More middle-class families are turning to Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and financial uncertainty, as rising costs wash away household savings worldwide. In this interview, Pauline Shangett, Chief Strategy Officer at ChangeNOW, explains how crypto can complement traditional savings, the role of education and regulation in building trust, and why accessibility — not speculation — will shape the future of adoption.

随着费用上涨，全球的家庭储蓄减少了，越来越多的中产阶级家庭转向比特币作为对冲通货膨胀和财务不确定性的对冲。在这次采访中，ChangeNow首席战略官Pauline Shangett解释了加密货币如何补充传统储蓄，教育和监管在建筑物信任中的作用以及为什么可访问性（而不是猜测）会影响收养的未来。

Crypto.news: Today, many middle-class families across the globe are dealing with a critical gap in their financial safety nets. In the U.S., only 54% of adults say they have enough savings to cover three months of expenses. How can Bitcoin help these families build savings?

加密News：今天，全球许多中产阶级家庭正在处理其财务安全网的关键差距。在美国，只有54％的成年人说他们有足够的储蓄来支付三个月的费用。比特币如何帮助这些家庭储蓄？

Pauline Shangett: Let’s be real, saving money these days isn’t what it used to be. Prices keep climbing, and the tiny bit of interest banks pay doesn’t really help. A lot of middle-class families feel like their savings are melting away, no matter what they do. Putting cash aside just for the sake of saving doesn’t make much sense anymore, because inflation eats it up.

波琳·香格特（Pauline Shangett）：让我们成为现实，如今省钱并不是过去的样子。价格不断攀升，银行付款的一点点利息并没有帮助。许多中产阶级家庭都觉得自己的积蓄正在融化，无论他们做什么。仅仅为了储蓄而将现金放在一边也没有多大意义，因为通货膨胀会消耗掉。

That’s why more people are looking at Bitcoin. Sure, it jumps around in price, and it’s not some safe, fixed deposit. But Bitcoin’s not like regular money. There’s only a limited amount, and it doesn’t really answer to the government or the central bank. For families who are worried about their cash losing value, even having a little bit of Bitcoin can feel like a small shield, something that helps protect part of what they’ve worked for.

这就是为什么更多的人在看比特币的原因。当然，它的价格上涨，这不是安全的定期存款。但是比特币不喜欢普通的钱。数量只有有限的，它并没有真正回答政府或中央银行。对于那些担心现金损失价值的家庭，即使拥有一点点比特币也可能像一个小盾牌，这有助于保护部分他们所做的工作。

Now, I’m not suggesting that families put everything into Bitcoin. That would be irresponsible. But including it as part of a mix in your savings strategy can make sense. It gives families a way to hold an asset that, over the long run, has often grown significantly, especially when traditional currencies are under pressure. It’s about giving families an option beyond the dollar, the euro, or the bank account that quietly loses value every year.

现在，我并不是建议家庭将所有东西都放在比特币中。那是不负责任的。但是将其作为组合的一部分包括在您的储蓄策略中是有道理的。从长远来看，它为家庭提供了一种持有资产的方式，尤其是在传统货币处于压力下时。这是为了给家庭一个超出美元，欧元或银行帐户的期权，每年都会静静地损失价值。

CN: If a middle-class family decided to use Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency as part of their financial plan, what should be their first steps?

CN：如果一个中产阶级家庭决定使用比特币或其他加密货币作为其财务计划的一部分，那么他们的第一步应该是什么？

PS: Education and infrastructure are key. First off, let’s be honest about Bitcoin, what it is and what it’s not. It’s not some get-rich-quick thing, and it’s definitely not a guaranteed way to make money. Really, you should think of it as a long-term, high-risk, high-reward kind of asset. It takes patience, some discipline, and yeah… a bit of nerve to handle it the right way.

PS：教育和基础设施是关键。首先，让我们诚实地对比特币，它是什么以及不是什么。这不是一件好事，而且绝对不是赚钱的保证方式。确实，您应该将其视为长期，高风险，高回报的资产。它需要耐心，一些纪律，是的……以正确的方式处理它。

Practically speaking, families should start small, both in terms of allocation and tooling. That means choosing a reliable exchange or instant swap service like ChangeNOW to make their initial purchases and then moving assets into secure storage. Cold wallets or non-custodial solutions should always be part of the conversation.

实际上，在分配和工具方面，家庭都应该开始小。这意味着选择可靠的交换或即时交换服务（例如ChangeNow）进行初次购买，然后将资产移至安全存储中。冷钱包或非监测解决方案应始终是对话的一部分。

I also think it’s essential to set clear rules: how much of the household budget goes into crypto, what the holding horizon is, and what the trigger points for selling might be. Without rules, it’s easy to get swept up in short-term volatility. With rules, Bitcoin becomes a structured part of a broader savings plan.

我还认为，要制定明确的规则至关重要：家庭预算中有多少进入加密货币，持有范围是什么以及触发点可能是什么。没有规则，很容易被短期波动扫除。有了规则，比特币成为更广泛的储蓄计划的结构化部分。

CN: There’s a persistent myth that Bitcoin is only for the ultra-wealthy or the very tech-savvy. How can we challenge that perception?

CN：存在一个持久的神话，即比特币仅适用于超级富裕或非常精通技术的神话。我们如何挑战这种看法？

PS: That old myth stuck around because, honestly, getting into Bitcoin used to be a pain. Back in the day, you had to wrestle with clunky exchanges, confusing wallets, and a bunch of weird jargon you probably hadn’t heard before. For lots of middle-class families, it was just… overwhelming.

PS：那个古老的神话陷入困境，因为老实说，进入比特币曾经很痛苦。过去，您不得不与笨拙的交流，令人困惑的钱包和一堆您可能以前从未听说过的怪异的行话来搏斗。对于许多中产阶级家庭来说，这只是……压倒性的。

But today things are way different. Platforms have matured, user interfaces are cleaner, and services like ours are designed to make crypto accessible without demanding technical expertise. You don’t need to code. You don’t need to understand cryptography.

但是今天情况有所不同。平台已经成熟，用户界面更干净，并且像我们这样的服务旨在使加密货币无需技术专业知识即可访问。您不需要编码。您不需要了解密码学。

Really, all you need is the same kind of digital know-how you already use for online banking or shopping online. The story around Bitcoin needs to change: it’s not some toy for tech elites. It’s a tool anyone with a smartphone and internet access can use. The more we focus on making it practical and easy, the faster that old myth will fade away.

确实，您所需要的只是您已经用于在线银行或在线购物的数字知识。关于比特币的故事需要改变：这不是技术精英的玩具。这是任何具有智能手机的工具，并且可以使用Internet访问。我们越专注于使其实用和简单，旧神话就会逐渐消失。

CN: What role do you believe platforms like ChangeNOW play in making Bitcoin more accessible to the middle class?

CN：您认为像ChangeNow这样的平台在使比特币更容易获得中产阶级方面扮演什么角色？

PS: We see our role as lowering barriers. That means no account creation and no hidden fees. Accessibility is about trust, and trust is built on simplicity and transparency.

PS：我们认为我们的作用是降低障碍。这意味着没有创建帐户，也没有隐藏的费用。可访问性是关于信任的，信任是基于简单性和透明度的。

When middle-class families come to us, they’re not looking for trading dashboards or speculative leverage. They’re looking for straightforward tools: “I want to convert dollars into Bitcoin and know exactly what I paid.” That’s the space we serve.

当中产阶级家庭来找我们时，他们并不是在寻找交易仪表板或投机性杠杆作用。他们正在寻找直接的工具：“我想将美元转换为比特币，并确切地知道我付出了什么。”那就是我们服务的空间。

Our goal isn’t to shove anyone into risky stuff, you know? Really, it’s more about giving everyday people a way to use crypto that feels safe and reliable. Whether they’re saving for the future, trying to mix things up a bit in their portfolio, or just sending money across borders, it should be something they can handle without freaking out.

我们的目标不是将任何人推到冒险的东西上，您知道吗？确实，更多的是给人们一种使用加密货币的方式，使人感到安全可靠。无论他们是为将来节省，试图在投资组合中混合一些东西，还是只是在边界派遣钱，都应该在不吓坏的情况下处理。

CN: Do you believe unclear regulations are discouraging middle-class families from using crypto? What needs to change for broader adoption?

CN：您认为不清楚的法规是否阻止中产阶级家庭使用加密货币？更广泛的采用需要改变什么？

PS: Yeah, regulation’s definitely a big hurdle, but not because folks are anti-crypto. Mostly, people are just being careful. Families don’t really want to put their savings into something that could suddenly get restricted, get hit with some surprise taxes, or end up in some legal gray area. It’s stressful just thinking about it.

PS：是的，法规绝对是一个巨大的障碍，但不是因为人们是反对克里普托。通常，人们只是在小心。家庭真的不想将他们的积蓄投入可能会突然受到限制，受到惊喜税的打击或最终进入某些合法的灰色地区。考虑一下，这是压力很大。

What needs to change is clarity. We don’t need permissive regulation; we need predictable regulation. If governments define the rules, how crypto is taxed, how inheritance works, and what reporting is required, families can plan. Without that, they hesitate.

需要改变的是清晰度。我们不需要允许的法规；我们需要可预测的法规。如果政府定义了规则，加密货币的征税，遗产的工作原理以及需要什么报告，则家庭可以计划。没有这些，他们会犹豫。

I believe that over the next few years, we’ll see a gradual convergence: clearer frameworks that don’t suffocate innovation but give ordinary users the confidence to treat Bitcoin as part of their legitimate financial planning.

我相信，在接下来的几年中，我们将看到一种逐渐的融合：更清晰的框架不会使创新窒息，但使普通用户有信心将比特币作为其合法财务计划的一部分。

CN: ChangeNOW has built a reputation for resilience – whether during sudden memecoin surges like DOGE in 2021 or the TrumpCoin frenzy. Do you think that kind of operational resilience encourages middle-class adoption?

CN：ChangeNow以韧性而闻名 - 无论是在2021年Doge之类的突然的Memecoin冲浪期间还是Trumpcoin Frenzy。您认为这种运营弹性鼓励中产阶级采用吗？

PS: Being operationally reliable definitely helps build trust, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. When Dogecoin trading spiked in 2021 or when politically branded tokens like TrumpCoin drove record volumes more recently, our systems handled the traffic without outages. That matters because middle-class users need to know that a platform won’t collapse the moment markets get noisy.

PS：在操作上可靠，绝对有助于建立信任，但这只是难题的一部分。当Dogecoin在2021年或在像特朗普（Trumpcoin）（Trumpcoin）上以政治品牌的代币（像特朗普（Trumpcoin）一样销售创纪录量的政治烙印时，我们的系统都在没有停电的情况下处理交通时。这很重要，因为中产阶级用户需要知道平台在市场变得嘈杂时不会崩溃。

But we also have to be real: these hype-driven spikes don’t last. Liquidity dries up, charts crash, and the ones who usually get hurt the most are everyday small traders. For them, resilience isn’t just about uptime; it’s about knowing that the industry isn’t built entirely on speculation. If all they see is a cycle of hype and crashes, trust erodes.

但是我们也必须是真实的：这些炒作驱动的尖峰不会持久。流动性干燥，图表崩溃，通常受伤的人每天都是小型交易者。对于他们来说，弹性不仅仅是正常运行时间。这是关于知道该行业并非完全建立在猜测之上。如果他们看到的只是炒作和崩溃的循环，那就信任侵蚀。

That’s why at ChangeNOW, we view resilience in two layers: technical and reputational. Yes, we can scale to meet demand, but we also focus on supporting assets and partnerships that deliver long-term value. For the middle class, that balance is what encourages adoption. They need platforms that can handle volume today but also safeguard credibility tomorrow.

这就是为什么在ChangeNow中，我们将弹性分为两层：技术和声誉。是的，我们可以扩展以满足需求，但我们还专注于支持长期价值的资产和合作伙伴关系。对于中产阶级而言，这种平衡是鼓励采用的。他们需要今天可以处理数量的平台，但明天也可以保护信誉。

CN: In a recent interview, you mentioned that memecoins are part of Web3’s culture but also carry reputational risk. How do you see them influencing middle-class adoption?

PS: Memecoins are undeniably part of Web3’s culture; they create energy, bring new people in, and often drive the kind of viral attention that traditional assets never could. But for middle-class families, these surges can be a double-edged sword. At first, the hype is exciting, you know, all the headlines, everyone talking about it. But in reality, these tokens usually follow a pretty familiar pattern: they spike in volume, grab attention, and then, eventually, liquidity starts to fade.

CN：在最近的一次采访中，您提到Memecoins是Web3文化的一部分，但也具有声誉风险。您如何看待他们影响中产阶级收养的影响？PS：无疑是Web3文化的一部分；他们创造能量，将新朋友带入，并经常引起传统资产永远无法使用的病毒关注。但是对于中产阶级家庭而言，这些潮流可能是一把双刃剑。起初，炒作令人兴奋，所有的头条新闻，每个人都在谈论它。但实际上，这些令牌通常遵循一个非常熟悉的模式：它们在数量上飙升，引起注意，然后最终，流动性开始消失。

When that happens, it’s usually smaller traders, often middle-class users who bought into the promise, who end up taking the losses. And the damage goes beyond individual portfolios. Every time a memecoin crashes, it reinforces the idea that crypto is just speculation, and that slows down wider adoption. That’s why I think memecoins shouldn’t be written off, but they do need proper context. That said, I think it helps to separate the hype from the actual tech.

发生这种情况时，通常是较小的交易者，通常是中产阶级用户，他们陷入了承诺，最终遭受了损失。损失超出了单个投资组合。每次模因崩溃时，它都会加强Crypto只是猜测的想法，并减慢了更广泛的采用。这就是为什么我认为Memecoin不应该被注销，但他们确实需要适当的背景。也就是说，我认为这有助于将炒作与实际技术分开。

The crazy part is you can spin up a token in just minutes, toss it onto global exchanges, and suddenly there’s real liquidity coming in from all over the world. That’s pretty wild, and it really shows how powerful blockchain-based markets can be.

疯狂的部分是，您可以在短短几分钟内将其旋转到全球交流中，突然之间，世界各地都有真正的流动性。那真是太疯狂了，它确实显示了基于区块链的市场的功能。

Platforms like ours have a responsibility to make sure people understand the difference between cultural participation and long-term financial planning. Memecoins can be an entry point, but they can’t be the foundation. For middle-class adoption to grow, the industry has to spotlight projects with utility, stability, and regulatory alignment because those are the assets that build lasting trust.

像我们这样的平台有责任确保人们了解文化参与与长期财务计划之间的差异。 Memecoins可以是一个入口点，但它们不能成为基础。为了使中产阶级采用的发展，该行业必须以实用性，稳定性和监管一致性聚焦项目，因为这些是建立持久信任的资产。

CN: A major concern for families is inheritance. With Bitcoin, we’re talking about digital inheritance. What challenges and opportunities does that create?

CN：家庭的主要关注点是继承。使用比特币，我们谈论的是数字继承。这会带来什么挑战和机会？

PS: This is one of the most under-discussed aspects of Bitcoin. Traditional wealth transfer has established legal and institutional frameworks. With digital assets, we’re still writing the playbook.

PS：这是比特币最不明显的方面之一。传统的财富转移已经建立了法律和机构框架。有了数字资产，我们仍在撰写剧本。

The challenges are obvious: keys can be lost, wallets can be forgotten, and without proper planning, families might not even know where assets are stored. On the other hand, the opportunity is profound, Bitcoin allows wealth to be passed down without relying on banks, probate courts, or intermediaries. It’s a direct transfer of value, borderless and censorship-resistant.

挑战很明显：钥匙可能会丢失，钱包可能会被遗忘，如果没有适当的计划，家庭甚至可能不知道存储资产的位置。另一方面，机会是深刻的，比特币允许在不依靠银行，遗嘱认证法院或中介机构的情况下传递财富。这是价值的直接转移，无边界和审查制度。

But for that to really work, families need some guidance and the right tools. It’s not just about knowing how to buy Bitcoin, they also have to figure out how to keep it safe, track it properly, and eventually pass it down. It can feel a bit overwhelming at first, honestly.

但是为此，家庭需要一些指导和正确的工具。这不仅仅是知道如何购买比特币，还必须弄清楚如何确保它安全，正确跟踪并最终将其传递下来。老实说，一开始会感到有些不知所措。

That’s where platforms like ours can make a real difference.

这就是像我们这样的平台可以真正改变的地方。

CN: A major concern for families is inheritance. With Bitcoin, we’re talking about digital inheritance. What challenges and opportunities does that create?

CN：家庭的主要关注点是继承。使用比特币，我们谈论的是数字继承。这会带来什么挑战和机会？

PS: We’re investing in solutions that go beyond instant swaps. That means integrating with secure storage options, supporting non-custodial approaches, and working on features that help users plan for the long term.

PS：我们正在投资于超越即时掉期的解决方案。这意味着与安全的存储选项集成，支持非监测方法，并致力于帮助用户长期计划的功能。

It also means partnerships. Inheritance in crypto isn’t just a tech problem; it’s also a legal and regulatory one. We’re working with wallet providers and legal experts to make sure digital wealth can be passed down smoothly across generations.

这也意味着伙伴关系。加密中的继承不仅是技术问题。这也是法律和法规的。我们正在与钱包提供商和法律专家合作，以确保可以在几代人之间顺利传递数字财富。

The long-term goal is simple: we want crypto to be just as easy to hand down as a family home or a savings account. That requires infrastructure, education, and cooperation across the industry.

长期目标很简单：我们希望加密货币与家庭住宅或储蓄帐户一样容易交出。这需要整个行业的基础设施，教育和合作。

CN: You’ve said that regulatory uncertainty stops many users from exploring crypto’s full potential. How do you see regulation shaping Bitcoin as an intergenerational asset?

CN：您已经说过，监管不确定性阻止了许多用户探索加密货币的全部潜力。您如何将法规形成比特币作为代际资产？

Pauline: Hopefully, regulation will catch up and really see Bitcoin for what it is. Yeah, it’s volatile, but it’s also surprisingly durable. If there’s a framework that treats it as a legitimate, taxable, inheritable asset, it could give middle-class families the confidence to actually include it in their long-term plans.

Pauline：希望法规会赶上，并真正看到比特币的含义。是的，这是波动的，但也很耐用。如果有一个框架将其视为合法，应纳税，可继承的资产，它可能会使中产阶级家庭有信心将其实际纳入其长期计划中。

Of course, regulation won’t magically remove all the ups and downs. But at least it can take away some of the uncertainty about how Bitcoin fits into the bigger financial picture, and that’s a big deal for families trying to plan ahead.

当然，法规不会神奇地消除所有跌宕起伏。但是，至少它可以消除有关比特币如何适应更大财务状况的一些不确定性，这对于试图提前计划的家庭来说是一件大事。

And that clarity is what families need if Bitcoin is going to bridge the savings gap for the next generation.

如果比特币要弥合下一代的储蓄差距，那么这就是家庭所需要的。