BITCOIN. ETHEREUM. DOGECOIN. Blockchain. Mining. Exchanges.

Never mind how tough it is to wrap your head around the terms associated with cryptocurrency, it can be harder to decipher what it actually is to begin with.

However, it doesn’t require in-depth knowledge to grasp that some people have made an awful lot of money from the skyrocketing prices of certain coins.

Cryptocurrencies are grabbing international headlines in a way they haven’t for some time – but the stories go beyond the eyewatering profits.

To explain more, we’re joined on this week’s episode of The Explainer by Ian Curran, The Journal’s business reporter and author of the Morning Memo newsletter, and Nick Charalambous, managing director of Cork-based Alpha Wealth.

We cover some of the basics of cryptocurrency, look at what has driven recent price increases (and sudden price declines), examine why it’s considered a risky investment, issues with electricity usage, and hear how it could be regulated in future.

The Explainer / SoundCloud

This episode was put together by presenter Sinéad O’Carroll, producers Aoife Barry and Nicky Ryan. Thank you to Céimin Burke for his help with this week’s episode.

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