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.
Dan Geltrude, managing partner of Geltrude & Co., joined Cheddar News to discuss why it's vital for a college student to begin budget preparations early for college tuition. "It's developing good financial habits," he said. "I'm a strong proponent that in high school, there should be some teaching, some course ... about personal finance."
Brian Vendig, president of MJP Wealth Advisors, joined Cheddar News to discuss the market ahead of the Federal Reserve's meeting on Wednesday and as investors digest JPMorgan's takeover of First Republic Bank, which was recently seized by regulators. A slew of earnings are also slated to be released this week as well.
The saga of Adidas' high-profile break-up with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, continues. Investors have filed a class action lawsuit alleging that executives were aware of Ye's behavioral issues well before Adidas ended its relationship with him last October.
The top financial concern for Americans in 2023 is inflation. Sudha Chandrasekharan, SVP, of Global E-Commerce at Auctane, joins Cheddar News to discuss how this outlook will change consumer spending habits, and why e-commerce is playing a vital role in the economy.
Charlie Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, told the Financial Times that the U.S. commercial property market is in trouble. “It’s not nearly as bad as it was in 2008,” he said. “But trouble happens to banking just like trouble happens everywhere else.”
