*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=).
While grassroots support is nothing new, the online nature of Yang supporters shows how outsider campaigns with less infrastructure leverage technology and online spaces to get noticed.
Ford on Sunday unveiled its all-electric Mustang Mach-E, a curvy four-door SUV that, with the iconic pony logo, is helping the automaker race into a new era that will be marked by an “all-in” $11.5 billion investment in 16 electric vehicles over the next three years.
The surprise rejection of Amazon Web Service's bid on October 25 raised eyebrows because the company had appeared to be the frontrunner thanks to its extensive experience with cloud computing.
The battery-powered vehicle — long-teased as a “Mustang-inspired” SUV — will officially join the Mustang line as the Mustang Mach-E.
As streaming services battle it out, technology and strategy consultant Michael Wolf says companies like Amazon and Apple, who can offer cross service bundles, will come out on top.
Cheddar spoke to Mike Massimino, former NASA astronaut and senior advisor for space programs at the Intrepid Museum, to get his take on films such as "Apollo 13" and "Gravity."
The search giant has partnered with Citi and Stanford Federal Credit Union, who will handle the heavy lifting in the backend and compliance, and is seeking to position those brands more front-and-center to customers than its own.
In addition to being a payment method for Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Pay will also compete with person-to-person payment apps like PayPal-owned Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Square Cash App.
Consulting and research firm Magid found people are willing to spend about $42 a month on streaming services, an increase from $36 last year. But they only want four subscriptions on average, down from six in 2018.
The Apple credit card issued by Goldman Sachs stands accused of gender bias after reports from couples showing a major disparity between credit limits issued to women versus men despite shared assets or better credit scores.
