BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 843,557 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 15May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Putin Visits Xi / Prisoner Breakout in France, 2 LEO Dead / China Targets Influencers / Ocala, FL Bus Crash Kills 8 / Boeing Under DOJ Scrutiny / UK Can Seize Crypto at Will / Wisconsin Buys BTC ETFs / Vanguard Brings in BTC-Friendly CEO / Can CBDCs Save Central Banks? / Household Debt Up, Producer Prices Up / Volcano Pays Off in El Salvador Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $62,452, 26.40 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $62,973 / Lo: $61,123 Vol: $26B (Up 4%) Mkt Cap: $1.23T (Up 1%) HashRate: 563 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 17 sats/vBtye (Up 3%) Nodes: 16,847 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Putin to meet Xi in Beijing as world convulses from global conflicts: Their meeting comes months ahead of the American presidential elections and as Washington faces mounting international backlash over its support for Israel’s war on Gaza. It’s set to provide a platform for the leaders to discuss how all this can advance their shared ambition to degrade and offer an alternative to American power. (CNN) 2. Gunmen ambush French prison van to free drug dealer, killing two guards: Gunmen wearing balaclavas ambushed a prison van in northern France on Tuesday to free a drug dealer known as "The Fly," killing two prison guards, severely wounding three and triggering a major police manhunt. (Reuters) 3. Mainland China targets Taiwanese influencers for punishment over ‘fake and negative’ comments: On Wednesday, Chen Binhua, a spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, listed five people, saying that a small number of Taiwanese commentators had “disregarded the facts of the mainland’s development and progress, deliberately fabricating false and negative information about the mainland”, and disseminated these views widely through media platforms. Based on previous cases, it could mean they and their family members will be barred from entering mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau. (SCMP) -US Events- 1. 8 dead, dozens hospitalized in Ocala bus crash: According to FHP, the 2010 International bus was transporting 53 farm workers to Cannon Farms in Dunnellon when the crash happened at 6:37 a.m. on SR-40. (WESH-Orlando) 2. Boeing may be prosecuted after breaking safety agreement that prevented criminal charges for 737 crashes, US DOJ says: After a series of safety missteps earlier this year, including a door plug that blew off an Alaska Airlines flight shortly after takeoff in January, the Department of Justice said Boeing is now subject to criminal prosecution. (CNN) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Welcome to the United Kingdom — Please hand over your crypto: An April change to United Kingdom law will allow authorities to treat crypto like other assets by seizing it without accusing suspects of wrongdoing. In simple terms, the change means that the authorities can seize crypto from those suspected of criminal activity. The authorities will also have the power to seize physical items related to crypto investigations, such as flash drives and written passwords, and to “destroy” a crypto asset if returning it to circulation is not considered to be conducive to the public good. (CoinTelegraph) -Institutional Concerns- 1. State of Wisconsin Buys Nearly $100M Worth of BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF: The U.S. state of Wisconsin purchased 94,562 shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in the first quarter of the year, a filing shows. The shares are worth nearly $100 million. (CoinDesk) 2. Vanguard names Bitcoin-friendly former BlackRock exec as new CEO: With Salim Ramji overseeing the approval and launch of BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund earlier this year, his May 14 appointment to Vanguard has industry pundits wondering whether he will try to change the firm’s long-held opposition to Bitcoin (BTC), or even spark a late filing for a spot Bitcoin ETF. (CoinTelegraph) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. DLT and CBDCs can save central banks’ business model says ECB: Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and distributed ledger technology (DLT) could save the central banks’ business model as cash usage continues to dwindle, members of the governing council at the European Central Bank (ECB) said. Speaking at an event hosted by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), they expressed concern that central banks’ role is under threat if they fail to adapt to changes in the financial landscape. (CoinGeek) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Household Debt Reaches New High: Total consumer debt in the US surged by $184 billion, or 1.1%, from the prior quarter to a fresh high of $17.69 trillion in Q1 2024. Overall borrowing levels are $3.5 trillion above they were at the end of 2019. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Producer Prices Rise More than Expected: Core producer prices in the United States, which exclude food and energy costs, rose by 0.5% from the previous month in April 2024, rebounding sharply from the revised 0.1% drop in the previous month, and well above market expectations of a 0.2% increase. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. North Korea Allegedly Laundered $147.5 Million in Stolen Crypto Say UN: According to confidential findings by United Nations sanctions monitors and reported by Reuters, North Korea funneled $147.5 million through the Tornado Cash virtual currency platform in March this year, allegedly after stealing it from a cryptocurrency exchange in 2023. (TechTimes) -Technology- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. El Salvador mines 474 Bitcoin using geothermal volcanic energy: The Bitcoin was mined with power from the country’s Tecapa volcano, using 300 mining processors. The country has allocated 1.5 megawatts (MW) to cryptocurrency mining out of the 102 MW produced by the state-owned power plant, according to Reuters. 2. Bitcoin Fee Crash Could Lead to Faster Miner Selling, Analysts Say: Daily average network fees spiked after the halving, offsetting some pain for bitcoin miners. However, fees have since come down as the initial rush of users to the Runes protocol cooled off. (CoinDesk) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 64/100 (Down 2 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): There are numerous articles concerning Tornado Cash, including the UN report mentioned above. The mixing service and anonymizing of crypto transactions continue to be targeted, as self-custody will eventually be too. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 843,414 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 14May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: IDF Tanks Push Into Rafah / Mumbai Billboard Kills 14 / USG Shuts Down Chinese-Owned Crypto Miners Near Nuke Base / Crimes Boom Near US Border / Biden Announces Tariffs on Chinese Goods / Russian Going After Crypto Miners in Apartments / Canada Targets Crypto Gains / JPMorgan, Wells Fargo Reveal Holdings in BTC ETFs / CBDCs Spy on You, What Are You Gonna Do About It / Coinbase Has Major Outage Again Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $61,808, 26.38 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $63,422 / Lo: $61,400 Vol: $25B (Up 11%) Mkt Cap: $1.22T (Down 1%) HashRate: 579 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 16 sats/vBtye (UP 23%) Nodes: 17,898 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Israeli tanks push into Gaza's Rafah, as displaced civilians flee again: Israeli tanks forged deeper into eastern Rafah on Tuesday, reaching some residential districts of the southern border city where more than a million people had been sheltering after being displaced in seven months of war. Israel's international allies and aid groups have repeatedly urged against a ground incursion into refugee-packed Rafah, warning of a potential humanitarian catastrophe. Fighting across the strip has intensified in recent days, including in the north, with the Israeli military heading back into areas where it had claimed to have dismantled Hamas months ago. (Reuters) 2. Billboard that collapsed in Mumbai storms killed at least 14 and injured 75: The rains, accompanied by high winds, caused the 30-meter-tall (100-foot-tall) billboard to fall onto a gas station in the suburb of Ghatkopar. Videos on social media and television showed the billboard shaking amid heavy winds before giving way. It collapsed onto several cars parked in the gas station, flattening and crushing them to the ground. (AP) -US Events- 1. U.S. Blocks China-Tied Crypto Miners as 'National Security Risk' Near Nuke Base: President Joe Biden ordered a cryptocurrency mining facility near Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming to halt operations on Monday, calling it a threat to national security. The White House order said the British Virgin Islands company behind MineOne, which is majority owned by Chinese nationals, must remove all the improvements and mining equipment on the property located within a mile of the military facility in Cheyenne – a base that houses Minuteman III nuclear missiles. (CoinDesk) 2. UNC Chapel Hill board votes to dismantle DEI programs, use funds on campus police after anti-Israel protests: The unanimous decision by the trustees will reallocate $2.3 million that the university spends on DEI programs toward police and public safety measures as part of its annual budget approval process. (Fox) 3. Illegal Immigration Overload: Border Town’s Criminal Prosecutions Explode by 5,000%: During a House Budget Committee hearing last week, Kinney County Attorney Brent Smith told lawmakers that in 2020, under former President Donald Trump, the county reported just 134 criminal charges for prosecution. After Biden “issued multiple executive orders, revoking numerous border security policies,” Smith said criminal charges for prosecution skyrocketed in 2021 to nearly 3,000, roughly 6,800 in 2022, and more than 5,800 in 2023. (Breitbart) 4. Biden hiking tariffs on Chinese EVs, solar cells, steel, aluminum — adding to tensions with Beijing: The tariffs are to be phased in over the next three years, with those that take effect in 2024 covering EVs, solar cells, syringes, needles, steel and aluminum and more. There are currently very few EVs from China in the U.S., but officials worry that low-priced models made possible by Chinese government subsidies could soon start flooding the U.S. market. (AP) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Russian Authorities Propose Steep Fines for Crypto Miners Operating in Residential Apartments: Russian authorities have reportedly proposed to impose hefty fines on suspected crypto miners operating from residential properties. Authorities may also consider including amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses which imposes liability on those misusing electricity. (BitcoinCom) 2. Canada's Tax Agency Targets $40M in Uncollected Crypto Taxes as Trudeau Seeks Major Capital Gains Hike: The agency estimates that there is nearly $40 million in undeclared taxes related to digital currencies. Concurrently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is proposing an increase in capital gains taxes from 50% to 66% for any Canadian taxpayer whose gains exceed $183,000 annually.(BitcoinCom) -Institutional Concerns- 1. America's Largest Bank JPMorgan Chase Discloses Spot Bitcoin ETF Holdings: The SEC filing by JPMorgan Chase provides specific insights into the bank's exposure to spot Bitcoin ETFs. JPMorgan's disclosure comes just hours after Wells Fargo, America's third largest bank, also made a similar revelation about its spot Bitcoin ETF exposure. (BitcoinMag) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. ‘Open-source’ CBDCs aren’t going to protect you from government: Brazil’s central bank published the source code for its pilot CBDC and it took just four days for people to notice that the CBDC had tools for surveillance and control embedded within its code. But what recourse is there for CBDC users when a CBDC is the epitome of centralized money under government control? Fundamentally, the problem with CBDCs is that they risk centralizing money more than ever before, so much so that it risks giving the government virtually unlimited power over citizens’ economic choices. (CoinTelegraph) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Small Business Optimism Recovers Slightly: The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index in the US rose to 89.7 in April 2024, slightly recovering from a more than 12-year low of 88.5 in March and beating forecasts of 88.1. Although down 3 points from March, inflation remained the primary concern for 22% of owners surveyed. (TradingEconomics) 2. The Producer Price Index (PPI) is due today. -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Coinbase website down as crypto exchange cites ‘system-wide outage’: Coinbase notified users of the outage on its official status page, sharing that a “major outage” began at 4:15 am UTC on May 14. (CoinTelegraph) 2. Crypto Exchange Rain Hit by $14.8M Exploit: Bahrain-based crypto exchange Rain fell victim to a $14.8 million exploit, with the stolen funds having been divided up into wallets containing 137.9 BTC and 1,881 ETH, both of which have been inactive since the exploit occurred on April 29. (CoinDesk) -Technology- 1. Bitcoin Runes Protocol Sees Traction Waning After Much-Hyped Introduction: User activity has plunged after a hyped run-up to the introduction of the Runes protocol, which was expected by some to mirror Solana’s meme coin ecosystem. (CoinDesk) -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 66/100 (Up 9 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): One can open the US Code and read the rules on how the US Government can legally monitor financial transactions on the American populace, with little to no recourse for citizens. CBDCs will be a much more useful tool in surveillance of transactions worldwide, and once they become commonplace, citizens will similarly not have recourse against the issuers. Opt out, use Bitcoin instead. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 843,279 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 13May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Ukraine on the Defensive / Putin Replaces Defense Minister / Socialists Wins Elections in Spain / Campus Protests Occur at Commencements / Trump Rallies in NJ / Japan's Metaplanet Using BTC as Asset / US-China Talk AI / US Budget Surplus in April Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $62,813, 26.75 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $63,248 / Lo: $60,769 Vol: $23B (Up 77%) Mkt Cap: $1.24T (Up 3%) HashRate: 575 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 13 sats/vBtye (Down 38%) Nodes: 18,977 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says his army is locked in ‘fierce’ border battles amid a Russian assault: Zelenskyy said “fierce battles” are taking place near the border in eastern and northeastern Ukraine as outgunned and outnumbered Ukrainian soldiers try to hold back a significant Russian ground offensive. Ukraine’s general staff said late Sunday that Russian forces had conducted at least 22 attacks over the previous 24 hours in two parts of the Kharkiv region and had “tactical success.” The Kremlin’s forces are aiming to exploit Ukrainian weaknesses before a big batch of new military aid for Kyiv from the U.S. and European partners arrives on the battlefield. (AP) 2.Putin replaces Russia’s defense minister with a civilian as Ukraine war rages and defense spending spirals: Andrey Belousov, a civilian who served as former first deputy prime minister and specializes in economics, was appointed to the top defense post, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday. Shoigu was “relieved” of his position by presidential decree, Peskov said, but he will remain an influential part of Putin’s administration as secretary of Russia’s Security Council. (CNN) (AC-After recent success in Ukraine, the move could be to allow Shoigu to focus more on operational issues vs. administrative ones.) 3. Spain's Socialists hail 'new era' in Catalonia as separatist support dims in elections: Spain's Socialists won the biggest share of the vote in Sunday's Catalan elections, dealing a serious blow to more than a decade of separatist governance and the independence dreams still nursed by some in the wealthy northeastern region. (Reuters) -US Events- 1. students walk out on Jerry Seinfeld at Duke commencement: A tiny contingent of Duke University graduates opposed pro-Israel comedian Jerry Seinfeld speaking at their commencement in North Carolina Sunday, with about 30 of the 7,000 students leaving their seats and chanting “free Palestine” amid a mix of boos and cheers. (Politico) (AC-Coverage on this event is highly skewed, most not reporting that Seinfeld is Jewish, or taking 'anti-Israel' or 'pro-Palenstinian' perspectives.) 2. Trump brings 2024 campaign to the Jersey Shore: The Garden State is not often in the national spotlight for a presidential election, but former President Donald Trump brought his campaign to the Jersey Shore on Saturday. “As you can see, today, we’re expanding the electoral maps because we are going to officially play in the state of New Jersey. We’re going to win the state of New Jersey,” Trump told the crowd. (NJMonitor) (AC-This event is also highly skewed in reporting in the MSM. Most would not mention the large crowds, some reporting up to 100,000, and often focusing on Trump's 'attacking' of Joe Biden.) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Buncombe County, NC extends moratorium: County officials say they are struggling with how to write rules protecting residents from problems that those who have experienced them say include constant noise as well as Styrofoam and electronic waste. (CitizenTimes) (AC- Buncombe Co, NC was the first county to prohibit bitcoin/crypto mining with a 1 year moratorium on mining. The FUD in this particular area is extremely high.) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Metaplanet Makes Bitcoin a Reserve Asset As Japan’s Debt Mountain Grows: Tokyo-listed Metaplanet has adopted bitcoin (BTC) as a strategic reserve asset as a hedge against Japan's debt burden and the resulting volatility in the yen. The move is a direct response to sustained economic pressures in Japan, notably high government debt levels, prolonged periods of negative real interest rates, and the consequently weak yen," (CoinDesk) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. Chinese workers paid in CBDC are cashing it out for real money: Some Chinese cities have begun paying state employees in the country’s CBDC but most of these early adopters convert it to cash immediately. Since the currency’s inception in 2020, several jurisdictions in China have been working to boost the adoption of the CBDC, with multiple cities giving away over 180 million Chinese yuan ($26.5 million) through subsidies and consumption coupons. (CoinTelegraph) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Budget Posts Budget Surplus in April: The US government's budget surplus in April 2024 expanded to $210 billion from $176.2 billion a year earlier, driven by higher tax receipts that outpaced increased spending. Receipts were from higher from the annual filing of individuals and businesses. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Casa Co-Founder Jameson Lopp: Attacks on Cryptocurrency Whales Are "Vastly Underreported": Lopp explained that many victims of these thefts and hacks hesitated to consult law enforcement out of fear of drawing attention to the origins of their holdings. (BitcoinCom) -Technology- 1. US and China set for first high-level talks on AI, White House officials say: The talks in Geneva on Tuesday will ‘not focus on deliverables’ but share views on how they view the risks arising from the technology. The two sides have different priorities but there are signs they agree on the need to cooperate on regulating the emerging technology. (SChinaMornPost) -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 57/100 (Down 6 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 842,853 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 10May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Russian Assault Repelled in Ukraine / Israel Can Stand Alone Netanyahu Says / Strikes in Argentina / FBI Warns Against Election Interference / US Airman Shot In Home by Deputy / US Unemployment Claims Up / Dell Hacked, 49M Affected / Subversive Russian Uses Blockchain / Mara Misses Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $63,297, 26.63 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $63,404 / Lo: $60,889 Vol: $25B (Even) Mkt Cap: $1.25T (Up 4%) HashRate: 656 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 20 sats/vBtye (Down 9%) Nodes: 19.376 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Ukraine says it repulsed Russian bid to cross border: Ukraine says it has repelled a Russian armoured attack in the north-eastern Kharkiv region, after Moscow's forces launched an incursion across the border and sought to break through defensive lines. The local head in Vovchansk said the town had come under heavy attack from the early hours of Friday and civilians were being evacuated. (BBC) 2. Defiant Netanyahu says Israel can 'stand alone' after Biden threat to withhold weapons: Speaking Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel would "fight with our fingernails" in order to pursue its proclaimed goal of eliminating Hamas — with or without the backing of the United States, which until recent months had been in little doubt. The rupture between the two allies comes as talks stalled in a U.S. push for a cease-fire that would head off a ground assault on Rafah. Israeli and Hamas delegations left Cairo without a deal to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip and secure the release of hostages still held in the enclave. (NBC) 3. Argentine workers launch general strike against Milei reforms, austerity: The South American country saw public transport, the important grains crushing sector, supermarkets, airports and banks grind to a halt for 24 hours as most of the major unions joined the protest action against the government. (Reuters) (AC-Fully expected reaction to free-market reforms and government cost-cutting) -US Events- 1. FBI warns of efforts by China, Russia, Iran to influence election: “Election threats are more diverse and expansive than ever,” a senior FBI official said on a call with reporters. And while each adversary has their own approach with different nuances and prerogatives, “sowing discord and undermining democracy is consistent across the board,” the official added. China in particular is expanding their influence efforts by creating fake social media accounts to “push narratives and sow divisiveness,” mirroring efforts deployed by Russia in prior elections. (TheHill) 2. US service member shot and killed by Florida police identified by the Air Force: The U.S. Air Force said an airman based at the Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, was shot and killed Friday during an incident involving a sheriff's deputy. Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, died at his off-base residence, the U.S. Air Force said in a statement released Monday. A deputy responding to the call of a disturbance in progress “reacted in self-defense after he encountered a 23-year-old man armed with a gun," the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Friday. Other outlets are reporting officers were sent to the wrong apartment. (KIRO) 3. Hunter Biden's federal gun charges to go to trial after appeal dismissed: A federal appeals court on Thursday declined to dismiss the federal gun charges against Hunter Biden, per court filings. The ruling makes way for a high-stakes criminal trial to begin early next month. (Axios) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Oklahoma poised to become leader in cryptocurrency legislation with House Bill 3594: "House Bill 3594 lays a foundation for protecting individuals' rights to their digital assets," Hill said. "By providing clarity and protection now, we can ensure free market practices remain the guiding principles in this burgeoning industry." It would also prohibit state and local governments from hindering the use of digital assets for purchases and commercial asset mining. (Fox25) -Institutional Concerns- NSTR -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. No current need for CBDC, Central Bank of Chile finds: The Banco Central de Chile recently published its second report exploring the concept of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). It ultimately found there’s no need for one due to high levels of financial inclusion in the country (85-87%), but said it would prepare nonetheless. While Chile has opted not to go forward with a CBDC for now, many other countries have reached the opposite conclusion. China’s digital yuan is live, BRICS countries are considering blockchain-based stablecoin settlements, and countries from Israel to South Africa are designing and testing CBDCs. (CoinGeek) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Jobless Claims Surge to Over 8-Month High: The number of people claiming unemployment benefits in the US surged by 22,000 to 231,000 on the week ending May 4th, the highest since August 2023, and sharply above market expectations of 210,000. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Dell Confirms Database Hacked—Hacker Says 49 Million Customers Hit: According to a posting on a hacker forum as reported by the Daily Dark Web a threat actor was trying to sell alleged stolen data from a Dell breach late in April. That for-sale notice stated that the hacked database contained “49 million customer records from Dell” and included data on systems purchased between 2017 and 2024. Dell confirmed the hack in an email to all its customers. (Forbes) -Technology- 1. Exiled Russian Opposition Leader Launches Blockchain-Based Referendum on Vladimir Putin’s Election Win: Exiled opposition leader Mark Feygin is leading an effort to give Russians an anonymous, blockchain-powered way to register a "protest vote" against Putin. The results of this effort would, of course, have no legal weight in Russia and would not end Putin's presidency, but the referendum could, in theory, give a public relations boost to efforts to oust him. And it gives Russians a way to voice criticism in a nation where the consequences of dissent can be high. The vote will be conducted on an app called Russia2024, built using Rarimo’s Freedom Tool, which will use the Arbitrum blockchain and zero-knowledge cryptography, making voters' identities untraceable. (CoinDesk) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Miner Marathon Digital Misses Q1 Revenue Expectation On Operational Challenges: The company mined just 2,811 bitcoin during the year's first three months, down 34% from the previous quarter. "Bitcoin production, and therefore revenues, generated during the quarter was negatively impacted by unexpected equipment failures, transmission line maintenance, and higher than anticipated weather-related curtailments at Garden City and other sites during the quarter," the company said in a statement on Thursday. (CoinDesk) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 66/100 (Up 11 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Pressure, either of the political or economic nature, seems to drive blockchain-based solutions, as can be seen in the article above concerning Russian politics. The people in Russia seem to have no voice, so an exiled opposition leader uses blockchain-based software to take a political pulse on Pres. Putin. Worldwide, those under economic oppression are also turning to blockchain-based Bitcoin as the alternative to fiat-managed and debased central currencies. The uses of cryptography and blockchain continue to grow as oppression against freedom-seekers continue. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

Good morning ☕️

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 842,693 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 09May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Biden Hold Bombs for Israel / Protests Spread to Europe / Effort to Oust US Speaker Fails / Heavy Rains, Tornados Across the US / US House Votes to Repeal SEC Custody Rule For Banks / Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $61,152, 26.40 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $62,799 / Lo: $60,648 Vol: $25B (Even) Mkt Cap: $1.2T (Down 2%) HashRate: 547 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 22 sats/vBtye (Up 61%) Nodes: 17,036 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Biden says US won’t supply weapons for Israel to attack Rafah, in warning to ally: Biden, in an interview with CNN, said the U.S. was still committed to Israel’s defense and would supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive arms, but that if Israel goes into Rafah, “we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used.” (CNN) 2. Europe takes steps to avoid US campus chaos: Riot police raided an anti-Israel encampment at the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced actions to combat antisemitism on campus as anti-Israel protests spread through Europe after swarming U.S. college campuses. (Fox) 3. Mom of captured U.S. soldier Gordon Black says girlfriend ‘lured’ him to Russia: The worried mother of a U.S. soldier in Russian custody said Wednesday that her son “was lured” there by a Russian woman he had been seeing in South Korea for over a year and that he’s being held on trumped-up charges of stealing roughly $100 from her. Melody Jones said she thinks her son, Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, was set up by his girlfriend, whom she identified as Aleksandra Vashchuk. (NBC) -US Events- 1. House Blocks Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Effort to Oust Speaker Mike Johnson:The House voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to block a resolution by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, with Democrats stepping in to help save the Republican leader, closing for now another dramatic chapter in the GOP’s intraparty squabbling. (CNN) 2. Multiple tornadoes strike across 6 states as 350 damaging storms pummel parts of US: At least 13 reported tornadoes across Kansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, South Dakota and Missouri have been reported in the last 24 hours, with more than 350 damaging storm reports from Kansas to Carolinas, including hail greater than softball in Missouri and wind gusts up to 72 mph in Indiana.(ABc) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. House Votes to Erase SEC Crypto Policy While President Biden Vows Veto: The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to approve a resolution rejecting SEC cryptocurrency accounting guidance that the industry said has deterred banks from handling crypto customers, but President Joe Biden is already promising he'll veto the effort if it hits his desk. (CoinDesk) (AC-This exchange is setting up crypto and bitcoin as a political football for the new few years.) -Institutional Concerns- NSTR -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. Rwandan central bank proceeds with ambitious retail CBDC project: The African country is eyeing a tokenized retail CBDC with offline transfer capabilities as it heads toward a cashless economy. (CoinTelegraph) -Economic Indicators- 1. Dow Marks 6-Day Winning Streak: Stocks in the US finished a choppy session mixed on Wednesday, as the S&P 500 ended muted, the Dow Jones rose 171 points to extend its winning streak to six days, the longest since December. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. FTX Customers Poised to Recover All Funds Lost in Collapse: Bankruptcy lawyers for FTX said customers of the cryptocurrency exchange were set to get all their money back, plus interest. Virtually all FTX’s creditors, including hundreds of thousands of ordinary investors who used the exchange to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, would receive cash payments equivalent to 118 percent of the assets they had stored on FTX, the lawyers said. (NYTimes) -Technology- 1. Neuralink’s First Brain-Chip Implant in a Human Appeared Flawless. There Was a Problem: Neuralink encountered a problem with the implant in its first human patient, Noland Arbaugh, that reduced the amount of data it could capture from his brain, according to a blog post the company published on Wednesday. Some data was lost because a number of the implant’s threads that had been placed in Arbaugh’s brain came out. The company, owned by Elon Musk, didn’t disclose the reason why some threads retracted unexpectedly. (WSJ) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin mining difficulty drops 6% in largest fall since bear market lows: Bitcoin mining difficulty has dropped 5.7% to 83.1 trillion as the network’s hash rate falls below 600 EH/s following the halving. This latest difficulty adjustment is the largest drop since December 2022, when bitcoin was trading for around $17,000. (theBlock) 2. Bitcoin Lightning Wallet ZEUS Isn’t Going Anywhere: Evan Kaloudis, the US-based founder of ZEUS, believes that now is the time to take a stand and fight for KYC-free bitcoin self-custody wallets. In the wake of the news of the Samourai Wallet developers getting arrested and Phoenix Wallet halting service to US customers, he made it public that he was going to fight like hell for self-custody Bitcoin and Lightning Network wallets like the one he created, ZEUS, to continue to exist. (BitcoinMag) 3. Argentinian Energy Company to Mine Bitcoin with Stranded Gas: State-owned energy firm YPF's subsidiary, YPF Luz, recently partnered with Genesis Digital Assets (GDA) to launch a gas flare-powered mining facility. It will harness 1,200 machines to monetize gas currently being flared into the atmosphere. This comes as Argentina embraces Bitcoin with the election of Bitcoin-friendly President Javier Milei in late 2023. (COinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 55/100 (Down 9 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

Good morning ☕️

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 842,546 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 08May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Biden Pauses Bombs to Israel / Russia Strikes Ukraine Energy / Georgia Tightens Up Election Laws / Fluoride in the Crosshairs / Congress Questions DC Police Over Lack of GW Help / Nigeria Full Frontal Attack on Crypto / Brazil Using Crypto in Global Trade / Kenya Looking at Bitcoin Strategy With Marathon Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $62,348, 26.89 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $64,298 / Lo: $62,080 Vol: $25B (Up 13%) Mkt Cap: $1.23T (Down 2%) HashRate: 462 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 14 sats/vBtye (Down 50%) Nodes: 18,949 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Biden administration confirms paused shipment of bombs to Israel over opposition to operation in Rafah: One shipment of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs the administration says might be used in Rafah has been placed on hold. "The U.S. position has been that Israel should not launch a major ground operation in Rafah, where more than a million people are sheltering with nowhere else to go," the U.S. official said. (Fox) 2. Russia's biggest airstrike in weeks piles pressure on Ukraine power grid: Russian missiles and drones struck nearly a dozen Ukrainian critical infrastructure facilities in a major airstrike early on Wednesday, causing serious damage at three Soviet-era thermal power plants, Kyiv officials said. The air force said it shot down 39 of 55 missiles and 20 out of 21 attack drones used in the attack, which piles more pressure on Ukraine's beleaguered energy system more than two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. (Reuters) -US Events- 1. Georgia governor signs election changes into law: The bill Kemp signed into law — SB 189 — lists death, evidence of voting or registering in another jurisdiction, a tax exemption indicating a primary residence elsewhere, or a nonresidential address as probable causes for removing voters from the rolls. Most controversially, it says the National Change of Address list can be considered, though not exclusively.(NBC) 2. Medical freedom vs. public health: Should fluoride be in our drinking water? Communities across the U.S. are ending public water fluoridation programs, often spurred by groups that insist that people should decide whether they want the mineral — long proven to fight cavities — added to their water supplies. The push to flush it from water systems seems to be increasingly fueled by pandemic-related mistrust of government oversteps and misleading claims, experts say, that fluoride is harmful. Lawmakers in Georgia, Kentucky and Nebraska have filed bills that would end fluoride mandates in some of their larger communities. Within the past few months, local leaders in Collier County, Florida, and Amery, Wisconsin, voted to stop adding fluoride to public water systems. Last year, lawmakers in State College, Pennsylvania, and Brushy Creek, Texas, did the same. (NBC) (AC-The article is obviously slanted towards fluoridation of water but it highlights how push-back from citizens continues to gain steam across the US and the world. (NBC) 3. Police begin clearing GWU protest encampment: D.C. police began clearing a pro-Palestinian encampment at George Washington University early Wednesday and made several arrests, authorities said, hours before the mayor and police chief were set to testify on Capitol Hill about why they had previously declined to take action for over 2 weeks. Members of Congress and university officials had been ratcheting up pressure on the city to move against the demonstrators since the encampment began. (WaPo) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Nigerian SEC to 'Delist' Local Currency From P2P Crypto Trading Platforms: The Director General of Nigeria’s Securities Regulator has announced plans to delist the local currency from peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading platforms in the coming days. He insisted that the decision to delist the naira aims to eliminate the manipulation of the local currency by P2P cryptocurrency traders. The planned ban on P2P transactions followed the Nigerian Office of the National Security Adviser’s decision to designate cryptocurrency trading as a national security threat. Prior to that, the Central Bank of Nigeria had ordered three fintech firms to cease facilitating P2P crypto transactions, a move that was seen as a warning shot.(BitcoinCom) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Cryptocurrency Imports in Brazil Break Records and Begin to Affect Trade Balances: Purchases from foreign cryptocurrency exchanges, considered imports, have broken records in Brazil, putting some weight into the nation’s trade balance. During the last 12 months, cryptocurrency purchases reached $14.84 billion, after reaching $12.3 billion last year. Likewise, crypto imports reached $4.69 billion in Q1 2024, rising by 118% compared to the numbers registered in Q1 2023. 2. Bitcoin ETFs Take In $217 Million For Second Consecutive Day Of Net Gains: Yesterday, every single fund was in the green with positive inflows. A total of $217 million entered the newly approved products on Monday. (CoinMarketCap) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- NSTR -Economic Indicators- 1. Treasury Yields Continue to Decline: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note yield declined to 4.43% on Tuesday, the lowest level since April 9th, as traders focus on prospects the Fed will cut interest rates this year after a softer-than-expected labour data. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Economic Optimism Index Continues to Decline: The RealClearMarkets/TIPP Economic Optimism Index in the US fell to 41.8 in May 2024, the lowest level in five months, from 43.2 in April and much worse than forecasts of 44.1. The Six-Month Economic Outlook, which measures how consumers perceive the economy's prospects in the next six months, dropped sharply to 35.7 from 38.8.(TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. DOJ offering $10 million for help finding man experts say is likely behind Wichita cyber attack: "LockBit, like most other ransomware groups, has a site on the dark web where they list victims, or at least the victims who don't pay, and they publish whatever data they've stolen. Wichita has been added to LockBit's site," said Callow. Earlier this week, the City of Wichita announced a big cyber attack that shut down many of its services. Now, Callow says LockBit is demanding an undisclosed amount of money from the city by May 15th. (Kake) -Technology- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Kenyan President Requests Bitcoin Miner Marathon Digital to Review Nation’s Cryptocurrency Regime: The Kenyan President William Ruto recently revealed that his government has appointed Bitcoin mining company Marathon Digital as its consultant to review its cryptocurrency regime. The U.S.-based Bitcoin miner is reportedly set to discuss electricity usage in cryptocurrency mining with the Kenyan Energy Ministry. (BitcoinCom -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 64/100 (Down 4 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Nigeria has gone full bore against all crypto. They are seeking to eliminiate all P2P transactions and the connection of crypto to the Naira. To designate it as a 'National Security Threat' means that they actually have an understanding of the subversive nature of a grassroots currency system upon the centralized nation-state fiat system. It will be interesting to watch the government try to put the genie back in the bottle as the population learns to work around the debased currency. This is a possible template for what may occur in other nation-states.) Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

Good morning ☕️

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 842,444 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 07May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Israel Begins Rafah Attack / Putin Inaugurated for another 6 years / China Stabbing Spree / US Soldier Arrested in Russia / Australia Gets Data on All Crypto Transactions / GBTC Continues Inflows / US Equities Sniff Liquidity / UK Troops Data Hacked by China / US Air Force Sec. Flies in AI-Piloted F-16 Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $63,610, 27.53 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $64,390 / Lo: $62,746 Vol: $28B (Up 24%) Mkt Cap: $1.25T (Down 1%) HashRate: 547 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 29 sats/vBtye (Down 10%) Nodes: 19,271 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Israeli military captures Palestinian side of Rafah crossing: Israel's military said it has taken control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, a vital entry point for aid to Gaza on the Egyptian border. A Palestinian official said all movement had stopped at the facility after it was captured by Israeli tanks. Twenty-three people were killed, including six children, in Israeli strikes on Rafah overnight, medical officials in the city said. (CNN) 2. Putin inaugurated as president for fifth term with Russia under tight grip: Putin won Russia’s stage-managed election by an overwhelming majority in March, securing for himself another six-year term that could see him rule until at least his 77th birthday. (CNN) 3. China: At least two dead, 21 injured in hospital stabbing: The stabbing happened at 11:37 local time (03:37 GMT) at Zhenxiong People's Hospital in Yunnan province, the police said. Images published by China's The Paper showed a man in black, wielding knives in both hands, inside the hospital. (BBC) (AC- Guns are outlawed in China) -US Events- 1. Russia confirms U.S. soldier arrested on theft charges and will be held until July: "Pervomaisky District Court in Vladivostok arrested American soldier Gordon Black until July 2 under the 'theft‘ article" of Russia’s criminal code. The soldier was detained after traveling from where he was stationed in South Korea to the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok. He was traveling home to the U.S. and stopped in Russia to meet a woman he was romantically involved with, officials said. (NBC) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Australia’s Tax Office Tells Crypto Exchanges to Hand Over Transaction Details of 1.2 Million Accounts: The Australian Financial Review reported on Monday that “as part of a surveillance effort announced in April, the ATO said its latest data collection protocol would require designated cryptocurrency exchanges to provide the names, addresses, birthdays and transaction details of traders to help it audit compliance with obligations to pay capital gains tax on sales.” (CoinDesk) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Grayscale’s spot bitcoin ETF logs second day of net inflows: Grayscale’s spot bitcoin trust recorded two consecutive days of net inflows after ending a 78-day streak of outflows last week. The 11 U.S.-based spot bitcoin ETFs reported a total daily net inflow of $217 million on Monday. (TheBlock) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. India Proposes CBDC That Can Function Offline: “One of the key features of cash is that it works offline,” Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das said at a Monday (May 6) Bank for International Settlements summit. “We are working on making the CBDC transferable in the offline mode also.” (Pymnts) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Equities Mark 3-Day Winning Streak: Wall Street extended its gains for the third consecutive session on Monday, driven by positive sentiment following softer labor data and growing expectations of an impending interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 gained 1%, the Nasdaq rose 1.2% and the Dow added 176 points. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Suspected China hack hits UK’s defense ministry: The hack targeted an MoD payroll system which includes names and bank details of current and former armed forces members. Every troop apart from the U.K.'s special forces was affected, amounting to around 270,000 people. The breach also includes a few thousand home addresses. (Politico) (AC-Doxxing military members and bank details can be significant in a 5GW effort) -Technology- 1. US Air Force Secretary Kendall flies in cockpit of plane controlled by AI: The F-16 controlled by AI is called Vista, and it flew Kendall in maneuvers reaching over 550 mph, putting pressure on his body of nearly five times the force of gravity. Flying alongside Vista and Kendall was a human-piloted F-16, and the two jets raced within 1,000 feet of each other performing twists and loops, in an effort to force their opponent into a place of submission. (Fox) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Cash Prepares Adaptive Blocksize Limit Upgrade, Commits to Network Scaling: Bitcoin Cash, the usability-focused Bitcoin hard fork, is preparing to perform a blockchain-wide upgrade slated to happen on May 15th. The upgrade implements the adaptive blocksize limit algorithm, allowing the network to adapt to future increases in demand without having direct input from actors, avoiding the opportunity for social attacks. (BitcoinCom) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 68/100 (Down 3 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): As the future of kinetic warfare seems to point to drone on drone conflict, the effects of innovation in other domains, such as the cyber domain will become increasingly significant. It is time for warfare leaders to study and understand new power projection concepts as put out by thinkers such as Maj. Jason Lowery. When the concept of Fifth Generation Warfare (5GW) is accounted for, it becomes clear that 'warfare leaders' is not restricted to nation-state generals but instead of anyone who has access to survival resources or any size of conglomerations of such individuals. We are on the cusp of significant change with technological revolutions that will have profound impacts on political, economic and social systems. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

Good morning ☕️

Bitcoin Veterans is going LIVE a day early, Wednesday at 7pm ET with guest @James Lavish James Lavish is a Chartered Financial Analyst, Reformed Hedge-fund manager, Managing Partner at the Bitcoin Opportunity Fund which is a value investment fund that seeks to make uniquely attractive public and private investments in companies and assets in the Bitcoin Ecosystem.

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 842,330 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 06May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: IDF Preps Rafah For Assault / Russia Exercises Tactical Nuke Forces / Missing Surfers Found Dead in Mexico / Heavy Rains in Houston Subside / Man Hearing Voices Tries to Shoot Pastor / GBTC Shows 1st Inflow in Months / Weak Employment Data in US Surprises / Bitcoin Hits 1B Transactions Since Genesis Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $64,293, 27.66 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $65,494 / Lo: $63,618 Vol: $23B (Up 27%) Mkt Cap: $1.27T (Up 1%) HashRate: 672 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 32 sats/vBtye (Up 3%) Nodes: 19,111 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate parts of Gaza’s Rafah ahead of an expected assault: The announcement complicates last-ditch efforts by international mediators, including the director of the CIA, to broker a cease-fire. The militant Hamas group and Qatar, a key mediator, have warned that invading Rafah — along the border with Egypt — could derail the talks, and the United States has repeatedly urged Israel against the invasion. However, Israel has described Rafah as the last significant Hamas stronghold after seven months of war, and its leaders have repeatedly said the invasion is necessary to defeat the Islamic militant group. (AP) 2. Russia’s Putin orders tactical nuclear weapon exercise to deter West: Russia on Monday said it would hold a military exercise that will include practice for the use of tactical nuclear weapons after what the defence ministry said were provocative threats from Western officials, including statements about sending troops into Ukraine. The defence ministry said the exercise was ordered by President Vladimir Putin and would test the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces to perform combat missions. Ukraine’s military spy agency spokesperson said on Monday, that Russia’s drills are nothing more than its continuing nuclear blackmail. (SCMP) 3. Bodies in Mexican well identified as Australian and American surfers killed for truck’s tires: Baja California state prosecutors said the relatives had viewed the corpses recovered from a remote well about 50 feet (15 meters) deep and recognized them as their loved ones. Thieves apparently killed the three, who were on a surfing trip to Mexico’s Baja peninsula, to steal their truck because they wanted the tires. They then allegedly got rid of the bodies by dumping them in a well near the coast. Three suspects are being held in connection with the case, which locals said was solved far more quickly than the disappearances of thousands of Mexicans. (AP) -US Events- 1. Heavy rains ease around Houston but flooding remains after hundreds of rescues and evacuations: Although forecasters expected storms to begin tapering off in southeastern Texas, high waters continued to close some roads and left residents facing lengthy cleanups in neighborhoods where rising river levels led to weekend evacuation orders. Areas near Lake Livingston, located northeast of Houston, received upwards of 23 inches of rain over the past week. (AP) 2. Man arrested, accused of trying to shoot pastor during sermon at Pennsylvania church: Pennsylvania State Police have charged 26-year-old Bernard Polite of Braddock after he entered and attempted to shoot pastor Glenn Germany while the pastor was delivering a sermon at Jesus' Dwelling Place Church on Sunday just after 1 p.m. As the pastor ducked out of the way, church Deacon Clarence McCallister leaped in front of the camera, tackling the man with the gun to the ground. "This guy was just dealing with spirits he said, and he came in and wanted to shoot somebody," Germany said, adding Polite said their were voices in his mind. (CBS) 3. I-95 in Connecticut reopens after flaming crash left it closed for days: Authorities shut the highway down in both directions after a three-vehicle crash Thursday involving a gasoline tanker, which burst into flames and damaged an overpass above I-95 in Norwalk. No one was seriously injured. Workers began demolishing the bridge on Friday and worked to repave damaged parts of the roadway in time for rush hour on Monday. The interstate serves as a major link between New England and New York. The closure left drivers jampacked bumper to bumper on some of the detour routes. (AP) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Argentine House Passes Cryptocurrency Tax Regularization Bill: Argentina might present a new opportunity for citizens to regularize previously undeclared cryptocurrency and other assets abroad. The bill introduces the possibility of regularizing previously undeclared cryptocurrency assets for up to $100,000 without paying the fee imposed by the government. (BitcoinCom) 2. US States Approach Cardano for Developing Blockchain Voting System: In a recent interview with Frederik Gregaard, CEO of the Cardano Foundation, it was revealed that several US states have approached the Foundation with the intention of developing a blockchain-based voting system. Despite the enthusiasm surrounding blockchain technology’s potential in voting systems, Gregaard also expressed concerns regarding the challenges involved, particularly meeting the states’ implementation deadlines. (CoinTrust) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Grayscale's Bitcoin ETF Sees First Inflow After Billions Lost Since January: A net $63 million was added on Friday, according to Farside's tally. GBTC has much higher fees, and investors yanked billions of dollars from it. Its bitcoin holdings have dropped from more than 600,000 bitcoin to around 290,000 bitcoin. (CoinDesk) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. WEF panelist suggests COVID response accustomed people to the idea of CBDCs: When asked how he would convince people that CBDCs would be a trusted medium of exchange, Bahrain’s central bank governor Khalid Humaidan said that COVID made the digital transformation ‘something of a requirement’ that had ‘very little resistance.’ Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) will hopefully replace physical cash and become fully digital, the central banker tells the World Economic Forum. (TodayVille) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Job Growth Slows, Unemployment Higher, Pay Less Than Expected: The US economy added 175,000 jobs in April 2024, a deceleration compared to the upwardly revised 315,000 jobs added in March and falling short of market expectations for a 243,000 increase. The unemployment rate in the United States edged up to 3.9% in April 2024 from 3.8% in the previous month, surprising market expectations, which had forecasted the rate to remain unchanged. Average hourly earnings for all employees on US private nonfarm payrolls edged up by 7 cents, or 0.2%, to $34.75 in April 2024, after a 0.3% increase in the prior month and below market estimates of a 0.3% rise. (TradingEconomics) 2. 10-Year Treasury Yield Hovers at 4.5%: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note was around 4.5%, the lowest level in about a month, after a softer-than-expected labour data revived bets the Fed will start cutting interest rates soon. -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Crypto hacks on Coinbase’s Base chain rose by 145% in April: Coinbase’s Base chain appears to be a target for scammers, with two of the top 10 largest single thefts occurring on the network, accounting for over 20% of the month’s total theft. The Base network witnessed a nearly 1,900% surge in scammer activity since January, with approximately $170,000 stolen due to phishing scams. In April alone, nearly 90% of the stolen assets were ERC-20 tokens, the standard for tokens on the Ethereum network. (CryptoNews) 2. Personal Data of 1 Million New York Students Hacked: Department of Education: According to a letter sent to one graduate and seen by sources, the New York City Department of Education started notifying hundreds of thousands of other current and former students last week that they were victims of the cyberattack involving one of the DOE's former software vendors. (TechTimes) -Technology- 1. A humble Bluetooth device has successfully connected to a satellite in orbit: Hubble Network has set itself the ambitious goal of creating a global satellite network capable of connecting with any Bluetooth device. Earlier this year, the Seattle-based startup launched its first two satellites into orbit on SpaceX's Transporter-10 rideshare mission. Since then, they have successfully received signals from a simple 3.5mm Bluetooth chip over a distance of 600 km. (TechShare) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Network Tops 1 Billion In Total Transactions Processed: The Bitcoin network has reached a major milestone, processing its one billionth transaction yesterday, an achievement comes 15 years and 4 months after Bitcoin's genesis block was mined on January 3, 2009. At an average rate of 178,475 transactions per day over its 5,603-day lifespan so far, Bitcoin has demonstrated the ability to handle significant volume securely without centralized intermediaries. (BitcoinMag) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 71/100 (Up 28 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): The softer employment data is giving the market hopes of a drop in federal interest rates and increased liquidity. With the black box that is official USG statistics, it was a matter of time before the 'data' would begin to show reasons for the Fed and Treasury to begin to act to increase liquidity in world markets in order to 'spur economic growth'. It just so happens that this would also set the stage for more debasement of the USD and give the USG the ability to spend more of the newly printed dollars. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

Good morning ☕️

May the hashrate be with you

Real ones know

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 841,907 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 03May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Turkey Halts All Trade With Israel / Russian Troops Enter Niger / Ceasefire Talks in Egypt / Over 2000 Arrested at US Colleges, Many Not Students / Arizona Repeals Abortion Ban / Another Boeing Wishblower Dies / Coinbase Had Big 1st Quarter / Block Begins DCA into BTC, Gives Away Blueprint / US Jobs Data Today Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $59,237, 25.75 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $60,004 / Lo: $58,238 Vol: $29B (Down 28%) Mkt Cap: $1.16T (Up 2%) HashRate: 558 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 31 sats/vBtye (Up 35%) Nodes: 19,146 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Turkey halts trade with Israel over 'humanitarian tragedy' in Gaza: Turkey has suspended all trade with Israel over its offensive in Gaza, citing the "worsening humanitarian tragedy" in the strip. The Turkish trade ministry said the measures would be in place until Israel allowed an "uninterrupted and sufficient flow" of aid into Gaza. Trade between the two countries was worth almost $7bn (£5.6bn) last year. (BBC) 2. Russian troops enter base housing US military in Niger, US official says: Russian military personnel have entered an air base in Niger that is hosting U.S. troops, a senior U.S. defense official told Reuters, a move that follows a decision by Niger's junta to expel U.S. forces. The military officers ruling the West African nation have told the U.S. to withdraw its nearly 1,000 military personnel from the country, which until a coup last year had been a key partner for Washington's fight against insurgents who have killed thousands of people and displaced millions more. (Reuters) 3. Hamas is sending a delegation to Egypt for further cease-fire talks in the latest sign of progress: After months of stop-and-start negotiations, the cease-fire efforts appear to have reached a critical stage, with Egyptian and American mediators reporting signs of compromise in recent days. But chances for the deal remain entangled with the key question of whether Israel will accept an end to the war without reaching its stated goal of destroying Hamas. (AP) -US Events- 1. Over 2,000 people arrested at protests disrupting colleges across the US: At Portland State University, police arrested at least 30 people on Thursday night as they worked to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from a library that had been occupied this week. President Joe Biden has delivered his most extensive remarks on the protests, drawing a line between what he called peaceful and violent protests, repeating his support for Israel, and dismissing calls for the National Guard to intervene. Meanwhile, almost half of the more than 280 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Columbia University and City College this week weren’t students or faculty at the schools, according to data released by Mayor Adams’ administration Thursday. (CNN, NYPost, DailyNews) 2. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signs abortion ban repeal bill: The ban, which dates to early territorial days in 1864, forbids doctors from providing abortions except when necessary to save the life of the mother. Voters are expected to weigh in on the Arizona Abortion Access Act this November, which would permit abortions up to the point of fetal viability, around 24 weeks of pregnancy. (Axios) 3. Second Boeing whistleblower dies following a brief illness, weeks after the suicide of another: Joshua Dean, 45, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, alleged that managers failed to act on manufacturing defects on the 737 Max, attorneys who represented both men said Thursday. "He was a healthy individual who ate well and exercised," Turkewitz told NBC News. "So it just seems odd that he went so fast." (NBC) (AC- Correlation does not mean causation, but cooincidence rightly causes suspicion.) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Crypto Mining Restrictions: Arkansas lawmakers approved two bills to address criticism over previous regulations on mining operations. The two Senate-backed bills, SB78 and SB79, were among the few non-budget subjects on the legislative session’s agenda and were “overwhelmingly approved” by the majority Republican House. They are on their way to Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s desk. These bills tackle the backlash from local officials and residents who live near the operations, who complained about the noise impact on the community. As a result, the lawmakers added the requirement for noise-reduction techniques and a state permit to operate. (Bitcoinist) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Crypto Exchange Coinbase Had a Blowout First Quarter: The business has a number of positive catalysts including its smart wallet, Coinbase Prime, layer-2 network Base and its growing international offering, the analysts said. The crypto exchange reported first-quarter net income of $1.2 billion and diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $4.40. (CoinDesk) 2. Jack Dorsey's Block Adding More Bitcoin to Balance Sheet, Presents Road Map for Others: Payments firm Block (SQ) has begun a dollar cost averaging (DCA) program to add to its already sizable bitcoin (BTC) stack. Led by CEO Jack Dorsey, the company in April began using 10% of its monthly bitcoin-related gross profit to buy additional bitcoin, with plans to do this each month for the remainder of 2024. Alongside that news, the company also released its Bitcoin Blueprint For Corporate Balance Sheets, in which it describes the process through which it is able to acquire large amounts of the crypto without unduly moving the market, and how it custodies, insures and accounts for the holdings. (CoinDesk) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. Saudi, Bahrain eye cross border CBDC, IMF financial inclusion: Last week the World Economic Forum held a Middle East Special Meeting, during which a CBDC was discussed. A cross border CBDC is a priority for both the Saudi and Bahraini central banks. In contrast, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) sees potential for a retail CBDC to improve financial inclusion. The Governor of the Bank of Bahrain also hypothesized about the attractions of an interest bearing retail CBDC. (LedgerInsights) (AC- WEF, IMF, CBDCs mean control at higher and higher levels but without adequate technology it's simply posturing) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Job Growth Likely Remained Strong in April: The US economy likely added 243,000 jobs in April 2024, a slight deceleration compared to the 303,000 jobs added in March, with many economists expecting continued job growth in sectors such as construction and leisure, partially fueled by a recent surge in immigration. The full report is due today. (TradingEconomics) ( 2. US 10-Year Treasury Yield Falls Further: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury yield pared its mid-session rebound and fell to 4.6% on Thursday, extending the drop from the prior session as markets continued to assess the outlook of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Sen. Lindsey Graham's phone being investigated for potential hack: Sen. Lindsey Graham said Wednesday that the FBI was in possession of his phone after he received a message from someone impersonating Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. "I get a message, I think, from Schumer," Graham, R-S.C., said during a panel discussion about artificial intelligence regulations at The Hill and Valley Forum. "It ain't from Schumer." (NBC) -Technology- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 48/100 (Up 5 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): With Block's announcement of their new DCA program into Bitcoin, visibiliy is rising on the corporate practice pioneered to by Microstrategy. The nugget, however, is the free blueprint they shared that allows other companies to replicate the strategy successfully. The document can be downloaded by anyone, and of course it is self-serving for block, whose business it is to buy and sell bitcoin. There will be adherents to the practice, and soon the government will come for thier due. At some point, this is the type of event that will eventually lead to a bitcoin standard. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

Good morning ☕️

Everything is fine

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 841,779 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 02May24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Columbia (Country) Breaks Diplomatic Relations with Israel / US Announces New Sanctions on Russian Enablers / US Says Russia Using Chemical Weps / Police Cracking Down on Campus Protests / New Video Shows CIA Withheld Intel From Trump / BTC ETFs Outflows Hit High Mark / FOMC Stays Steady / UnitedHealth Hack May Affect 1/3 Of All Americans / Saylor Announces New Digital ID on BTC Blockchain Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $58,602, 25.45 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $59,389 / Lo: $56,592 Vol: $40B (Down 11%) Mkt Cap: $1.15T (Up 2%) HashRate: 620 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 21 sats/vBtye (Down 11%) Nodes: 19,909 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Colombia’s president says country will break diplomatic relations with Israel over war in Gaza: Colombian President Gustavo Petro described Israel’s siege of Gaza as “genocide.” He previously suspended purchases of weapons from Israel and compared that country’s actions in Gaza to those of Nazi Germany. Historically, Colombia had been one of Israel’s closest partners in Latin America. But relations between the two nations have cooled since Petro was elected as Colombia’s first leftist president in 2022. (AP) 2. Ukraine war: US hits China with sanctions over war supplies to Russia: US officials on Wednesday announced a sweeping package targeting nearly 300 entities in Russia, China and other countries. Other than China, targeted non-Russian entities were located in Azerbaijan, Belgium, Slovakia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). (Guardian) 3. US says Russia used choking agents against Ukrainian troops, breaching chemical weapons ban: In a statement on Wednesday, the US State Department said it had “made a determination … that Russia has used the chemical weapon chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).” The Kremlin dismissed the US accusations. (CNN) -US Events- 1. Police move in and begin dismantling a pro-Palestinian demonstrators’ encampment at UCLA: The law enforcement action comes after officers spent hours threatening arrests over loud speakers if people did not disperse. Hundreds of people had gathered on campus, both inside a barricaded tent encampment and outside of it in support. As police helicopters hovered overhead. The sound of flash-bangs, which produce a bright light and a loud noise to disorient and stun people, could be heard as police moved in, and chants of “where were you last night” could be heard. Meanwhile, protest encampments elsewhere were cleared by the police, resulting in arrests, or closed up voluntarily at schools across the U.S., including The City College of New York, Fordham University, Portland State, Northern Arizona University and Tulane University. (AP) 2. Rep. Gaetz Demands Congressional Investigation of Intelligence Community After Undercover Footage Shows CIA Official Boasting Feds Spied on, Withheld Information From President Trump: Gaetz’s message was delivered almost immediately after O’Keefe’s Wednesday exposé revealed Amjad Fseisi, a program manager working in Cyber Operations for the CIA, admitting intel agencies “kept information” from Trump during his presidency. (TheParadise/X) -Regulatory and Legal- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. 17% more of asset managers consider adding digital assets: According to a survey from Northern Trust, almost a third are already invested in the asset class. Another 32% plan to support new asset classes. Of that group 54% are eyeing digital assets, translating to 17% overall. In other words, if the investment managers follow through on their plans, the proportion of asset managers invested in the asset class would increase from 32% to 49%. Of the 300 survey respondents, 90% manage more than $10 billion, with half managing north of $100 billion. (LedgerInsights) 2. U.S. Bitcoin ETFs Bleed Record $563M Even as Fed's Powell Rules Out Rate Hike: The 11 ETFs saw a cumulative net outflow of $563.7 million, the largest since the funds began trading on January 11, extending a five-day losing streak, according to data source Farside Investors and CoinGlass. Investors have pulled out nearly $1.2 billion from the ETFs since April 24. (CoinDesk) 3. VanEck says about $175 billion in bitcoin held by ETFs, nations and companies: "Bitcoin interest among institutional investors has also increased. Hedge funds, asset management firms, and endowments are increasingly recognizing bitcoin’s potential as a store of value," VanEck said in the report. That accounts for roughly 15% of the entire bitcoin supply, according to CoinGecko. As of Wednesday, bitcoin's total market capitalization was about $1.2 trillion. (TheBlock) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- NSTR -Economic Indicators- 1. Fed Chair Jerome Powell Projects Optimism, But Inflation Data Are in the Driver’s Seat: Powell tried to keep the central bank’s options open Wednesday by sticking with his view that interest rates are restrictive and that inflation was likely to resume its decline. For now, the Fed’s view that a rate cut is more likely than an increase “is a reasonable one,” said one economist. (WSJ) 2. US Job Cuts Fall in April: US-based employers announced 64,789 cuts in April 2024, a 28% decrease from March's 14-month high of 90,309 cuts and compared with the 66,995 cuts announced in the same month last year. (TradingEconomics) 3. US 10-Year Treasury Yield Falls Further: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note fell toward 4.6% from the over-five-month high of 4.7% (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. UnitedHealth says hackers potentially stole a third of Americans' data: On Wednesday, during a House hearing, when pushed to give a more definitive answer, Andrew Witty, the CEO of Change Healthcare’s parent company UnitedHealth Group, testified that the breach impacted “I think, maybe a third [of Americans] or somewhere of that level.” (TechCrunch) -Technology- 1. MicroStrategy Is Building ‘Decentralized ID’ on Bitcoin Using Ordinals-Like Inscriptions: “Michael Saylor presented a very compelling case for why we need decentralized identity and DID decentralized identifiers,” MicroStrategy executive vice president of engineering Cezary Raczko told the audience. “He made an even more compelling case why it makes sense to anchor digital identity into the Bitcoin blockchain, protected by the strength and the security of the Bitcoin network.” Alongside the announcement, MicroStrategy published an unofficial draft of the MicroStrategy Orange specification to Github. (Decrypt) -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 43/100 (Down 11 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Saylor's announcement on 'Orange' is drawing reaction from the Bitcoin community, both negative and positive. Some see the need for a digital ID (DID) as a necessity in this digital age and would be best hardened on the immutable bitcoin blockchain. Others see the attachment of inscription-like DIDs on the blockchain as a corruption of the bitcoin philosophical purpose of an unassailable currency. The debate will certainly bring out the pros/cons of the proposal and already has drawn fire on Saylor as the leading proponent of Bitcoin as a store of value. The question will center around the other qualities of money, specifically as a medium or exchange and unit of account, which Saylor may seem to be abandoning. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report