《环球时报》采访时表示。

在某种程度上，第三方移动支付工具的快速发展，促进了国内无现金支付的增L，董希淼表示。

据北京研究咨询公司易观发布的一份报告显示，2017年第一季度，使用第三方移动支付的交易额为18.8万亿元人民币，较去年同期增长了46.8%。而高盛投资公司发布的一份报告显示，2016年，中国共有34亿第三方支付的账户。

但中国并非是首个向无现金社会迈进的国家，瑞典、丹麦、新加坡等发达国家也见证了无现金支付方式的激增。

Disputes and Criticisms

争议与批评

The rapid development of cashless payments does not mean there are no challenges and criticisms.

Alibaba’s Hema store， where customers can shop， dine and order commodities for delivery from their mobile phones via Alipay， have come into the spotlight recently. Media reports alleged that consumers can’t purchase goods with cash there， which would be considered illegal.

A Hema PR representative told the Global Times that all 13 Hema stores in the country do in fact allow consumers to pay in cash. She noted that Hema store simply recommend consumers to pay via Alipay for convenience purposes. Alipay and WeChat Pay， the nation’s two major third-party mobile payment tools， also launched campaigns to encourage more merchants and customers to use cashless payment methods.

Within the campaigns， both called for the establishment of a “cashless society”， which provoked concerns over whether cash will soon disappear.

“Some offline sellers refuse to accept cash， which impacts the natural circulation of yuan，” said Dong.

Dong emphasized that a cashless society would not mean that cash would completely disappear. As the economy grows， the circulation of cash is still very huge， noted Dong.

Also， it’s important to remember that nearly half of China’s population lives in rural areas， especially in undeveloped western regions， and therefore is not able to enjoy innovation brought by the Internet， Dong said. And when it comes to China’s senior citizens， most of them prefer to use cash in their daily lives.

无现金支付的快速发展并不意味着没有挑战和批评。

阿里巴巴旗下的盒马鲜生超市近期备受关注。顾客能通过手机上的支付宝在该超市进行购物、用餐以及订购送货上门的商品。有媒体报道称，顾客们无法在该超市使用现金购买商品，此行为被认为涉嫌违法。

一位盒马鲜生的公关代表在接受《环球时报》采访时表示，事实上，国内全部13家盒马鲜生超市都允许顾客现金支付。她指出，盒马鲜生仅仅出于方便的考虑，推荐顾客使用支付宝支付。

支付宝和微信支付是国内主要的两种第三方移动支付工具。两方都发起活动，鼓励商户和消费者使用无现金支付方式。

在活动中，支付宝和微信支付都提倡建立起一个“无现金社会”，这也引发了人们对于现金是否即将消失的担忧。

“一些线下卖家拒收现金，对人民币的自然流通造成了影响，”董希淼表示。

董希淼强调，一个无现金社会并不意味着现金将完全消失。他指出，随着经济的增长，现金的流通量依然十分庞大。

董希淼表示，要切记，中国有将近半数的人口居住在农村地区，尤其是在不发达的西部地区，这些人无法享受到互联网所带来的创新成果。而大多数中国老年群体更喜欢在日常生活中使用现金，他补充道。

Tolerant Stance

宽容的立场

However， some experts show a tolerant stance toward mobile payments.

“Mobile payments drive financial innovation and help to build a cost-effective society，” Wang Pengbo， a finance industry analyst at Analysys， told the Global Times.

He believes that it’s “ridiculous” to question digital payment tools’ contribution toward financial development. He said that people should be more tolerant toward emerging mobile payment platforms.

“Under applicable regulations and laws， the country should continue to encourage the development of mobile payments，” advised Wang.

In the long term， various payment methods will be used by consumers， predicted Dong. “Ultimately， merchants should respect consumers’ payment habits，” Dong noted.

然而，一些 胰炊砸贫支付表现出了一种宽容的立场。

“移动支付促进了金融创新，并有助于建立一个成本效益好的社会。”易观金融行业分析师王蓬博在接受《环球时报》采访时表示。

他认为，质疑数字支付工具对金融发展所做的贡献相当“可笑”。他表示，人们应当对新兴的移动支付平台更加宽容。

“在适用的法律法规之下，国家应当继续鼓励移动支付的发展，”王蓬博建议道。

从长远来看，消费者将使用各式各样的支付方式，董希淼预测。“最终，商户还是应该尊重消费者的支付习惯，”董希淼指出。

Word Study

boost /bu?st/ v. 使增长；使兴旺

Getting that job did a lot to boost her ego.

proliferate /pr?'l?f?re?t/ v. 迅速增值；猛增

Books and articles on the subject have proliferated last year.

emerge /?'m??d?/ v. 出现；浮现

The sun emerged from behind the clouds.

ultimately /'?lt?m?tli/ adv. 最终；最后

A poor diet will ultimately lead to illness.

allege /?'led?/ v. 声称；断言

It is alleged that he mistreated the prisoners.

impact /'?mp?kt/ v.（对某事）有影响；有作用

Her father’s death impacted greatly on her childhood years.