New York — LongFin Corporation CEO Venkat Meenavalli’s defence of the fintech company may have done more harm than good for the firm, which has seen its stock skyrocket after announcing a move into the digital currency space. Meenavalli got into a heated debate Monday during a CNBC interview after addressing the more than 1,000% surge in LongFin’s shares since it went public last week, telling the anchors, "You don’t understand". It’s another down-is-up moment in the world of crypto-currencies, where normal no longer seems to apply. LongFin, which went public at just more than $5 a share, ended Monday at $72.38 after saying it bought a crypto-currency business it already basically owned with no revenue. The shares climbed as high as $142.82, swelling the company’s market capitalisation to more than $7bn at one point. "LongFin gained what, $4bn in market cap? Is that justified?," one anchor asked Meenavalli in the interview after the CEO had repeatedly told the journalists that they ...

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.