♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Martin: WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK."

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

I'M PHILLIP MARTIN, SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, GBH NEWS CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING, CALLIE CROSSLEY IS OFF.

TONIGHT: "YOUR MONEY: UNDERSTANDING CRYPTOCURRENCY."

WE, LIKE YOU, ARE DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS.

WE ARE WORKING WITH LIMITED STAFF AND OUR GUESTS ARE JOINING US REMOTELY.

ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH GROUP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, 44% OF THE INVESTORS INTERESTED IN CRYPTOCURRENCY ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

THEY ARE YOUNGER, MORE RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE AND FEMALE.

HISTORICALLY, WEALTH CREATION HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN FOR BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE DUE TO INSTITUTIONAL POLICES, THE LACK OF ACCESS OR CAPITAL.

HOWEVER, THE DIGITAL CURRENCY MARKET, IS OPEN TO EVERYONE.

BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS CRYPTOCURRENCY, AND IS IT TRULY A PATH TO ACQUIRING GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR?

JOINING US REMOTELY: TERI WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT AND C.O.O., ONEUNITED BANK AND CHAIR OF THE B.E.C.M.A.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS; REUBEN YOUNGBLOM, MANAGING EDITOR OF THE "CRYPTOECONOMIC SYSTEMS" JOURNAL AND SERIES, AT THE M.I.T.

MEDIA LAB; CLEVE MESIDOR, PUBLIC POLICY ADVISOR, THE BLOCKCHAIN ASSOCIATION AND FOUNDER OF THE NATIONAL POLICY NETWORK OF WOMEN OF COLOR IN BLOCKCHAIN; AND DR. SHALAIR ARMSTRONG, A CRYPTOCURRENCY EDUCATOR AND MEMBER OF THE BLACK BITCOIN BILLIONAIRE GROUP.

WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> THANKS.

>> Martin: SO THIS IS A FASCINATING TOPIC TO SAY THE LEAST.

THE YEARS AGO, YOU HEARD THE TERM CRYPTOCURRENCY AND OF COURSE CONCOMITANT TO THAT YOU HEARD BITCOIN.

BUT MANY PEOPLE AND THE FACT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE INVESTING IN IT IS QUITE SURPRISING I THINK FOR MANY.

AND CLEVE, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU IF YOU WILL, WHAT EXACTLY IS CRYPTOCURRENCY AND WHY SHOULD PEOPLE BE INVESTED IN IT?

>> WELL, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A BASIC DEFINITION.

NOT TO SCARE PEOPLE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY JUST HAVE A LAY OF THE LAND.

SO I TELL PEOPLE THAT BLOCKCHAIN IS SIMPLY TECHNOLOGY THAT SECURE REPLY SECURES FOUNDATION, THIRD PARTY.

AGAIN BLOCKCHAIN IS SECURITY THAT SECURELY VERIFIES INFORMATION, THAT IS THE LEDGER PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT.

FACILITATES THE EXCHANGE OF VALUE, THAT IS CRYPTOCURRENCY, WITHOUT THIRD PARTY VAST DECENTRALIZATION.

AS WE GOK EVEN FURTHER IF PEOPLE LOOK AT LIGHT POW BEAUTIFUL IT IS, WHAT POWERS BITCOIN IS BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY.

IMAGINE EVERYTHING WE DO WITH ELECTRICITY, OTHER THAN LIGHT.

IMAGINE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY OTHER THAN CRYPTOCURRENCY.

THE BARRIERS HAVE BEEN DIMINISHED, IT'S ABOUT ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, IT'S ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND IT'S ABOUT CHOICE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR FINANCIAL FREEDOM.

>> Martin: WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE A NAIVE QUESTION BUT AGAIN FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEW TO THIS, I WOULD ASK TERI, HOW ESSENTIALLY DO YOU ACQUIRE IT HOW DO YOU GET IT IN YOUR HANDS, HOW DO YOU BASICALLY SAY, HEY I OWN CRYPTOCURRENCY?

>> BASICALLY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

AND BASICALLY, NORTH TO ACQUIRE CRYPTOCURRENCY YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A DIGITAL WALLET.

AND YOU CAN OPEN THAT WALLET IN A VARIETY OF PLACES.

YOU KNOW, TO NAME A FEW, YOU CAN OPEN A WALLET IN ROBIN HOOD AND YOU CAN OPEN A WALLET IN CASHAT.

THERE ARE HOT AND COLD WALLETS.

HOT WALLETS ARE WHAT YOU OPEN ONLINE, A COLD WALLET IS WHERE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE AN ACTUAL SEPARATE USB STICK THAT CAN YOU CARRY AROUND WITH YOU THAT HOLDS YOUR CRYPTOCURRENCY.

BUT IT IS ACCESSIBLE TODAY, WHICH IS WHY OUR COMMUNITY IS SO INTERESTED IN IT, IS THAT IT'S MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN, LET'S SAY, THE STOCK MARKET WAS, YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO, WHEN IT STARTED OUT.

>> Martin: NOW YOU HAVE HEARD THE TERM CASINO BY CRITICS OF CRYPTOCURRENCY THAT IT ESSENTIALLY AMOUNTS TO A CASINO, THAT YOU ARE RISKING YOUR MONEY BY INVESTING IN CRYPTOCURRENCY.

YET YOU SEE MANY PEOPLE BECOMING FABULOUSLY WEALTHY WITHIN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

THOSE WHO HAVE INVESTED IN CRYPTOCURRENCY.

REUBEN, WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ABOUT THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FORM OF -- THIS FORM OF CURRENCY IF YOU WILL?

>> WELL, I THINK THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THERE IS SOME RISK INHERENT IN CRYPTOCURRENCY INVESTMENT.

IT'S JUST A FACT OF THE WORLD THAT THERE IS RISK INHERENT ANY TIME YOU ARE INVESTING IN ANYTHING.

SO YOU LOOK AT THE CASINO-LIKE NATURE OF SOME LIKE THE CRYPTOCURRENCY MARKET AND IT FEELS NOT THAT FAR AWAY FROM THE CASINO LIKE THE STOCK MARKET, ESPECIALLY WHAT WE'VE SEEN LATELY WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH AMC AND GAME STOP AND SOME OF THESE OTHER STOCKS.

AS TERI HAS ALLUDED TO HAVING THIS INVESTMENT IN A STOCK THAT OTHERS ARE USING, I ALWAYS CAUTION PEOPLE IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING TO THIS MARKET, DO SO SAFELY AND EDUCATING THEMSELVES ABOUT THE RISK BUT IT IS INVESTMENT LIKE ANY OTHER INVESTMENT, JUST MORE ACCESSIBLE.

>> Martin: I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THIS LATER, THE WHOLE NOTION OF INVESTING SAFELY.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE VARIOUS CRYPTOCURRENCY.

BITCOIN BEING OF COURSE THE MOST FAMOUS OF THOSE CRYPTOCURRENCY OR THAT WHICH PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT.

ONE QUESTION I HEAR ABOUT, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT THIS, FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN DISEVERYONE FRANCHISED NOT JUST -- DISENFRANCHISED, WE HAVE JUST CELEBRATED VETERANS DAY WHICH MANY OF THESE VETERANS RETURNED FROM FIGHTING A WAR BOTH IN THE PACIFIC AND EUROPE, AND THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY DENIED THE ACCESS TO THE GI BILL OR THE ABILITY TO ACCUMULATE WEALTH FOR THEIR FAMILIES OR GENERATIONS TO COME.

HOW MIGHT IF YOU WILL, CRYPTOCURRENCY IF THE WORD IS NOT OFFSET, THAT HISTORY, HOW MIGHT IT AT LEAST BE AMEAL I DON'TAMELIORATIVE, IF YOU WILL?

>> WHAT I CAN SAY IS HISTORICAL AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF A LOT OF THINGS, FOR LACK OF ABILITY TO EVEN SIT AT THE TABLE, TO EVEN PARTICIPATE.

SOME OF OUR SOLDIERS WHEN THEY WERE COMING BACK, AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO GET LOANS FOR HOMES, MORTGAGES FOR HOMES, BLACK SOLDIERS WERE NOT ABLE TO.

IT WAS THOUGHT THAT IT WAS EQUAL.

BUT IN THIS SPACE IT'S TRULY EQUAL.

YOU ACTUALLY DON'T NEED ANYONE TO GO IN FOR YOU, AND VERY MUCH -- AND INVEST IN THIS SPACE.

IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A CELLULAR PHONE AND THE INTERNET CAN YOU GO ONTO LIKE TERI SAID EITHER AN ON BOARDING PLATFORM LIKE CASHAP OSH SWAN BITCOIN, OR EXCHANGE, YOU EXCHANGE YOUR FIAT CURRENCY FOR THIS CRYPTOCURRENCY.

THAT IS DONE THROUGH PHONE.

THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT OR LEGISLATIVE BODY THAT CAN SAY YOU WHO YOU ARE, YOUR POSITION IN LIFE, YOU CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN THIS.

SOTHIS IS WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS SPACE AND THE SPACE THAT WE'RE USED TO DEALING IN, IS.

AND THAT'S WHY I SAY THAT WE HAD A MAJOR ADVANTAGE IN THIS SPACE VERSUS THE OTHERS.

BITCOIN DOESN'T CARE WHAT COLOR YOU ARE.

IF YOU ARE IN NIGERIA AND YOU WANT TO START A BUSINESS, YOU'VE GOT A WALLET, YOU'VE GOT A PHONE, YOU CAN START A BUSINESS.

>> Martin: IT'S INTERESTING YOU ARE SAYING, IN NYE YEAR NIGERIA ORWHEREVER YOU ARE.

IN ZIMBABWE AND, AN ENTIRE NATION, EL SALVADOR WHOSE PRESIDENT, FOR VEABS VARIOUS REASONS, PERHAPS -- VARIOUS REASONS, PERHAPS INCLUDING WEALTH FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY, WHO KNOWS?

I KNOW HE'S BEEN ATTACHED WITH THE TERM AUTOCRAT.

SO THE TERM BECOMES THE ATTEMPT BY EL SALVADOR, OF COURSE TO BASE ITS CURRENCY ON CRYPTOCURRENCY, IS THAT A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING AND WHY SHOULD WE AMERICANS CARE?

I'M GOING TO START WITH TERI WITH THAT QUESTION AND THEN WE'LL GO AROUND.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT CRYPTOIS IT IS A GLOBAL PHENOMENON.

EVERY CURRENT HAS A CENTRAL BANK AND AS TALKED ABOUT, U.S.

DOLLARS GOES THROUGH THE FEDERAL RESERVE.

IF I PAY YOU IN DOLLARS, IT GOES THROUGH MY BANK ACCOUNT THROUGH THE FEDERAL RESERVE TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TO YOU.

IN THE CASE OF CRYPTO, IT IS DECENTRALIZED.

THERE IS NO FEDERAL RESERVE FOR CRYPTO.

YOU ARE ACTUALLY TRANSACTING WITH ANOTHER PARTY.

THIS CONTRACT THAT CLEVE TALKED ABOUT IS BETWEEN YOU AND THE PARTY.

THE PARTY COULD BE SOMEONE HERE IN THE STATES.

IT COULD BE SOMEONE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

SO WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT CRYPTOCURRENCY IS THAT IT IS A GLOBAL CURRENCY.

WHAT ALSO IS DIFFERENT ABOUT IT IS THAT IT IS SECURE, IN THE SENSE OF IT'S A CONTRACT THAT IS BINDING.

YOU KNOW, THAT CAN'T BE REVERSED.

AND SO WHEN YOU OWN THAT, WHETHER IT'S BITCOIN OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF CRYPTOCURRENCY, YOU OWN IT.

WHEREAS, IF I PAY YOU SOMETHING, I CAN GO BACK TO THE FEDERAL RESERVE AND SAY I'D LIKE TO REVERSE THAT TRANSACTION.

AND SO THERE ARE SOME ELEMENTS TO IT THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN LET'S SAY THE U.S. DOLLAR THAT ARE POSITIVE.

BUT ALSO, THAT CREATE RISK.

SO WHEN YOU BUY A CRYPTOCURRENCY YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT IT IS A PURCHASE THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T TURN AROUND AND SAY OH I'D LIKE A REFUND.

IT IS -- IT IS SECURE.

BUT IT IS NOT REVERSIBLE.

>> Martin: BUT -- >> YOU CAN SELL IT TO SOMEONE ELSE BUT YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, SORT OF TAKE YOUR MONEY BACK.

>> Martin: SO ONE QUESTION I HAVE THEN IS, IT SEEMS, YES, YOU'RE POINTING OUT MANY OF THE ADVANTAGES.

BUT I THINK WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD UNREGULATED, AND IT'S NOT THE TO SAY THAT IT'S COMPLETELY UNREGULATED BUT A LARGE ASPECT, LARGE ASPECTS OF IT ARE.

AND I THINK THAT MAY BE WHAT IS CHARACTER PEOPLE.

GO ON, PLEASE, CLEVE GO AHEAD.

>> YES, WELL, THAT IS SUCH A MISNOMER.

CRIP TO, IS REGULATED.

EXCHANGES HAVE TO REGISTER THE STATE.

IF THE STATE DOES NOT GIVE THE ORGANIZATION A LICENSE IT CANNOT OPERATE.

THAT'S WHY SOME STATES CANNOT EXCHANGE IN CRYPTOCURRENCY.

ALSO, IT'S REGULATED THAT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, ALL EXCHANGES HAVE TO COMPLY WITH KYC AND AML REGULATIONS AND ALSO, GUIDANCE FOR HOW TO PAY THEIR CRYPTOCURRENCY.

MOST PEOPLE WILL SEE THAT THIS LATEST TAX FORM HAD A QUESTION ABOUT CRYPTOCURRENCY.

PRESIDENT BIDEN'S BILL THE PAY FOR SECTION HAS CURRENCY BROKERS, SO THEREFORE IT CANNOT BE UNREGULATED WHEN IT'S BEING INCLUDED IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND THE IRS.

THE ISSUE IS WHAT IS THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY.

THAT IS QUESTION.

IT IS THE LACK OF REGULATORY CLARITY THAT THE REGULATORY AGENCIES AND CONGRESS HAVE CREATED.

RIGHT NOW IF YOU ARE A BLOCKCHAIN COMPANY, THE FCC MAY TELL YOU YOU ARE IN COMPLIANCE, WE JUST HAD THE PRESIDENT'S WORKING GROUP ON FINANCIAL ASSETS JUST PUT OUT A REPORT ON SABER-COIRNS THAT PUNTED IT TO CONGRESS THAT SAID WE NEEDED REGULATION.

UNTIL CONGRESS HAS REGULATORY CLARITY THE ISSUES WILL PLAYING.

BUT RIGHT NOW CRIPTO IS REGULATED AND THERE ARE RULES OF THE GAME.

>> Martin: THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL CLARIFICATION.

SHALAIR YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THAT.

>> I ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY, THAT CRYPTOCURRENCY IT CAN BE BOUGHT AND SOLD.

IF YOU HAVE GOT FIAT CURRENCY AND YOU HAVE GOT YOUR FIAT CURRENCY THAT YOU BRING TO IN EXCHANGE, LIKE FINANCE OR COIN BASED OR ONE OF THE OTHER HUNDREDS OF EXCHANGES YOU CAN BUY SOME CRYPTOCURRENCY THERE, MEANING YOU'RE EXCHANGING YOUR U.S.

DOLLARS OR YOUR NYRO OR YOUR EURO OR THE YUAN, ALL THESE CURRENCIES ARE, IF YOU HAVE GOT SOME BOIPT OR SOME ETHERIUM AND YOU ARE ON AN EXCHANGE YOU CAN SELL THAT CRYPTOCURRENCY AND GET BACK YOUR U.S.

DOLLARS.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VIEWERS WERE CLEAR ON THAT.

>> Martin: I APPRECIATE THAT.

ANOTHER QUESTION THOUGH, YOU MENTIONED BITCOIN, ARE THERE OTHER CRYPTOCURRENCIES THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF?

AND I QUESTION FOR YOU REUBEN IN THAT CONTEXT, IS IF I'M LIKE JOE SIX PACK AND I HAVE $100 OF TRADITIONAL MONEY, TO SPARE, AND I WANT TO INVEST IN CRYPTOCURRENCY, IS MY $100 GOING TO GO ANYWHERE?

WHAT MIGHT I BE ABLE TO PURCHASE WITH $100?

>> GOSH YOU'RE GIVING ME THE TOUGH QUESTIONS RIGHT?

>> Martin: AND EVERYONE CAN CHIME IN PLEASE.

>> AS PEOPLE HAVE ALLUDED TO BITCOIN IS THE MOST WELL-KNOWN CURRENCY AND THAT COMES WITH A LOT OF ADVANTAGES.

IT COMES WITH A LOT OF STABILITY THAN ANY OF THE OTHER ONES.

I WOULD SAY ETHERIUM THAT HAS ALSO BEEN MENTIONED IS A CLOSE SECOND.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY.

BITCOIN IS REALLY MORE OF A DIGITAL CURRENCY AND IT'S DESIGNED TO KIND OF MOVE MONEY AND STORE VALUE.

WHEREAS ETHERIUM TAKES THESE DID HE CENTRALIZED AND PRINCIPLELESS PURPOSES AND DO A LOT OF BITCOIN LIKE THINGS ONLY WITH APPLICATION, PERMISSION LIST AND SORT OF IMMUTABLE UNSTOPPABLE APPLICATIONS A WHOLE OTHER THING AND EXTREMELY POWERFUL.

BUT IF SOMEBODY HAS $100 SOME OF THE OFFENSES THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED ALREADY ARE REALLY GOOD OPTIONS.

YOU CAN BUY CRIP TO, THROUGH ROBIN HOOD, THROUGH SQUARE, COIN BASES LIKE GEMINI ARE ALSO QUITE POPULAR.

FOR SAKE OF COMPLETENESS A LOT OF THOSE OPTIONS REQUIRE SOME SORT OF BANK ACCOUNT OR CREDIT CARD, OR THEY REQUIRE SOMEBODY TO BE IN THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM ALREADY.

AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE FUNCTIONALLY KIND OF BARRED FROM THAT.

AND I'LL REITERATE MY MANTRA OF SAFETY.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE SAFE.

BUT THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN BARRED FROM THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND DON'T HAVE A BANK ACCOUNT.

BU ISQ IS A GOOD ONE, B-I-S-Q.

IT IS A PEER TO PEER PLATFORM THAT I WOULD CAUTION USING BUT IT IS A GOOD OPTION FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE SOMETHING LIKE A BANK ACCOUNT OR CREDIT CARD.

>> Martin: IF YOU ARE TRYING TO BE, GO AHEAD CLEVE YOU WANTED TO ADD?

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY JUST TO REUBEN'S POINT AT ONEUNITED BANK WE HAVE A SECOND CHANCE CHECKING ACCOUNT FOR THAT VERY REASON.

THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE BARRED AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO A BANK ACCOUNT.

I ALSO WANTED TO IT'S NOT A CAUTION BECAUSE I DEFINITELY THINK OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD EXPLORE INVESTING IN CRYPTO, EVEN IF IT'S $100, IN FACT I RECOMMEND STARTING WITH $WHEUFNED.

BECAUSE IT'S HELPFUL TO BE IN IT AND TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON.

WHAT ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT.

YOU CAN INVEST MORE.

BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THAT OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, JUST EVEN IF IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT.

TO STILL INVEST JUST TO EXPERIENCE THE CRYPTOCURRENCY MARKET.

>> Martin: THAT RAISES ANOTHER QUESTION, I'M SORRY GO ON BUT I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO YOUR POINT OR ANOTHER QUESTION IF YOU WILL.

IN TERMS OF AGAIN BUILDING WEALTH, YOU SEE, I THINK I.T.

WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING -- IT WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING THAT THE LARGE NUMBER OR SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF AFRICAN AMERICANS, BLACK PEOPLE, LATINO PEOPLE WHO ARE INVESTED IN CRYPTOCURRENCY.

THAT INVESTMENT HOWEVER, HOW DOES IT COMPARE IN TERMS OF THE INVESTMENTS BEING GENERATED BY IF YOU WILL INSTITUTIONAL VERSE?

AND DOES IT MEAN THAT -- INVESTORS.

DOES IT MEAN THAT THEY ARE BEING OUTPACED IN TERMS OF INVESTMENT?

ARE PEOPLE STILL BEING LEFT BEHIND?

EVEN WITH THE NUMBERS NOW INVESTED IN CRYPTOCURRENCY?

>> WELL, I GUESS I'LL ADD TO THAT BUT I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE ACCESS PEOPLE HAVE TO ALL TYPES OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS, THE MORE INCLUSIVE MONEY BECOMES.

AND I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT EL SALVADOR.

EL SALVADOR IS AN EXPERIMENT THAT THEY'VE MADE BITCOIN LEGAL TENDER, THAT MEANS PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO IT.

THE WAY IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED, THE INDUSTRY DEFINITELY HAS SOME CONCERNS.

BECAUSE YOU KNOW BITCOIN IS CENSORSHIP RESISTANT AND EL SALVADOR IS REQUIRING PEOPLE TO USE BITCOIN SPECIFICALLY.

BUT YOU KNOW THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS IS A GOOD THING.

AND WHEN YOU TAKE IT BACK TO YOUR QUESTION HERE IN TERMS OF AMASSING WEALTH, IT GOES BACK TO THIS WHOLE THING OF MAKE ITING MAKE ITING DASHES MAKING MONEY MORE INCLUSIVE, MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE.

WE STILL HAVE TO FIX THE DIGITAL DIVIDE HERE IN THE U.S., WHERE WE HAVE SEEN ABROAD AND THE AFRICA AND INDIA, PLACES WHERE PEOPLE DON'T TRUST THEIR STATE OR CENTRAL BANK.

BUT THERE IS PLACES WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ONLY A MOBILE PHONE AND THERE IS A LOT OF EFFORT TO GET A MOBILE PHONE IN THE HANDS OF PEOPLE.

RIGHT?

THEY ARE NOT TRYING TO CHANGE A GRID.

SO ACCESSIBILITY MATTERS.

WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO HERE, BUT I WILL SAY IN TERMS OF HOW PEOPLE ARE BUILDING WEALTH, THEY SHOULD MAKE THOSE DECISIONS IN TERMS OF ACCESSIBILITY.

WE STILL HAVE TO WORK TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

BUT ALSO, WHETHER STOCKS OR BONDS, IT'S ABOUT HAVING OPTIONS.

>> Martin: ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN IF YOU WILL ON THE SPEAKING CIRCUIT TALKING ABOUT KRISTYN MARTINCRYPTOCURRENCY.

YOU'VE BETTER THAN OUTSPOKEN ABOUT THIS THESE ISSUES.

HOW DO YOU REACH FOLKS WHO ARE JUST HEARING ABOUT THIS AND VERY SKEPTICAL OR AT LEAST SUSPICIOUS OF THE NOTION OF SOMETHING WHICH IT'S ASSUMED, AND YOU'RE RIGHT CLEVE, IT IS REGULATED BUT LET'S ASSUME IT HAS LESS REGULATION THAN IT IS.

HOW DO YOU REACH PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE IN TERMS OF GETTING PEOPLE TERI THE BANKS, GETTING FOLKS TO INSTEAD OF TAKING THAT MONEY AND INVESTING IT IN THAT CURRENCY, THAT'S WEIGHED AGAINST FORT KNOX, TO BASICALLY INVEST IN CRYPTOCURRENCY?

>> THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AS THE LARGEST BLACK DRCH OWNED BANK IN THE COUNTRY TO REALLY TALK ABOUT CRYPTO, AS AN OPTION.

BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND.

YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS USE AN ANALOGY OF CRIP TO,TO AND THE INTERNET, YEARS AGO, THERE WAS THE INTERNET BUT NOBODY WAS ON IT.

WE ALL KNOW, AOL AND YOU GOT MAIL.

IT STARTED TO GROW AND NOW TODAY, WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING STAGES OF CRYPTO, AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE.

EVEN IF IT'SING SMALL TO START TO INVEST BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO LOOK BACK YEARS FROM NOW, TEN YEARS FROM NOW, 20 YEARS IN FROM NOW.

THE INTERNET A NEW PHENOMENON.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK BACK AND RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WAS AN AREA OF NEED, FIRST OF ALL.

BECAUSE THAT'S THE OTHER PART OF THIS.

YES, IT'S AN INVESTMENT BUT THERE'S ALSO A NEED FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO INVEST, TO BE AWARE.

WHICH IS WHY, AS A BANG EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE RISKS TO IT, WE'RE SPEAKING OUT AND TRYING TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY.

>> Martin: OKAY WHO EL WOULD LIKE TO OPINE ON THAT?

WE ARE COUNTING DOWN FAST ON THIS PORTION OF OUR SHOW.

CLEVE PLEASE.

>> I WOULD LOVE TO ADD YOU MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING IN TERMS OF THE HIGH RATE OF ADOPTION AMONG BLACK AND LGBTQ COMMUNITIES, SHALAIR AND I ARE PART OF THE BLACK CRYPTO-TWRORKS PART OF THE BLACK CRYPTO-BILLIONAIRES.

WE HAVE AN ANNUAL BLOCKCHAIN CONFERENCE AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY.

OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, INNOVATORS OF COLOR, HAVE BEEN GOING INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.

I'M A MEMBER OF AKA, I'M AN HBU GRAD, GOES INTO COMMUNITIES WHERE WE CONNECT WITH OUR PEOPLE.

THAT'S HOW WE HAVE ACTUALLY FOSTERED ADOPTION.

WHEN WE GO ON THESE SPEAKING CIRCUITS WE MAKE SURE THE FIRST SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES WE DO ARE IN FRONT OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

AND WE PARTICIPATE IN CONFERENCES WHERE THERE ARE NO SPEECHES TO PARTICIPATE, THE INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THIS TIME AROUND WE BECOME ADAPTERS, WE BECOME ADAPTERS AND PRODUCERS.

>> Martin: SHALAIR WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP FOR YOU TAKING THIS STEP FURTHER, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT, ONE MINUTE FOR REUBEN, GO ON.

>> EVERY MORNING I GET ON CLUBHOUSE AND THIS MORNING I THINK I HAD 180 PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THEY COME IN, I TELL THEM THE BASICS OF BITCOIN FROM SOUP TO NUTS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I DO.

WE PARTNER WITH PEOPLE LIKE CASHAP AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE.

>> Martin: REUBEN WHAT'S NEXT UP FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY?

>> SURE.

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE CONTEXT OF BUILDING GENERATIONAL WEALTH.

WE TALK ABOUT THE INVESTMENT SIDE A LOT AND THAT IS BECAUSE BITCOIN HAS SPECIFICALLY HAD THIS KIND OF BLISTERING RUN OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.

BUT A ARE PART THAT I THINK IS JUST AS INTERESTING BUT NOT AS DISCUSSED IS THE FACT THAT BLOCKCHAIN REALLY REPRESENTS OPPORTUNITY.

AT THE TIME THE NEW INDUSTRY THAT IS EMERGING, THE PHILOSOPHY TENDS TO RUN SORT OF ANTICREDENTIALIST, THE ONE WAY TO BUILD THIS WEALTH THAT DOES INCLUDE INVESTING, WHICH I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO THIS BUT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY OREALITY JUST LEARN AND GET A JOB AND WORK IN THIS INDUSTRY.

>> Martin: THIS IS THE END OF OUR BROADCAST AND THE END OF OUR SHOW AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ON THIS EXTRAORDINARY TOPIC ONLINE.

WE'RE GOING TO GO OFTEN OUR DIGITAL PLATFORM, FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE.

AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO JOIN US.

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