South Korea taking steps to ban Bitcoin. The news shining a light on regulation of cryptocurrency, and ways government can and would step in. InfoTech's President and CEO Matti Kon explains the need for regulation for potential dangers in this space.
Kon explains that governments cracking down on the crypto space is not a new thing. What is different in this case is the amount of power and weight South Korea holds in the field. The obsession with cryptocurrency has hit strikingly high numbers. This meant the crypto industry took a hit after the South Korea news.
South Korea also has a high unemployment rate. For some in the country, the obsession spilled into an opportunity to bring in revenue.
On the negative side of crypto trading, Kon explains that cryptocurrencies do have ties to the dark web and dark activity. Cryptocurrency is helping to fund crime around the world.
Ride share competitors Uber and Lyft both posted their fourth quarter earnings days apart from each other. Both companies have been trying to get back on their feet after taking some pandemic-related hits, but the Omicron variant had other ideas as the year came to a close, with each company taking a hit in ridership in December. Lance Ippolito, head trader at The Future of Wealth explains how Uber and Lyft measured up this earnings period and why Uber may still have an edge over the competition.
Parallel Systems has been selected to receive $4.5 million from the Department of Energy for an advanced testing program of its autonomous, battery-electric rail vehicles. The startup, which has raised more than $53 million to date, was founded by former SpaceX engineers to reimagine the rail system by creating a more efficient, decarbonized freight network. Matt Soule, Co-founder & CEO of Parallel Systems, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss what the company hopes to achieve.