Morgan Creek Blockchain Exec: Regulators Will Mandate Tokenized Equity
*By Jacqueline Corba*
The hedge fund Morgan Creek is betting on the power of blockchain to digitize company equity.
The fund's blockchain group is focused on converting traditional paper equity into tokens. This can create a more open free market for investors, and can help regulators, said Anthony Pompliano, a partner at Morgan Creek Blockchain Capital.
"The blockchain actually manages not only the equity or the capital stack but also all transactions with that equity," he said in an interview with Cheddar.
Morgan Creek Capital Management will invest $500 million in blockchain technology. The hedge fund [acquired Pompliano's Full Tilt Capital](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-27/morgan-creek-acquires-full-tilt-capital-for-blockchain-push) in March, two months after Full Tilt went all in on cryptocurrency.
"In the digital world what ends up happening is the protocol in which these transactions are happening has the rules written into them, so the rules are written in software and would not let me make a non compliant trade," Pompliano said. "We actually think that the regulators, at some point in the future, are going to mandate that every company in the world tokenizes their equity."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/why-hedge-funds-are-betting-big-on-blockchain).
Verizon is teaming with Amazon's Project Kuiper low-orbit satellites to help improve communications and internet connectivity. Sampath Sowmyanarayan, chief revenue officer for Verizon Business, joined Cheddar to talk about the relationship with Amazon and what customers can expect from the strategic partnership. He noted that the 5G expansion via the satellite network will benefit rural communities where internet and wireless access remains difficult.
Social media platforms TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube are facing questions in DC about consumer protections, data security, and product safety for young users. Emily Birnbaum, tech lobbying and influence reporter at Politico, joined Cheddar to provide some background into what led to the congressional hearing and the potential outcome. Birnbaum noted that social media platforms have been attempting to distance themselves from Facebook and the ongoing bad press it garnered in recent months.
Cisco's Webex Hologram is looking to transform workspaces with augmented reality technology. Jeetu Patel, EVP and general manager of security and collaboration at Cisco, joined Cheddar to provide some details about the virtual workspace and discuss the industries that might benefit most from it. "We're in the era of flexibility and choice and inclusivity, where people want to make sure that they can work on their terms so that they've got complete flexibility in how they structure the day," Patel said.
Apple could soon face a Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit after intensifying its probe into the tech giant, according to a report. The added scrutiny comes after the tech giant had already faced questioning in Washington and concluded an antitrust case brought by Epic Games.
John Nosta, WHO Technology Expert, joins Cheddar News to discuss evolving technology in the healthcare industry and the role 5G is playing in advancing healthcare delivery.
A stacked week of earnings this week as Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and several others gear up to release their quarterly results. Earnings have so far exceeded expectations despite supply chain concerns and the ongoing pandemic. Daniel Newman, Futurum Research principal analyst, tells Cheddar which companies he's paying attention to this week.
Last week, shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp skyrocketed after following Former Present Trump's announcement that he would be partnering with the company as part of a Special Purpose Acquisition Company, or SPAC. Christian Munafo, Chief Investment Officer of Liberty Street Advisors and portfolio Manager of the Private Shares Fund broke down the latest, including whether or not Wall Street is currently experiencing a SPAC boom.
Facebook reported a beat on its Q3 earnings on Monday, despite a miss on revenue. This comes as the social media giant has found itself entrenched in negative headlines of late. Timothy Lesko, Partner and Portfolio Manager at Granite Investment Advisors, joined Cheddar to break down the latest.
