Overstock CEO on Blockchain: 160 Industries Could be Disrupted
Overstock.com became the first major retailer to accept cryptocurrency in 2014 when bitcoin was trading under $500. Now, the company is tripling down on its bitcoin bet. Patrick Byrne, CEO of Overstock.com, was with us to explain the future of blockchain.
The Overstock.com CEO expresses why he is so bullish on blockchain. Byrne believes we can "remake society" using the technology. He believes that what the internet did to publishing, blockchain will do to 160 industries. When it comes to picking individual cryptocurrencies, Byrne is agnostic. He shares that he does not favor bitcoin over any of the others.
Wall Street has been hesitant to accept bitcoin. Byrne says it is appropriate to move cautiously and thinks firms have been reasonably defensive. He does, however, add that those who take the risk will be rewarded.
As Russia intensifies its war on Ukraine, President Biden announced a ban on oil imported from the aggressor nation. Critics of Russia have said this would be the best way to force Putin to pull back, but curbs on Russian oil exports are expected to send already skyrocketing oil and gas prices even higher, further impacting consumers, businesses, financial markets, and the global economy. Leslie Beyer, CEO of the Energy Workforce and Technology Council, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. "It's certainly going to increase pricing, but it is the right thing to do," she said. "The industry itself has already pulled out of the significant portion of its operations in Russia."
Two friends have joined forces to come up with an app dedicated to making mental health more approachable and to provide users with the tools needed to improve their mental health and overall well-being. Co-Founders of the Dial App Jonah Salita and Marcel Johnson, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
On this International Women’s Day, Deb Cupp, president of Microsoft U.S., joined Cheddar News to talk about the implementation of her pillars to extend the company's culture, such as acting with care and putting the team first. "What I like about the pillars is they're very simple, so it's easy for us to think about how they show up every day in our lives," Cupp said.