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.
Cheddar News checks in on what to look for on The Day Ahead as President Joe Biden meets with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to look to resolve the debt ceiling debate. Earnings are also slated to be reported from companies including Airbnb, AMC Networks, Electronic Arts and Nintendo.
A study on the U.S. banking system found nearly 190 banks are at risk of failure. Preston D. Cherry, founder and president of Concurrent Financial Planning, joined Cheddar News to explain the process if you have a mortgage with a bank that collapses.
Americans have bet over $220 billion on sports with legal gambling outlets in the five years since the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for all 50 states to offer it.
Melissa Brown, managing director of applied research with Qontigo, joined Cheddar News to discuss a new start to the trading week as the market edged lower in a mixed-performance day. Investors also await the meeting between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to look to resolve its debt ceiling debate.
Bobbi Rebell, chief financial officer of Financial Wellness Strategies and author of Launching Financial Grownups: Live Your Richest Life by Helping Your (Almost) Adult Kids Become Everyday Money Smart, gives the top four reasons people struggle financially.
Warren Buffett criticized how regulators and lawmakers have handled recent bank failures and noted that the ongoing debt ceiling showdown will sow even more chaos.
Wall Street drifted to a mixed close ahead of a week full of reports on some of the market’s biggest worries, including how stubbornly high inflation remains across the economy.
