Ripple's XRP cryptocurrency soaring to new heights this week. Coindesk's Director of Research Nolan Bauerle and Fortune Staff Writer Robert Hackett explain factors driving altcoins up, and Bitcoin down.
"Bitcoin has an enviable problem of being so popular, and such strong brand name that it became hard to access," says Bauerle. "I think when people saw that surge hit in December they said well I'll try something else." Altcoins like Ripple's XRP, Ethereum, and Tron posted significant gains in the first week of 2018.
"Retail investors are gobbling it up," says Hackett on some companies adding the word "Blockchain" to their name. " On Thursday Ripple's co-founder Chris Larsen became one of the wealthiest Americans on paper with his shares of the cryptocurrency growing to more than $59 billion. But Hackett says its important to note these shares are hard to transfer to direct wealth. Even if he were able to cash out all of his fortune, the markets would not handle it well says Hackett.
The peak summer travel season is almost here, and pilots are stepping up their pressure on major airlines for new contracts that will include higher pay.
Sony Pictures Entertainment's faith-based streaming platform, Pure Flix, is merging with Great American Media, a newer cable company that has challenged the market currently dominated by Hallmark Channel.
The Senate Banking Committee held a hearing Thursday on the cannabis bill the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking — a first step toward what advocates hope will be a full vote on the Senate Floor.
Wall Street saw another day of losses in the market amid continued concerns over the banking sector and as investors digest the latest inflation data. Francis Oh, Asia-Pacific CEO of Qraft Technologies, joined Cheddar News to break down what can be expected with the Federal Reserve's move on interest rates and what to look out for with A.I. stocks, which are seeing big gains.
