ADVERTISEMENT

Here’s How People Are Using Cryptocurrency in Venezuela

Cryptocurrencies are finding use in one of the world’s most unstable monetary systems.

Here’s How People Are Using Cryptocurrency in Venezuela
A student operates a laptop computer to trade Petro cryptocurrency (Photographer: Carlos Becerra/Bloomberg)  

Every week, hosts Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway take you on a not-so-random walk through hot topics in markets, finance and economics.

Last month, Facebook announced it was launching its own cryptocurrency called Libra. Facebook says Libra is going to have all sorts of benefits, including helping people without traditional bank accounts and acting as an alternative form of money in countries that don't have stable currencies. At the same time, Facebook's Libra has already been criticized for potentially allowing people to skirt existing government rules. On this episode of Odd Lots, we speak with Jill Carlson, co-founder of the Open Money Initiative, about the actual use cases of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. She's been studying exactly how people have been using cryptocurrency in one of the world's most unstable monetary systems: Venezuela.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Laura Carlson at lcarlson21@bloomberg.net

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.