*By Jacqueline Corba*
Bitcoin soared back above the [$8,000 mark this week for the first time since May](https://cheddar.com/videos/reddit-co-founder-on-the-state-of-cryptocurrency). The surge comes as more institutional investors look to grab a piece of the still-emerging crypto market.
"From a stored value perspective I'm a Bitcoin maximalist," [Fin co-CEO and co-Founder Sam Lessin](https://cheddar.com/videos/tech-entrepreneur-sam-lessin-authors-childrens-book-on-bitcoin) told Cheddar's Crypto Craze Thursday. "If you look at the broader blockchain and crypto ecosystem, I don't think people fully appreciate how deeply big a deal it is to have an immutable ledger globally."
Lessin, who served as a vice president of product management at Facebook from 2010 to 2014, joins fellow Facebook alum Anthony Pompliano in his bullish outlook on Bitcoin, the largest digital currency by market cap.
"I've got a high degree of confidence that at some point in the future its going to hit $50,000. And I've got some degree of confidence that it will be by the end of this year," Pompliano, who now runs Morgan Creek Digital Assets, told Cheddar.
The factors driving the value up? Human psychology, speculation around a [cryptocurrency ETF](https://www.coindesk.com/bitwise-proposes-etf-for-top-10-cryptos/), and growing institutional interest, said Pompliano.
Facebook itself even wants in on crypto. In May, [Cheddar reported Facebook is developing its own digital currency](https://cheddar.com/videos/facebook-plans-to-create-its-own-cryptocurrency-2).
"I have a lot of respect for the Facebook team," said Lessin. "What they have is a fundamental networkーthe biggest one ever in the history of the world connecting people." He called a Facebook move toward crypto an "obvious play."
For full interview, [click here] (https://cms.cheddar.com/videos/VmlkZW8tMjExNzY=).
Ride-hailing service Lyft's annual loss more than doubled last year to over $2.6 billion, but the company claimed progress as revenue jumped 68 percent and ridership grew.
Geoffrey Colon and Aya Kikimova, Head of Brand Studio and Brand Studio at Microsoft Advertising, join Cheddar to discuss their new report that explores trends of the past and present that will impact the next decade.
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Check out the report [here](https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/post/january-2020/2020-vision-trends-to-define-the-next-decade).
Xenex Disinfection Services has offered to ship out its germ-killing robots free-of-charge. But first, the San Antonio-based company needs assurances that China will respect its intellectual property.
Cybereason's Chief Information Security Officer Israel Barak discussed with Cheddar about preparing for beyond the standard fears of hacking votes.
The exemption granted by the Department of Transportation allows the company to introduce its second-generation vehicle lacking a steering wheel, transparent windshield, mirrors, and gas and brake pedals.
COO Matt Bromberg discussed with Cheddar how more engaged players also mean more spending in an industry that relies on microtransactions within free-to-play games.
The auto giant's first chief sustainability officer, Dane Parker, says he sees electric vehicles overtaking combustion engine cars as overwhelmingly as cars overtook the horse and buggy.
Jeff Weiner will become executive chairman after 11 years as CEO of the Microsoft-owned business. Ryan Roslansky, senior vice president of product, will become CEO as of June 1.
Adjusted for one-time items, earnings came to $1.53 per share. Analysts polled by FactSet expected earnings of $1.46. Revenue rose 36% to $20.9 billion. Wall Street expected revenue of $20.7 billion. Disney shares rose 1.2% in after-hours trading to $146.50.
Technology companies and banks led a broad rally for U.S. stocks in midday trading Tuesday following solid gains overseas. China took more steps to soften the financial blow of the virus outbreak and its main stock index rose following a plunge a day earlier.
