It was the best of times and worst of times for two payment protocols.
First consider Ethereum. The Defi giant hit a new all-time high early this morning, some 43 hours after the Altair upgrade took effect. If all goes well, it will be a key incremental step toward Ethereum 2.0 – making the cryptocurrency a scalable solution for countless fintech problems around the world.
Next, consider
V
. The once-mighty credit-card giant (and Dow member) crumbled to its lowest level since March, hammered by higher costs and tepid global transactions. Then came a Wall Street Journal report that the Justice Department might be probing its relationship with companies like
SQ
and
PYPL
. These developments could be the first step toward weaker results and increased regulation.
It’s like a history book playing out. The cracks appear in an ageing giant that for years enjoyed a near monopoly. Meanwhile, its ascendant rival enters the homestretch on a series of improvements that could plant it on top of the world.
Also consider this: Along the way this week, Ethereum flipped ahead of V in market cap.
Anyone doubting the rise of cryptos needs to pay attention. As the chart above suggests, innovations anticipated for years are starting to bear fruit. Life may never be the same.
TradeStation is a pioneer in the trading industry, providing access to stocks, options, futures and cryptocurrencies. See our Overview for more.
First consider Ethereum. The Defi giant hit a new all-time high early this morning, some 43 hours after the Altair upgrade took effect. If all goes well, it will be a key incremental step toward Ethereum 2.0 – making the cryptocurrency a scalable solution for countless fintech problems around the world.
Next, consider
V
. The once-mighty credit-card giant (and Dow member) crumbled to its lowest level since March, hammered by higher costs and tepid global transactions. Then came a Wall Street Journal report that the Justice Department might be probing its relationship with companies like
SQ
and
PYPL
. These developments could be the first step toward weaker results and increased regulation. It’s like a history book playing out. The cracks appear in an ageing giant that for years enjoyed a near monopoly. Meanwhile, its ascendant rival enters the homestretch on a series of improvements that could plant it on top of the world.
Also consider this: Along the way this week, Ethereum flipped ahead of V in market cap.
Anyone doubting the rise of cryptos needs to pay attention. As the chart above suggests, innovations anticipated for years are starting to bear fruit. Life may never be the same.
TradeStation is a pioneer in the trading industry, providing access to stocks, options, futures and cryptocurrencies. See our Overview for more.
