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.
Amid a backdrop of ongoing tariff uncertainty, more and more gamers are facing price hikes. Microsoft raised recommended retailer pricing for its Xbox consoles and controllers around the world this week. Its Xbox Series S, for example, now starts at $379.99 in the U.S. — up $80 from the $299.99 price tag that debuted in 2020. And its more powerful Xbox Series X will be $599.99 going forward, a $100 jump from its previous $499.99 listing. The tech giant didn’t mention tariffs specifically, but cited wider “market conditions and the rising cost of development.” Beyond the U.S., Microsoft also laid out Xbox price adjustments for Europe, the U.K. and Australia. The company said all other countries would also receive updates locally.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said Thursday that the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. in the current fiscal quarter will be sourced from India, while iPads and other devices will come from Vietnam as the company works to avoid the impact of President Trump’s tariffs on its business. Apple’s earnings for the first three months of the year topped Wall Street’s expectations thanks to high demand for its iPhones, and the company said tariffs had a limited effect on the fiscal second quarter’s results. Cook added that for the current quarter, assuming things don’t change, Apple expects to see $900 million added to its costs as a result of the tariffs.
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