The past year has been an exciting time for investors, experienced and novice. With the emergence of a new asset class, the world of finance has already begun to spit out numbers and figures that to some, are just as long as Pi.

Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology has been a huge success for two major reasons—awareness and recognition. If you ask anyone if they have heard of Bitcoin or cryptocurrency, they will most likely respond in the affirmative.

Networks like CNBC have devoted their time and efforts in providing viewers with information traditionally available for the Wall Street trading floor through segments like “Fast Money” and “Options Action.”

I recently spoke with CNBC’s Melissa Lee, who currently hosts “Fast Money” on the network. Previously a co-anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” and host of “Money in Motion Currency Trading,” Lee’s on-camera presence helps assist consumers in making decisions that can help increase the value of their portfolio. “Fast Money” airs Monday through Friday from 5PM-6PM EST.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Bitcoin and Crypto

Photo Credit: CNBC via NBC Universal

Earlier last week, CNBC aired a documentary special called “Bitcoin: Boom or Bust,” which featured Lee taking us through the good, bad, and ugly sides of bitcoin. Having made its debut on August 27, the documentary took a unique approach with bringing this new form of digital money into the viewers home. I was able to speak with Lee the following morning on her take on the future of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

Taking almost six months to produce, the documentary, according to CNBC, is an original that “employ[s]pop culture, captivating imagery and a hip-hop score (a staple in crypto-culture) as it follow[s] a wide range of fascinating characters, each with their own passionate argument either for or against Bitcoin.”

Andrew Rossow: How difficult was it in choosing the stories and pieces you did for this documentary?

Melissa Lee: It’s like drinking from a fire hose when you’re doing this—there are dozens of stories out there, and we’re not at a loss for the characters and investors. It was a matter of putting together what we thought would be the best peak into the space. It’s not, and it can’t be, “perfect.”

AR: Why do you say that?

ML: I just don’t think you can do an hour on the space and it be perfect, because there are too many sides to tell. There are a lot of things I wish we could have squeezed in there, but we wanted it to be educational, informative, and entertaining. There are a lot of documentaries on the space, and we could have gone deep into the cryptography and the technology behind it, but we didn’t want it to be that. We wanted to give people a good taste of what it is to pique their interest. At the end of the day, we wanted to be editorially fair to Bitcoin, and we hope it was.

AR: What were your thoughts after it debuted?

ML: You know, I tried not to look at Twitter, but of course, eventually did. But, that’s the great thing about Twitter is it is a real-time gage of what people are feeling, and I feel it’s a good sign that there are as many people who hated the thing, as there are people who loved the thing. We cover crypto practically every night in some sort of segment. For the bulls of the space, you’re never nearly as bullish. For the bears in the space, you’re never nearly as bearish. So, with this, you get it from both sides, which is a good sign you did a pretty decent job.

Keep Calm and HODL On

#1 Blockchain Technology Is Here To Stay 

After my discussion with Lee, one thing is for certain—we don’t know how long Bitcoin is going to be here for, but it’s here right now. Lee told me that this is something everyone should be aware of, regardless of their perspectives on it.

“I don’t care if you’re a skeptic on Bitcoin, or love Bitcoin—the blockchain technology is at least here to stay, and this gives people a glimpse into why people are such strong believers and why there are real pitfalls that need to be ironed out on the regulatory side.”

#2 –It’s Still Early

Lee’s excitement stems from the early stages of this asset class. It’s important to recognize that we are still very early on in this stage and that’s extremely exciting for consumers.

Where Can I Watch “Bitcoin: Boom or Bust”?

You can watch CNBC’s documentary at the following places:

• Video On Demand (on set-top devices)
• CNBC (for those with paid subscriptions)
• Hulu (for those with paid subscriptions)
• Yahoo! (FREE)