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Cryptocurrency: What You Need To Know Now : 1A Companies like MasterCard and Tesla are embracing cryptocurrency. But what does cryptocurrency's popularity mean for the U.S. dollar's global influence?

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Cryptocurrency: What You Need To Know Now

Cryptocurrency: What You Need To Know Now

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The logo of Bitcoin digital currency is pictured on the front door of an ATM in Marseille, southern France. NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images

The logo of Bitcoin digital currency is pictured on the front door of an ATM in Marseille, southern France.

NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images

The value of a single Bitcoin reached $50,000 for the first time in mid-February 2021. MasterCard has announced it's bringing cryptocurrency onto its network. Tesla bought $1.5 billion of bitcoin earlier this year and is already seeing a return, according to some analysts. Meanwhile, online investors have been pushing a currency called Dogecoin in a push to raise its value fast.

Traditional financial gatekeepers are now thinking about the future of cryptocurrency, though it was long seen as a haven for digital evangelists and internet forum dwellers.

Does bitcoin's rise reflect a decline of the U.S. dollar's global influence? Does bringing cryptocurrency to the mainstream conflict with its founding philosophy?

Peter Van Valkenburgh and Rana Foroohar join us for the conversation.

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