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.
EV charging solution eDRV recently announced it closed a seed funding round. Bhaskar Deol, co-founder and CEO of eDRV, joined Cheddar News to explain how his company helps to launch and manage charging networks.
The Week's Top Stories is a guided tour through the biggest market stories of the week, from winning stocks to brutal dips to the facts and forecasts generating buzz on Wall Street.
Mass layoffs continue to still be announced so far this year. Julie Bauke, chief career strategist with The Bauke Group, joined Cheddar News to provide tips on how to look for your next job after being laid off.
A report from financial services website Credit Summit found that 90 percent of Americans say they enjoy receiving gift cards but a staggering $21 billion locked inside them have gone unspent.
