Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Em 2008 Satoshi Nakamoto publicou um artigo com os fundamentos para um novo sistema de pagamentos que permitisse efetuar transações sem a necessidade de existir uma entidade central que as verificasse e processasse. Este sistema denominado bitcoin foi criado no ano seguinte e permitiu a redução dos custos associados a transações internacionais, uma maior rapidez na transferência das mesmas e o anonimato tanto dos emitentes como dos destinatários. Caraterizado por ser uma rede peer-to-peer (ponto-a-ponto) veio substituir o tradicional servidor central por um registo público de transações (Blockchain), permitindo, assim, que todos os indivíduos tenham acesso à informação de todas as transações efetuadas desde a sua criação sem, contudo, se conseguir identificar os emitentes e os destinatários.
Este sistema baseado na criptografia tem suscitado inúmeras questões. Assim, é nossa intenção abordar as diversas problemáticas surgidas, no contexto nacional e europeu, comparativamente com os EUA que se encontram significativamente mais avançados no que à regulamentação diz respeito. Importa desde logo averiguar a categorização do bitcoin, que tem sido por vezes confundida, utilizando-se as expressões de moeda digital, moeda virtual e criptomoeda com o mesmo sentido, o que se demonstra erróneo, uma vez que estas definem moedas com caraterísticas distintas. De igual modo, a definição do bitcoin continua por esclarecer, havendo diversos entendimentos sobre o seu enquadramento legal, o qual constitui um ponto central para se estabelecer a regulamentação aplicável. Por outro lado, sendo um sistema recente acarreta alguns riscos, os quais são potenciados pela inexistência de regulamentação, nomeadamente no que concerne ao combate ao branqueamento de capitais e ao financiamento do terrorismo.
In 2008 Satoshi Nakamoto published an article with the foundations for a new payment system that would allow transactions without the necessity of having a central entity that verified and processed them. This system, called bitcoin, was created the following year and allowed the reduction of the costs associated with international transactions, faster transactions and the anonymity of both issuers and recipients. Characterized as a peer-to-peer network, it replaced the traditional central server with a public transaction record (Blockchain), thus allowing all individuals to have access to the information of all the transactions performed since its creation without, however, being able to identify the issuers and the recipients. This system based on cryptography has raised many questions. It is therefore our intention to address the various issues that have arisen in the national and European context compared to the US that are significantly more advanced regarding regulations. It is important to ascertain the categorization of bitcoin, which has sometimes been confused, using digital currency, virtual currency and crypto-currency with the same meaning, which is proven wrong, since they define currencies with different characteristics. Likewise, the definition of bitcoin remains unclear, with a number of understandings of its legal definition, which is a key point in establishing the applicable regulations. On the other hand, being a recent system entails some risks, which are boosted by the lack of regulation, in particular the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
In 2008 Satoshi Nakamoto published an article with the foundations for a new payment system that would allow transactions without the necessity of having a central entity that verified and processed them. This system, called bitcoin, was created the following year and allowed the reduction of the costs associated with international transactions, faster transactions and the anonymity of both issuers and recipients. Characterized as a peer-to-peer network, it replaced the traditional central server with a public transaction record (Blockchain), thus allowing all individuals to have access to the information of all the transactions performed since its creation without, however, being able to identify the issuers and the recipients. This system based on cryptography has raised many questions. It is therefore our intention to address the various issues that have arisen in the national and European context compared to the US that are significantly more advanced regarding regulations. It is important to ascertain the categorization of bitcoin, which has sometimes been confused, using digital currency, virtual currency and crypto-currency with the same meaning, which is proven wrong, since they define currencies with different characteristics. Likewise, the definition of bitcoin remains unclear, with a number of understandings of its legal definition, which is a key point in establishing the applicable regulations. On the other hand, being a recent system entails some risks, which are boosted by the lack of regulation, in particular the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
Description
Keywords
Moeda virtual Criptomoeda Bitcoin Regulamentação Virtual money Cryptocurrency Regulation