Meantime, the world's largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin hit a record high rising above the $100,000

mark for the first time yesterday. And it came just hours after President-elect Donald Trump

announced cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins as his pick to lead the Securities and Exchange

Commission. Mr. Trump, who saw crypto as a scam just a few years back, is now a full supporter,

and he took credit for the surge on his truth social platform, saying,

Congratulations, Bitcoiners, you're welcome.

Atkins was an SEC commissioner under former President George W. Bush,

and he favors lighter regulation of financial firms.

For more on crypto-soaring values and the Trump-Atkins connection to all of this, I spoke earlier

today with David Yaffe Bellany. He's a technology reporter who covers the crypto industry for

the New York Times. Thanks for being with us. Thanks for having me.

So first, for the unfamiliar, explain what it means that Bitcoin

surpassed the $100,000 mark. Why is that significant? It's really an important symbolic threshold for

Bitcoin. I mean, this is an investment product that started at zero dollars of value. And, you know,

over the last 15, 20 years has risen to become one of the most successful assets

in the entire financial system.

And so it's really the kind of culmination of an extraordinary roller coaster ride that's

been going on for a while.

And, you know, it's a sign that this is part of the financial system now.

It's not, you know, a passing fad.

It's something that is here to stay and that really holds tremendous real-world value.

Since Donald Trump's win a month ago, the price has surged by some 45 percent.

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