BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 855,761 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 07Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Foe of Ousted PM Installed in Bangladesh / Hamas Names Oct 7th Architect New Political Leader / Still No Iranian Attack / Harris Names MN Gov Walz as VP Pick / Quakes Hit SOCAL / US Arrests Assassination Plotter / Harris Stance on Crypto, Bitcoin Still Unclear / Bitcoin Action Shakes Out Lettuce Hands, Big Boys Scoop Up / Barefoot CEO Says Wars To Be Fought Over Blockspace Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $56,952, 23.76 oz Gold, .13 Median US House 24hr Hi: $57,726 / Lo: $54,486 Vol: $44B (Down 37%) Mkt Cap: $1.12T (Up 3%) HashRate: 510 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 5 sats/vBtye (Down 60%) Nodes: 19,705 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Nobel Peace Prize winner to lead Bangladesh interim government: Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus - a longtime political foe of Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina - has been named the country's interim leader. The 84-year-old was appointed a day after Ms Hasina fled the country following weeks of deadly protests that brought her resignation. (BBC) 2. Hamas names Oct. 7 architect Yahya Sinwar new political leader: Israel has publicly accused Sinwar of being the “mastermind” behind Hamas’ terror attack against Israel on October 7 – though experts say he is likely one of several – making him one of the key targets of its war in Gaza. He has remained at large in the vast warren of tunnels trenched beneath Gaza, moving frequently and possibly surrounded by hostages as human shields, US officials believe. Sinwar has not been seen in public since October 7. (CNN) (AC-This move will derail any serious peace talks between Israel and Hamas, and hasten the targeting of Sinwar.) 3. Iranian attack on Israel later than expected, may come on Thursday or Friday: The wait for Iran's retaliatory response to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, attributed to Israel, is taking longer than the United States initially anticipated, sources familiar with American intelligence told the Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya. (JerusalemPost) -US Events- 1. Vice President Kamala Harris introduced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate Tuesday, praising the former high-school teacher and football coach with a progressive streak as a homespun leader who inspires people to “dream big.” A two-term governor and current chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, Walz could be especially helpful in the battleground states of Wisconsin and Michigan. (WSJ) 2. Magnitude 5.2 earthquake rattles Southern California: The quake, which struck at a depth of around 6 miles just after 9 p.m., was approximately 7.6 miles west northwest of Mettler in Kern County, nearly 19 miles south of Bakersfield and 89 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. (KTLA) 3. US charges Iran-linked Pakistani over political assassination plot: Asif Merchant traveled to New York in June seeking to hire a hitman to kill a politician or a US government official in revenge for the 2020 assassination of a senior Iranian military commander, according to a statement issued by the US Justice Department. (AlJazeerah) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Kamala Harris's Recent Appointments Hint at a Potential Shift on Crypto: Kamala Harris's stance on crypto remains unclear as she campaigns for the presidency. Recent appointments, such as David Plouffe, a former member of the Binance Global Advisory Board, as her senior adviser for strategy, suggest a potential shift towards a more favorable approach. Brian Nelson, a former undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the U.S. Treasury Department, has also been recruited, with a focus on regulating illicit activities without stifling innovation. (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Self-Sovereign Decentralized Identity Is Key To Retail CBDC Adoption: Alongside adoption, hurdles include the need for a digital currency to maintain personal privacy for individual users. Because blockchains act as immutable, permanent ledgers of all transaction activity, there is a real risk of personal history being collected and used in unsavory ways. Users would be more exposed than ever to data harvesting and the risks of government surveillance. What’s needed is a Self-Sovereign decentralized identity, or SSDID, powered by blockchain and smart contracts. (Forbes) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Crypto investment products saw $528 million in net weekly outflows amid recession fears: The outflows were “a reaction to fears of a recession in the US, geopolitical concerns and consequent broader market liquidations across most asset classes,” CoinShares Head of Research James Butterfill said. “The price correction from Friday’s close saw $10 billion wiped off total ETP AUM.” (TheBlock) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Stocks Bounce Back After 3-Day Rout: US equities staged a robust recovery on Tuesday, bouncing back after a three-day selloff that had erased a considerable portion of the market's 2024 gains. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were up 1.5% each and the Dow Jones gained 550 points as investors took a pause from recession fears. Japanese stocks also had a standout day, soaring 10.2%. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Mortgage Rates Fall to 2023-Lows: The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($766,550 or less) fell by 27bps to 6.55% in the week ended August 2nd, 2024, the lowest since the first week of May 2023. (TradingEconomics) (AC-Every move in markets have opportunities and threats.) -Security Incidents and Concerns- NSTR -Technology and Science- 1. Meet the Long-Shot Candidate Letting AI Run His Campaign: Thomas Ross is using artificial intelligence to run his campaign after winning the nomination of the U.S. Transhumanist Party in May 2023. In fact, he has named his generative AI chatbot Emvee, and takes its advice. “I use Emvee for strategy specifically,” Ross told Decrypt in an interview, noting that the name comes from a character in his science fiction novel series. He is keenly aware of his infinitesimal chances of success in November. But he said the point of running is to raise awareness of transhumanism and fight back against misinformation about AI. (Decrypt) 2. Rumors Elon Musk’s X nears payment system launch, battles advertisers in court: On Aug. 5, it was revealed that X was developing a “Payments” button for its navigation bar. The button, located just below the bookmarks tab, may allow users to access balances, make transfers, and conduct other transactions. In a parallel development, X has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against an advertising industry coalition and its members, including CVS Health, Mars, Orsted, and Unilever. (CryptoSlate) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Barefoot Mining CEO: Wars Will Be Fought Over Bitcoin Blockspace: Bob Burnett, CEO of Barefoot Mining, a bitcoin mining company providing off-grid “wild” mining services, has declared that wars will be fought over Bitcoin blockspace. In a recent interview, Burnett stated that as bitcoin becomes critical to companies and nation-states, the value of Bitcoin blockspace will be treated as an essential scarce commodity. "If we’re on a path to Bitcoin being the base layer of money, now Bitcoin is existential to all the financial services companies and government. We can probably debate the time frame, but we are on a path where wars will be fought over control of those 53,000 blocks." he said. (BitcoinCom) 2. Bitcoin Whales Increased Holdings During Crypto Market Mayhem, but ETF Investors Didn't Buy the Dip: Bitcoin wallets holding between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC increased their holdings while prices slid over the past few days, while those owning less than 1 BTC were sellers, IntoTheBlock data shows. (CoinDesk) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 29/100 (Up 12 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Overall reporting shows that the drop in BTC price has led to accumulation of BTC by larger wallets and institutions, while smaller 'investors' have been sellers. Bitcoin “permanent holder addresses” have accumulated nearly $23 billion of the asset over the past month, according to on-chain data. The shakeout has given smarter entities the chance to pick up discounted BTC. Bitcoin HODLers have known this was a good buying opportunity, but then again, so is today. (Not investment advice) Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 855,646 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 06Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Rockets Hit US Base in Al Asad, Iraq / UN Fires Staff for Oct 7th Role in Massacre / Biden Convenes NatSec Council / Maduro To Investigate Opposition Leaders for Crimes / VP Harris Gets Dem Nomination / Hurricane Debby Floods Florida, Georgia / Binance Hit with $86M Tax Bill in India / Thailand Models CBDC, UBI Plan / Global Markets Rebound / US Begins Treasury Buyback / Google Hit With Antitrust Ruling / CA Puts Car Titles on New Blockchain / Swan Cancels PB Fest '24 Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $54,055, 23.04 oz Gold, .13 Median US House 24hr Hi: $56,271 / Lo: $49,578 Vol: $68B (Down 21%) Mkt Cap: $1.09T (Up 9%) HashRate: 624 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 11 sats/vBtye (Up 90%) Nodes: 19,594 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. US personnel wounded in attack against base in Iraq: At least five U.S. personnel were injured in an attack against a military base in Iraq on Monday, U.S. officials told Reuters, as the Middle East braced for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies following last week's killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Two Katyusha rockets were fired at al Asad airbase in western Iraq, two Iraqi security sources said. One Iraqi security source said the rockets fell inside the base. (Reuters) 2. Nine UNRWA staff to be fired for potential role in 7 October attacks on Israel: The UN said on Monday that nine staff working for its Palestine refugee agency UNRWA will be sacked because they may have been involved in the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks against Israel. 1,200 people were killed and another 250 were taken to Gaza as hostages. (UNAffairs) 3. Biden meets national security team as fears of Iran attack on Israel grow: US President Joe Biden met his senior national security team on Monday as concerns of a possible Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel grew. Biden said he had been briefed on preparations to support Israel should it be attacked, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken said officials were working "around the clock" to prevent an escalation. (BBC) 4. Venezuela launches criminal investigation into opposition figures: Venezuela’s Public Ministry has opened a criminal investigation into presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia and opposition leader María Corina Machado, the country’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab said in a statement on Monday. Venezuela’s opposition and multiple other nations have refused to recognize Maduro’s victory in the July 28 vote until the release of the full vote tally. (CNN) (AC-The headlines from Venezuela and the US seem to be interchangeable, only the names change) -US Events- 1. Kamala Harris earns majority of Democratic roll call votes, achieving historic presidential nomination: The roll call, which concluded on Monday evening, still needs to be certified by Convention Secretary Jason Rae, according to the statement, but the announcement makes Harris's historic nomination effectively official. (ABC) 2. Debby Weakens to Tropical Storm, Four People Confirmed Dead: Debby was downgraded to a tropical storm Monday afternoon after hitting Florida with heavy rain and leaving four dead. The storm is expected to inundate the Southeast with historic rain and catastrophic flooding over the next few days. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday afternoon three people were killed in traffic accidents and a fourth was killed as a result of a tree that fell on a roof. (WSJ) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Binance Is 'Cooperating' With Indian Authorities on $86 Million Tax Bill: Binance is facing a significant tax challenge in India after the country’s tax authorities issued a notice demanding a Goods and Services Tax (GST) payment of $86 million. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence alleges that Binance collected fees from Indian customers for trading virtual digital assets without remitting the appropriate taxes, according to a local news outlet. (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Thailand may tell us a great deal about the future of money: The Thai government has initiated a programme to distribute money to low-income households through digital wallets. About 50mn Thais who fall below certain income and savings thresholds will get about $280 each, roughly half of monthly per capita income. The Thai transfer programme already has some features of a CBDC. (FT) (AC-The Thai government is showing the world how CBDCs will be instituted, primarily through low-income grants and UBI programs first. The eventually mandated as the primary currency where the programmable features are implemented, decreasing freedom of currency usage.) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Hedge Fund Capula Reveals $420 Million in Bitcoin ETF Holdings: London-based hedge fund Capula Management has disclosed in a regulatory filing that it has invested over $420 million in Bitcoin through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The hedge fund purchased shares of Fidelity's Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust and BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust, making its total investment worth $422 million. (Decrypt) -Economic Indicators- 1. Global markets jittery after sharp share price falls: Stock markets in Europe remained unsettled on Tuesday despite a rebound in Japan which almost reversed record falls at the start of the week. Overnight, Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index jumped by 10.23%, or 3,217 points in its biggest one day gain in points, after the previous day's plummet. Experts says this was in reaction to fears of a US economic slowdown. A rare interest rate cut in Japan is also believed to have played a part. (BBC) 2. US 10-Year Yield Rises as Traders Assess Outlook: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note rose above 3.8% on Tuesday after hitting an over one-year low of 3.67% in the previous session, as investors weighed risks of a US recession. A weak jobs report released on Friday stoked fears of an economic downturn, prompting traders to rush for safe-haven assets including US Treasuries. (TradingEconomics) 3. US Commences $50B Treasury Buyback, 50 bps Fed Rate Cut Odds Surge: On Tuesday, August 6, 2024, the United States will kickstart the ambitious Treasury buyback program. This initiative aims at purchasing $50 billion worth of Treasury securities by the end of October. Moreover, it comes at a crucial juncture as the U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to announce an emergency interest rate cut soon. (CoinGape) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. North Korean Hackers Moonstone Sleet Push Malicious JS Packages to npm Registry: The North Korea-linked threat actor known as Moonstone Sleet has continued to push malicious npm packages to the JavaScript package registry with the aim of infecting Windows systems, underscoring the persistent nature of their campaigns. (HackerNews) -Technology and Science- 1. Google Found to Hold an Illegal Monopoly in Antitrust Case: Google has lost an antitrust lawsuit over its search arrangements on smartphone devices, with a federal judge ruling that the tech giant has illegally held a monopoly in search and text advertising over the past decade. (Breitbart) 2. California DMV digitizes 42 million car titles on the blockchain: The DMV has partnered with blockchain startup Oxhead Alpha, the first step was creating digital tokens for the 42 million car titles on the blockchain, which the DMV has already completed. It’s currently building a mobile app that Californians can use to access their records and initiate title transfers from the comfort of their homes, a first in the U.S. The app is expected to go live in the first half of 2025. With blockchain’s decentralization and immutability, car owners will likely detect any lien fraud quickly. According to vehicle data firm Carfax, there are over 800,000 cases of title washing alone, which is the fraudulent concealment of pertinent car information from a buyer. (CoinGeek) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Swan Bitcoin Cancels Pacific Bitcoin Festival 2024: Swan Bitcoin has canceled its highly anticipated Pacific Bitcoin Festival 2024, which was set to take place in October in Santa Monica, California. The decision comes after recent staff cuts and a shift back to the company’s core business. (BitcoinSensus) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 17/100 (Down 9 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Even with the bounceback in global equities, the USG is looking to stabilize markets and prevent FUD around the US economy, especially before an election. The Treasury buyback is timed to provide some liquidity both here and abroad during this time of uncertainty. The follow-on actions expected are the Fed interest rate reduction, further increasing liquidity. Simple economic mechanics forecast increasing inflation to result in the following 6-12 months. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 855,499 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 05Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Israel and Allies Prepare for Iranian Attack / UK Riots Intensify / Bangladesh PM Flees Country / North Korea Send 250 New Missiles to Border / US South Preps for Hurricane Debby / Park Fire in West Spreads / Japan Economic Woes Spread Worldwide / All Assets Tumble / New Bill Give US Secret Service Power Over Crypto / Democrats Meet to Design Crypto Policy / NASA Astronauts Having Trouble Returning / Robinhood Halts Trading Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $51,328, 21.51 oz Gold, .12 Median US House 24hr Hi: $61,058 / Lo: $49,121 Vol: $84B (Up 210%) Mkt Cap: $1.01T (Down 16%) HashRate: 751 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 6 sats/vBtye (Up 30%) Nodes: 19,782 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. US and allies prepare to defend Israel as Netanyahu says it’s already in ‘multi-front war’ with Iran: Tensions have soared following nearly 10 months of war in Gaza and the killing last week of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and Hamas’ top political leader in Iran. Iran and its allies have blamed Israel and threatened retaliation. Hamas says it has begun discussions on choosing a new leader. Netanyahu said Israel was ready for any scenario. Jordan’s foreign minister was making a rare trip to Iran as part of diplomatic efforts — “We want the escalation to end,” Ayman Safadi said — while the Pentagon has moved significant assets to the region. (AP) 2. Rioters attack hotels used to house asylum seekers amid worst UK disorder in years: The violence was triggered by the stabbing of three young girls in Southport, northwest England, earlier in the week. The far right has seized on and spread a wave of disinformation, including false claims the attacker was an immigrant, to mobilize anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant protests. Police say the suspect was born in Britain. (CNN) (AC-The encompassing terms "far-right" and "disinformation" bely the fact that citizens in the UK are fed up with killings and unencumbered immigration. The situation is ripe for continued violence that may escalate out of control.) 3. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina resigns, interim government to be formed: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday and fled the country, multiple sources said, as more people were killed in some of the worst violence since the birth of the South Asian nation more than five decades ago. Army chief General Waker-Us-Zaman said in a televised address that Hasina 76, had left the country and that an interim government would be formed. (Reuters) 4. North Korea claims it’s sending 250 new missile launchers toward the South Korean border: North Korea claims it is sending 250 new tactical ballistic missile launchers toward its border with South Korea, in the latest bellicose declaration by leader Kim Jong Un against its neighbor. Kim personally oversaw the transfer of equipment to military commanders and chiefs of staff, and delivered a speech claiming the new missile launchers were built with North Korean technology, state media reported. (CNN) -US Events- 1. Florida hunkers down as strengthened Category 1 storm very near landfall in Big Bend: The storm will bring “life-threatening” storm surge of up to 10 feet along Florida’s Gulf Coast. The southeast US could also historic levels of rainfall this week, the National Weather Service said. Some areas of Georgia and South Carolina could see up to 30 inches of rain through Friday, while Florida could see up to 18 inches throughout the week, according to the NWS. (IdenpendentUK) 2. Park Fire still growing with containment at 30% as temperatures expected to hit triple-digits:The Park Fire that has been raging north of Chico is now 30% contained as it continues to grow amid rising temperatures, Cal Fire said Sunday. Recent favorable weather including residual rainfall moisture offered the 6,528 firefighters battling the blaze a brief respite, officials said. But forecasts of triple-digit temperatures, drier conditions and higher wind speeds are expected to increase fire activity into this week. (SacBee) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. New Senate Bill Empowers US Secret Service to Combat Digital Asset Cybercrimes: U.S. senators have introduced legislation to empower the Secret Service to combat cybercrimes involving digital assets. This legislation addresses the growing use of cryptocurrencies for illicit activities and mandates the Government Accountability Office to evaluate law enforcement’s effectiveness in tackling money laundering in cyber crimes. (BitcoinCom) (AC-Because protecting the continuity of government is not enough.) 2. Democratic elites, crypto industry leaders to hold virtual roundtable Monday: White House officials and elite democratic operatives will attend a virtual roundtable with crypto industry executives discussing digital asset policy on Monday, according to a report from Politico Pro. VP Harris campaign officials have reportedly been invited to the meeting, which is being organized by California Democratic representative Ro Khanna. Anita Dunn plans to appear, an outgoing White House senior adviser who will soon advise a $300 million super PAC for Harris and who also attended the July roundtable. (TheBlock) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. BRICS: Global Finance to Completely Ditch the US Dollar by 2031: With the BRICS bloc firmly embracing de-dollarization, the bloc has signaled that global finance will completely ditch the US dollar by 2031. Indeed, Russia’s central bank governor noted that the country is set to embrace everyday use of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). (Watcher) -Institutional Concerns- 1. US spot bitcoin ETFs see biggest single-day outflow in 90 days: The total daily outflow level on August 2 was $237.45 million, the highest since May 1's $563.77 million outflows and the fourth highest single-day outflow since the launch of the spot bitcoin ETFs in January. (TheBlock) (AC-This was Friday's action.) 2. Morgan Stanley to Offer Bitcoin ETFs to Wealthy Clients: Morgan Stanley is allowing its 15,000+ financial advisers to sell shares of BlackRock's IBIT and Fidelity's FBTC, CNBC reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Clients will need to have a net worth of at least $1.5 million. (CoinDesk) -Economic Indicators- 1. Global Selloff Intensifies; Nasdaq Futures Slide Over 4%: The Nikkei plunged 12%, the most since 1987. Stock futures traded sharply lower and investors sheltered in the safety of bonds. Concerns about a slowing U.S. economy are front and center for investors after job growth slowed sharply in July. Investors are worried that the Federal Reserve has moved too slowly and will need to play catch up in cutting rates. Around the world, investors rushed for the safety of the bond market. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield recently traded around 3.74%, down from over 4.1% a week ago and on pace to settle at its lowest level in more than a year. The US Fed has called an emergency meeting today. (WSJ) 2. Bitcoin Dives Below $50,000 as Market Suffers Major Downturn: The cryptocurrency market experienced a significant downturn in the past 24 hours, resulting in over $1.06 billion in liquidations and impacting nearly 280,000 traders. Bitcoin and Ethereum both saw substantial declines, with Bitcoin dropping 12.5% and Ethereum falling 19.5%. Other altcoins, such as Solana, BNB, Dogecoin, and XRP, also experienced significant losses. (Decrypt) 3. Japan’s historic rate hike prompts yen carry trade unwinding, impacts global markets: In Asia, the Nikkei experienced its most significant two-day drop in history following Japan’s decision to raise interest rates to 0.25%. This move strengthened the Japanese yen against the US dollar, hitting 142, contributing to the unwinding of the yen carry trade. This trade involved borrowing yen at near-zero interest rates to invest in higher-yielding global assets like US equities and treasuries. (CryptoSlate) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Personal Data of 3 Billion People Stolen in Hack, Suit Says: Jerico Pictures Inc., a background-check company doing business as National Public Data, exposed the personal information of nearly 3 billion individuals in an April data breach, a proposed class action says. If confirmed, the breach could be among the biggest ever, in terms of the number of individuals affected. A 2013 breach of Yahoo! compromised the data of an estimated 3 billion individuals. (BloombergLaw) -Technology and Science- 1. NASA Is ‘Evaluating All Options’ to Get the Boeing Starliner Crew Home: It has now been eight weeks since Boeing's Starliner spacecraft launched into orbit on an Atlas V rocket, bound for the International Space Station. At the time NASA officials said the two crew members, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, could return to Earth as soon as June 14, just eight days later. NASA management has been in deep discussion this week about whether to return the agency’s astronauts on board Boeing’s misfiring Starliner capsule or to go with the alternative of using a SpaceX craft to rescue the crew. (Wired/CNBC) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Robinhood Pauses 24-Hour Trading as the Market Goes Haywire: Robinhood reportedly responds to the ongoing global market downturn with a halt of its 24-hour trading service. (DailyCoin) (AC-This is becoming common for Robinhood to halt trading at critical times. Adjust accordingly.) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 26/100 (Down 29 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): The current economic malaise is symptomatic of a debt-based, inflationary monetary system designed to be controlled by central participants. It has been known as Modern Monetary Theory based on Keynesian Economic Theory and has as a key tenet that the nation and world economies can be centrally controlled through interest rates, borrowing, and money supply. The breakdown seen in Japan, where the public debt is anywhere from 300-500% of GDP, is the natural progression of this system. When the system falters in Japan, it will spread to other countries not on a firm asset-backed, monetary footing. For individuals and families, the same principles apply and encourage us to become debt-free (or minimal debt), invest in hard assets (the hardest is Bitcoin), and build upon stability like community. Take care of your health and your families during these challenging times. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 855,084 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 02Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: F-16 Jets Land in Ukraine / Bomb in Tehran House Planted Months Ago / Maduro Clamping Down in Venezuela / WSJ Reporter Arrives in US / Fires Continue in the West / 9-11 Masterminds Get Plea Deal / UK Pushes Wholesale CBDC and Russia Pushes Retail CBDC / Earnings Reports for BTC Companies, Block Wins, Mara Hurts / Scams Target Hodlers Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $64,701, 26.26 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $65,593 / Lo: $62,248 Vol: $39B (Up 10%) Mkt Cap: $1.27T (Even) HashRate: 608 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 4 sats/vBtye (Down 50%) Nodes: 18,299 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. F-16 fighter jets land in Ukraine to bolster defence against Russia: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway – all NATO members – had committed to providing Ukraine with more than 60 planes. That number is dwarfed by the Russian jet fleet, which is estimated to be about 10 times larger. (AlJazeera) 2. Bomb Smuggled Into Tehran Guesthouse Months Ago Killed Hamas Leader: The bomb had been hidden approximately two months ago in the guesthouse, according to five of the Middle Eastern officials. The guesthouse is run and protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and is part of a large compound, known as Neshat, in an upscale neighborhood of northern Tehran. (NYT) 3. Venezuela Election Fallout Unclear: Media reports are mixed coming from Venezuela. Maduro has said on video that he will not release the final results from the election due to "Elon Musk hacking the results". Meanwhile, multiple reports state that mass arrests of opposition supporters are being conducted across the country, and videos are surfacing of tortured citizens. Another report has 32 flights of Cuban Revolutionary Forces (The Black Wasps) patrolling the country, quelling rebellion. (Various, Twitter) -US Events- 1. Freed Evan Gershkovich Arrives in the U.S.: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stepped back onto U.S. soil to a hero’s welcome from President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris late Thursday, capping a lengthy wrongful detainment and conviction in Russia that culminated in the most complex prisoner swap between Western allies and Russia since the Cold War. Former Marine Paul Whelan was also released. The prisoner swap, the largest since the Cold War, included the exchange of 24 prisoners and at least six countries in a deal officials in the U.S., Russia and Germany had worked on for months. Ultimately, the deal hinged on the release of a German prisoner: Russian hit man Vadim Krasikov, who emerged as a linchpin to the exchange. Russia released 16 prisoners in all, including Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Pulitzer-prize winning British-Russian columnist and U.S. lawful permanent resident. (WSJ) 2. Crews struggle to contain rapidly spreading Park Fire in California: In California, more than 5,800 personnel, 500 fire trucks and 40 helicopters are battling a fire larger than all of Los Angeles. The Park Fire, as it’s known, is the country’s largest and has ballooned to historic proportions in just over a week. (PBS) 3. White House: We Didn’t Know About 9/11 Plea Deal Until Yesterday, Can’t Comment on It: The plea deal for three defendants accused of involvement in the September 11 terrorist attacks, including accused plotter Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, “was orchestrated by an independent military convening authority. The White House wasn’t aware of this deal or the process leading up to it until yesterday.” (Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- NSTR -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Bank of England looks to update RTGS by exploring wholesale CBDC, synchronization: The central bank of the United Kingdom is proposing experimenting with a wholesale central bank digital currency (wCBDC) as it seeks to update its Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system. Both synchronization and wCBDC depend on distributed ledger technology (DLT), a system that records transactions across multiple computers or locations. (CoinGeek) 2. Russian central bank governor says CBDCs will be part of everyday life by 2031: Bank of Russia Governor Elvira Nabiullina reiterated the regulator’s belief that the digital ruble, Russia’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), will achieve widespread adoption within the next five to seven years. She stated that the digital ruble's advantages, such as free transfers for individuals and lower transaction fees for businesses, will drive its adoption. (CryptoSlate) -Institutional Concerns- 1. US spot bitcoin ETFs log $50 million in inflows, ether ETFs return to positive flows: The 12 spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the U.S. reported a total daily net inflow of $50.64 million on Thursday. Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust, which only began trading on Wednesday, led net inflows yesterday with $191.13 million. (TheBlock) 2.MicroStrategy’s Q2 earnings reveals Bitcoin stockpile now $14.7B: Business intelligence firm MicroStrategy purchased an additional 12,222 Bitcoin for $805 million in the second quarter of 2024, bringing its total Bitcoin holdings to 226,500 BTC worth around $14.7 billion at current prices. (CoinTelegraph) -Economic Indicators- 1. Bond Yields Plunge in Flight From Stocks: Bond yields from economies with exposure to US credit markets sank further on Friday as mounting growth concerns were magnified by a batch of poor corporate earnings, supporting a dovish outlook for the Federal Reserve and triggering a flight to the safety of bonds. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell nearly 40bps in the last seven sessions to a six-month low of 3.94%. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Factory Activity Contracts More than Expected: The ISM Manufacturing PMI fell to 46.6 in July of 2024 from 48.5 in the previous month, firmly below market expectations of 48.8, reflecting the sharpest contraction in US factory activity since November 2023. It was the 20th decline in activity during the last 21 periods. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. FBI Issues Warning About Crypto Exchange Scams: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned cryptocurrency users about scammers impersonating crypto exchange employees to steal funds through unsolicited messages or calls. These fraudsters create urgency, claiming issues with accounts to trick victims into providing login details, clicking links, or sharing identification information. (BitcoinCom) -Technology and Science- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Block’s Bitcoin Revenue Grows 9% to $2.6 Billion in Q2: Block Inc, Jack Dorsey’s payment company, just announced its earnings for the second quarter of 2024. Bitcoin revenue grew by 9%, reaching $2.61 billion. The company made $6.16 billion in net earnings for the quarter, a 11% increase compared to the same period last year. Cash App, one of Block’s main platforms, saw a big jump in Bitcoin gross profits, thanks to the price of Bitcoin going up. (BitcoinSensus) 2. Bitcoin Miner Marathon Shares Fall 8% After Missing Revenue Expectations in Q2: The revenue of $145.1 million was lower than the estimated $157.9 million, attributed to operational challenges and the impact of the April halving event. (Decrypt) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 57/100 (Up 5 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: 854,946 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 01Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Hamas Leader Killed in Tehran / Hezbollah Commander Confirmed Killed in Lebanon / Musk Vs. Maduro Challenge Accepted / Sex Trafficking at Comic-Con / Sen Lummis Introduces Bitcoin Bill / Sen Hagerty Backs Trump's Crypto Stance / NC Democrats Flip on CBDC Bill / No Movement From Fed / HSA Provider Hacked / Tucker Like Bitcoin, But Says CIA Created It Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $64,522, 26.46 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $66,810 / Lo: $63,573 Vol: $36B (Up 29%) Mkt Cap: $1.27T (Down 2%) HashRate: 683 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 8 sats/vBtye (Up 27%) Nodes: 19,160 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Hezbollah confirms commander died in Israeli strike: Fuad Shukr, who was in his early sixties, is believed to be a key military adviser to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The strike targeted a building in Haret Hreik, a part of the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. It is a fortified, densely populated area. Dahiyeh itself is surrounded by checkpoints. Meanwhile, the US tells Americans in Lebanon: ‘Be prepared to shelter in place’: (BBC) 2. Iranians mourn Hamas leader Haniyeh's assassination: Iranians turned out to mourn Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh on Thursday, a day after he was assassinated in Iran's capital. Iran and the Palestinian Islamist militant group have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president in Tehran on Wednesday. (Reuters) 3. Elon Musk accepts Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's challenge to fight: In a video Monday, Maduro was seen holding a cellphone as he declared war on Musk, alleging social media platform X owner Musk wants to invade Venezuela with his space rockets. "I am the son of Bolivar and Chavez. I am not afraid of you, Elon Musk," Maduro continued. "Let’s go at it, wherever you want, as we say in Caracas in the neighborhoods. If you want it, I want it, Elon Musk. Just say where." Musk later responded to a post about the challenge on X, writing: "I accept." (Fox) -US Events- 1. San Diego Comic-Con at center of human-trafficking sting: A team of federal, state and county investigators rescued 10 people and arrested 14 during an undercover human-trafficking sting at San Diego’s Comic-Con International, which was held over the weekend. The team was on the lookout for “sex buyers using the San Diego Comic-Con Convention to seek out potential victims,” As a result of the three-day investigation, 14 sex buyers were arrested and nine potential adult victims of sex trafficking were identified. One 16-year-old was also identified as a victim. (LATimes) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Senator Cynthia Lummis Introduces New Act to Establish a National Bitcoin Reserve: Senator Cynthia Lummis has introduced the BITCOIN Act of 2024, which aims to establish a national Bitcoin reserve to strengthen the position of the U.S. dollar in the global financial system. The bill also seeks to ensure transparency in the management of the Bitcoin reserve by the U.S. Treasury Department. However, the Act may face challenges in Congress due to partisan divisions and the upcoming Presidential election. (Decrypt) 2. Tennessee Senator Backs Trump, Wants to 'Make Certain' America is a Crypto Hub: U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) threw his support behind Presidential candidate Donald Trump's bid to make the U.S. a crypto hub this week. He likened crypto to the semiconductor industry that, "got pushed offshore and weakened us from a geopolitical standpoint," adding that, "We need to see this innovation happening here." (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. NC House overrides governor’s veto on CBDC bill, Democrats flip stance: The North Carolina House of Representatives voted to override three of Gov. Roy Cooper’s recent vetoes on Wednesday, including House Bill 690, an act prohibiting payments to the state using a central bank digital currency. During Wednesday’s override vote, nearly all House Democrats voted in contradiction to their supportive positioning in June (73-41). (CarolinaJournal) (AC-A very interesting turnabout in just one month. Politicians in the US are responding to support for bitcoin and opposition to CBDCs from US citizens.) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Bitcoin ETFs see smallest net inflow on record, Grayscale mini BTC positive: Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) experienced a minimal net inflow of just $0.3 million, marking the most negligible net inflow since these ETFs began trading on Jan. 11. July 31 marked the inaugural trading day for Grayscale’s new mini trust BTC, which attracted an $18.0 million inflow; the fund was initially provided with 10% of GBTC’s Bitcoin assets. (CryptoSlate) -Economic Indicators- 1. Fed Leaves Rates on Hold but Signals Progress on Inflation: The Federal Reserve maintained the federal funds rate at a 23-year high of 5.25%-5.50% for the 8th consecutive meeting in July 2024, in line with expectations. Policymakers noted that there has been some further progress toward the 2% inflation goal although it remains somewhat elevated. (TradingEconomics) 2. US 10-Year Treasury Yield Falls to Over 4-Month Low: The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell toward 4.1%, its lowest since March, amid growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will signal the start of its cutting cycle today. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. 4.3 million people hit in massive healthcare data breach with full names, addresses and SSNs exposed online: HSA provider HealthEquity has disclosed that it suffered a data breach in which the personal information of millions of Americans was stolen by hackers. (TomsGuide) 2. Facebook Ads Lead to Fake Websites Stealing Credit Card Information: Facebook users are the target of a scam e-commerce network that uses hundreds of fake websites to steal personal and financial data using brand impersonation and malvertising tricks. "These fraudulent sites were accessible only through mobile devices and ad lures, a tactic aimed at evading automated detection systems," the company said, noting the network comprised 608 fraudulent websites and that the activity spans several short-lived waves. (HackerNews) -Technology and Science- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Miner Riot Platforms' Second-Quarter Loss Widens to $84.4M as Costs Surge: The Castle Rock, Colo.-based company posted a net loss of $84.4 million, or $0.32 per share. The cost to mine the bitcoin jumped to $25,327 from $5,734 due to a 68% increase in the network's hashrate. Hashrate is a measurement of the total computational power used to process transactions on the network. (CoinDesk) 2. Tucker Carlson Says He Loves Bitcoin—But Believes the CIA Created It: During a private event on Friday held at Bitcoin 2024, the former Fox News host spoke at length about why crypto is the world’s best tool for enabling financial sovereignty—even though it was invented by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). “Obviously it was the CIA, we all know that,” said Carlson with a laugh. “It’s like Signal, they got there first. It’s a honeytrap!” (Decrypt) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 52/100 (Down 9 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): The sudden turn of politicians towards Bitcoin and crypto, and against CBDCs in the US is instructive in games of political power. While most of the rest of the world is barreling towards a CBDC solution and centralized power, the groundswell of support for Bitcoin and anti-CBDC shows the power of legacy representative democracy in the US. US politicians still need votes to maintain or gain power. US politicians in general still do not understand Bitcoin or CBDCs, but do understand that it is important for many constituents and can garner them support apart from traditional policies. The push for Bitcoin as a reserve asset is no less than a dog-whistle for digital asset enthusiasts as the reality is very complex and difficult to enact meaningfully, for the USG, citizens or Bitcoiners. All of which have different objectives. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 854,799 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 31Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: IDF Kills Hamas Top Leader, Maybe Top Hezbollah Leader / Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $66,090, 27.86 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $66,881 / Lo: $65,323 Vol: $28B (Down 28%) Mkt Cap: $1.3T (Down 1%) HashRate: 616 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 5 sats/vBtye (Up 27%) Nodes: 19,387 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is killed in Iran by an alleged Israeli strike, threatening escalation: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a predawn airstrike in the Iranian capital Wednesday, Iran and the militant group said, blaming Israel for a shock assassination that risks escalating the conflict even as the U.S. and other nations were scrambling to prevent an all-out regional war. Iran’s supreme leader vowed revenge against Israel. (AP) 2. Hezbollah says top commander was in building targeted by Israeli strike, fate unknown: Lebanon's Hezbollah said early on Wednesday its senior commander Fuad Shukr had been in a building in the southern suburbs of Beirut when it was targeted by an Israeli strike, but the group did not confirm his fate. A senior security source from another country in the region confirmed Shukr had died of his wounds. (AlJazeerah) 3. -US Events- 1. Biden expected to give address on first night of Democratic National Convention: President Biden is expected to give a primetime address on the first night of the Democratic National Convention next month in Chicago. (CBS) 2. Acting Secret Service director says he’s ‘ashamed’ after the Trump assassination attempt: The Secret Service’s acting director told lawmakers Tuesday that he considered it indefensible that the roof used by the gunman in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was unsecured and said it was regrettable that local law enforcement had not alerted his agency before the shooting that an armed subject had been spotted on a nearby roof. Ronald Rowe Jr. visited the site and “What I saw made me ashamed. As a career law enforcement officer and a 25-year Secret Service veteran, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured,” he said. (AP) 3. Los Angeles Says It Will Not Join Newsom’s Push to Clear Encampments: Days after Gov. Gavin Newsom put pressure on local governments to dismantle homeless encampments across California, leaders in Los Angeles County showed a united front, unanimously passing a resolution with a clear message: We will continue to take a different approach. More than 75,000 homeless people live in LA County. (NYT) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Russian Diplomat: El Salvador Proposes Settling Trade With Crypto: El Salvador has proposed using cryptocurrency as an alternative payment method for trade with Russia. The Central American nation has reportedly expressed interest in joining the BRICS bloc and may formally apply for membership within one or two years. (BitcoinCom) (AC-It's only one source, but El Salvador joining BRICS, with it's experience in Bitcoin strategic management, would provide a boost to the BRICS alliance. BRICS is an opposing monetary and trade union to US leadership.) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust begins trading on Wednesday morning following SEC approval: The trust, under the ticker symbol “BTC,” is intended to be a “spin-off” of the spot Bitcoin ETF, the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust. The trust, under the ticker symbol "BTC," is intended to be a “spin-off” of GBTC, with new shares of the mini trust designed to be distributed to GBTC shareholders as GBTC contributes a certain amount of bitcoin to the trust. (TheBlock) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Job Openings Little Changed in June: The number of job openings was little changed at 8.184 million in June 2024 from an upwardly revised 8.23 million in May, and compared to forecasts of 8 million. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Futures Mixed Ahead of Fed Decision: US stock futures were mixed on Wednesday as investors parsed big tech earnings and prepared for the latest Federal Reserve monetary policy decision. (TradingEconomics) 3. Gold Demand Hits Q2 Record High, Driven by Central Bank Purchases: The World Gold Council’s Q2 2024 report highlights a year-on-year increase in gold demand, marking the highest second-quarter demand since 2000. This surge is fueled by central bank purchases and OTC investments, with central bank gold buying up by 6% and technology sector demand rising by 11%. (BitcoinCom) -Security Incidents and Concerns- NSTR -Technology and Science- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 61/100 (Down 6 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Internet outages are dragging down speeds in certain areas, resulting in a minimal amount of reporting today. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

Need to connect @Reichard Könige and @average_bitcoiner on this!! Increase Meshtastic use cases and proliferation

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 854,655 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 30Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Venezuela Ripe For Violence After Election / Israel Calculating on Hezbollah / More Russian Ships in Havana / Interpol Operation Nets 206 Arrests, Drugs, Detonators and a Sub / Harris VP Options Dwindle / Snipers Texted on Crooks 90 Minutes Before Shooting / BTC Wrench Attack in Ukraine Kills Victim / USG Moves $2B of Silk Road BTC / NY Post Calls Out Rigged Big Tech / DEX Trade at ATH Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $66,316, 27.86 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $69,987 / Lo: $65,894 Vol: $38B (Up 60%) Mkt Cap: $1.31T (Down 5%) HashRate: 671 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 3 sats/vBtye (Down 78%) Nodes: 19,606 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Protests erupt in Venezuela as questions grow over strongman Maduro’s victory: Protests broke out in several Venezuelan cities on Monday after authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro was formally declared a winner by the county’s electoral authority in a presidential race marred by accusations of electoral fraud. Analysts say there could be a new wave of unrest in the country if there are widespread protests against the regime. Street demonstrations in previous years were crushed by the country’s military. (CNN) (AC-China's Xi has congratulated Maduro's 'victory', but the people of Venezuela are not accepting of the election, as violence ramps up.) 2. Fears of Israel-Hezbollah war grow after Golan Heights strike that killed 12 children: The security cabinet authorized Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to decide on the nature and timing of the response against Hezbollah. Lebanon says it received reassurances from third countries that Israel’s response would be limited. Several European countries have reiterated calls for their citizens to urgently leave Lebanon. (CNN) 3. Russia Docks 3 Warships in Havana, Continuing Parade of Naval Ships to Cuba: Three war vessels from Russia’s Baltic Fleet arrived in Havana, Cuba, this weekend for a four-day “work visit” to the communist nation that will reportedly conclude on Tuesday. (Breitbart) (AC-Part strategic play, part messaging to the US, and part intelligence collection, the naval visit is the second in the last 60 days.) 4. Interpol operation leads to 206 arrests, seizure of $1.6b of illegal drugs, chemicals: Interpol says more than 200 people have been arrested and some $1.6 billion worth of illegal drugs and precursor chemicals seized as part of a two-month operation against narcotics trafficking across Europe, North America and Africa. In addition, the operation led to the seizure of 65 stolen cars, some 30,000 commercial-grade detonators diverted from military or commercial mining, and a “narco-sub”. (ABC) -US Events- 1. NC Gov. Roy Cooper Withdraws from Consideration for Kamala Harris’s VP: This comes after Adm. William H. McRaven, who had also been a vice-presidential contender revealed that he had “removed” his name from consideration. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) also recently revealed during an interview with CBS News that she was not involved in the process of searching for a vice presidential pick for Harris. (Breitbart) 2. Snipers noticed Crooks 90 minutes before Trump shooting: A local countersniper first noticed gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks at 4:26 p.m., just more than an hour and a half before he climbed onto a nearby roof and shot at Trump. Additional texts at about 5:40 p.m. show officers discussing that they should inform Secret Service after Crooks was spotted again, this time using a range finder. (TheHill) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Ukrainian Police Detain Suspects in Abduction, Murder of Foreigner Over Bitcoin: The Ukrainian police announced on July 29 that it arrested four men for abducting and coercing a foreign national into transferring his bitcoins before ultimately murdering him. the quartet targeted a 29-year-old foreign national who possessed bitcoins valued at over $170,000 or almost 7 million hryvnias. After tracking the victim to his place of residence, the four men seized him and forcibly took him to an abandoned building. “There they forced him to transfer bitcoins to their crypto wallet, which were then transferred to cash, and the man was killed. (BitcoinCom) 2. US Moves $2 Billion Bitcoin Seized from Silk Road Amid Donald Trump’s HODL Plan: The US government transferred $2 billion in DOJ-seized Bitcoin to new addresses, according to on-chain data. This move followed Trump's plan to prevent the sale of government Bitcoin holdings if he returns to office. Industry experts reacted strongly, speculating on the motives and strategic implications of the transfer. (BeinCrypto) (AC-The timing of this move suggests a direct act in opposition to Trump's plan of using the BTC as a reserve asset. This could indicate a more hostile stance against Bitcoin and crypto.) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Bank of England to Carry Out CBDC, Digital Ledger Experiments: The BoE said it plans to carry out a series of experiments on a wholesale central bank digital currency and distributed ledger technology. It will also experiment to ensure that the "singleness of money" is maintained with stablecoins and tokenized deposits. (CoinDesk) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Over 41.5% of Mt. Gox Bitcoin distributed as creditors continue to hodl: Despite receiving over $4 billion worth of Bitcoin, which has appreciated by over 8,500% in the 10 years since Mt. Gox collapsed, the exchange's creditors continue to hold their assets. (CoinTelegraph) 2. BlackRock Exec Says Only Bitcoin, Ethereum Meet the Criteria for ETFs: According to BlackRock's senior ETF executive, Bitcoin and Ethereum are the only cryptocurrencies that meet the criteria for ETFs. Other digital assets, including Solana, do not come close in terms of investability and client demand. While there have been filings for Solana ETFs, the lack of Solana CME futures is seen as a roadblock to SEC approval. (Decrypt) -Economic Indicators- NSTR -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. WazirX Hack: Making customers pay 45% losses is utter nonsense, says Co-Founder of CoinDCX: WazirX has decided to implement a "socialized loss" strategy following a major cyberattack that compromised nearly half of its user funds. According to a statement from WazirX, this approach aims to spread the financial impact across all users, enabling them to access a portion of their assets immediately while maintaining the possibility of further recovery. (EconomicTimes) -Technology and Science- 1. Rig Tech: Meta AI tool calls Trump assassination attempt ‘fictional,’ offers details on Kamala Harris’ 2024 campaign: Through false labels, confused artificial intelligence and strange search results, Big Tech has been suppressing coverage of the assassination attempt against Donald Trump, The Post has found. Meta AI, Googgle, and Facebook are all suppressing information related to the assassination attempt on Trump. (NYPost) -Bitcoin Community- 1. DEX market share surges to record high, outpacing centralized exchanges: The monthly trade volume of DEXs relative to CEXs is already at its highest ever, at 14.22%. The previous record high occurred in May 2023 at 13.7%. Uniswap is the largest DEX by total value locked (TVL) at $5.585 billion. Curve Finance maintains a $2.029 billion TVL, followed by PancakeSwap’s $1.825 billion and Raydium’s $1.259 billion. (TheBlock) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 67/100 (Down 7 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: 854,488 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 29Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: French Internet Cables Cut / Wagner Mercs Ambushed in Mali / Venezuela's Maduro Claims Victory, Populace Seethes / Yellen Wants $3T Per Year for Climate / Wildfires in CA Abound / Trump Pledges Bitcoin Reserve, To Fire Gensler / Sen Lummis Intros Bill for Bitcoin National Reserve / Hong Kong Considers Bitcoin Reserve / Generative AI Used for Cloud Security / Bitcoin Conference Highlights / Univ of Wyoming Launches Bitcoin Research Institute / Bitcoin "Game Theory" Begins to Play Out Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $69,629, 29.10 oz Gold, .16 Median US House 24hr Hi: $69,851 / Lo: $67,602 Vol: $24B (Down 33%) Mkt Cap: $1.37T (Up 3%) HashRate: 663 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 10 sats/vBtye (Up 220%) Nodes: 19,165 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. France: Telecom fiber optic networks sabotaged: Installations belonging to French telecom companies SFR and Bouygues Telecom were vandalized, while internet cables had been cut in southern France, with installations near Luxembourg and Paris sabotaged. Internet outage watchdog Netblocks said data showed disruptions to multiple internet providers in France. The news comes after saboteurs targeted France's high-speed rail network on Friday, over which a man was arrested on Sunday. (DW) 2. Dozens of Russian Mercenaries Killed in Attack in Mali: Tuareg rebels seeking autonomy in the West African country of Mali killed dozens of Russian mercenaries last week in what appeared to be one of the deadliest attacks on Russian personnel on the continent since Moscow first sent Wagner Group guns-for-hire there in 2017. After a pair of military coups in 2020 and 2021, Malian officers hired Wagner Group mercenaries to act as bodyguards for top junta members and conduct combat missions. (WSJ) 3. Venezuela’s Maduro and opposition are locked in standoff as both claim victory in presidential vote: Several foreign governments, including the U.S., held off recognizing the results of Sunday’s election, and officials delayed the release of detailed vote tallies after proclaiming Maduro the winner with 51% of the vote, to 44% for retired diplomat Edmundo González. (AP) (AC- Mainstream news sources are not reporting the significance of this clouded election and the angst boiling over in Venezuela. The issue is trending on X where crowds are gathering and police and military are squaring off against protesters. Multiple election sites are giving reports of overwhelming votes for the opposition while Maduro claims victory. The potential for conflict over the issue his high as those without voice are feeling hopeless.) -US Events- 1. Yellen says $3 trillion is needed each year to fund climate transition: Yellen spoke in Belem, a Brazilian city known as the gateway to the Amazon, after meeting with G-20 finance ministers in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday and Friday. She said reaching net-zero carbon emissions goals remains a top priority for the Biden-Harris administration, but that doing so requires leadership from around the world. (Fox) 2. California firefighters make progress as wildfires push devastation and spread smoke across US West: The so-called Park Fire, the largest wildfire in California this year, was one of more than 100 blazes burning in the U.S. on Sunday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Some were sparked by the weather, with climate change increasing the frequency of lightning strikes as the western U.S. endures blistering heat and bone-dry conditions. (AP) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Trump Pledges Strategic Bitcoin Reserve at Bitcoin 2024 Conference: Addressing a room full of Bitcoin enthusiasts, Trump’s declaration came after a week of rumors and reports about his Bitcoin plans, though his announcement remained somewhat vague. During his 45-minute keynote address, Trump promised to end what he described as the Democrats’ regulatory crackdown on cryptocurrency companies and holders. If elected, he vowed to transform the U.S. into a “Bitcoin superpower.” (Yahoo) 2. Sen. Cynthia Lummis announces bill for US Treasury to buy 1 million bitcoin worth $68 billion: Senator Cynthia Lummis, of Wyoming, will introduce a bill to direct the U.S. Treasury to purchase 1 million bitcoins — worth about $68 billion at current prices — over a period of five years next week, she said in an interview with The Block. The move is made to counter the effects of dollar debasement, she said. So it would be of value, in my opinion, to have a hard asset that backs the U.S. dollar and that grows in value instead of declines in value,” the Senator added. (TheBlock) 3. Hong Kong’s Bitcoin Ambitions: Lawmaker To Discuss Reserve Opportunities With Industry Players: With Bitcoin gaining traction to become a potential strategic reserve asset in the United States, it appears other pro-crypto countries might be considering adopting this significant move as Johnny Ng, a lawmaker in Hong Kong, has revealed his intention to discuss the feasibility and potential advantages of including BTC to the nation’s financial reserve. (Bitcoinist) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- NSTR -Economic Indicators- 1. Bitcoin Heads Toward $70K on Trump Push: Bitcoin climbed toward $70,000 on Monday, potentially hitting the key level for the first time in six weeks after US presidential candidate Donald Trump doubled down on his support for crypto. (TradingEconomics) 2. PCE Prices Edge Up 0.1%, Core Rise at a Faster 0.2%: The personal consumption expenditure price index in the US edged up 0.1% month-over-month in June 2024, following a flat reading in May, in line with forecasts. (TradingEconomics) 3. US 10-Year Yield Slips on Dovish Fed Bets: The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell below 4.2%, sliding back toward its lowest levels since March as investors geared up for the latest Federal Reserve policy decision this week. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. 'Stargazer Goblin' Creates 3,000 Fake GitHub Accounts for Malware Spread: A threat actor known as Stargazer Goblin has set up a network of inauthentic GitHub accounts to fuel a Distribution-as-a-Service (DaaS) that propagates a variety of information-stealing malware and netting them $100,000 in illicit profits over the past year. (HackerNews) (AC-Always double-check downloads!) -Technology and Science- 1. Generative AI Ignites the Revolution of Cloud Security: Generative AI has many aspects that involve the detection of threats, response to an incident, and proactive defense. Generative AI can be a proactive way of identifying threats. It can recognize subtle irregularities and novel patterns and learn from large data quantities indicating malicious activities. This makes it possible for organizations to notice threats earlier and respond to them before causing much harm. (TechTimes) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Conference: Here are The Major Highlights From The Event: Trump highlighted his potential crypto-related policies, all in a bid to woo crypto voters. Part of his plan is to fire SEC Chair Gary Gensler on his first day in office. Similarly, Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., outlined his plans for the US should he win the elections. One of which is to transform how the US perceives Bitcoin (BTC). On his first day in office, RFK said he will sign multiple executive orders aimed at integrating BTC into the U.S. economic strategy. During the Bitcoin Conference, global financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald revealed the launch of a Bitcoin financing division to give leverage to investors who hold the asset. Michael Saylor also said Bitoin should get set for a bull run. He shared his prediction for Bitcoin price, including forecasting that its annual growth rate might slow from 55% to 20% by 2045. Ultimately, it would drive the value of the coin to a staggering $13 million per unit. (CoinGape) 2. University of Wyoming Launches First Bitcoin Research Institute: The University of Wyoming (UW) has established the UW Bitcoin Research Institute, marking the first academic institute dedicated to Bitcoin studies. The institute aims to elevate the quality and impact of Bitcoin research by creating faculty positions for Bitcoin research, incentivizing and rewarding good academic research on Bitcoin, encouraging young scholars to pursue Bitcoin research projects, and providing workshops on related papers and books. (BitcoinMag) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 74/100 (Up 3 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): The long-anticipated beginning of "game theory" seems to be revealing itself in real-time. As US candidates and lawmakers announce plans for a bitcoin national reserve, other jurisdictions like Hong Kong are starting to do the same. The fundamental principle of bitcoin game theory is that the limited number of bitcoin issued can only be acquired by the first and strongest movers. There are certainly other nations accumulating bitcoin clandestinely if they have an understanding of the power dynamic involved. The race to acquire the scarce asset will have untold effects on nation-states, organizations and burgeoning "network-states". We are certainly entering a period of uncertainty (and opportunity) for those of us in bitcoin. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

Flying the BV flag behind @ODELL at the @The Bitcoin Conference

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 854,028 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 26Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: France's Trains Sabotaged Before Olympics Opening / Rockets Fired at US Troops in Al Asad / Sinaloa Cartel Chiefs Arrested / Netanyahu Speech To Congress Divides / Obama Endorses Harris / FBI Director Doubts Trump Bullet Wound / RFJ Holds Most Wealth In Bitcoin / Sen Marshall Backs Out of AML Bill / Sen Warren Doubles Down / Brazil To Push Super-App with CBDC / Jersey City to Invest in BTC / OpenAI Takes on Google Search / Day 1 of Bitcoin2024 Has Big Headliners Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $67,304, 28.34 oz Gold, .16 Median US House 24hr Hi: $67,466 / Lo: $63,473 Vol: $34B (Down 2%) Mkt Cap: $1.33T (Up 5%) HashRate: 723 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 4 sats/vBtye (Down 68%) Nodes: 16,817 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. France’s train network hit by arson attacks hours before Olympic ceremony: Saboteurs struck France's TGV high-speed train network in a series of pre-dawn attacks that caused chaos on the country's busiest rail lines ahead of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday. The coordinated sabotage took place as France rolled out an unprecedented peacetime security operation involving tens of thousands of police and soldiers to lockdown the capital for the Games, sucking in security resources from across the country. (Reuters) 2. Rockets launched at US forces stationed at Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq: Four Katyusha rockets were launched at Iraq’s Ain al-Asad airbase that houses US-led coalition forces late on Thursday, two security sources said, with no immediate confirmation of any casualties or damage. (AlArabiya) 3. Sinaloa Cartel Supreme Leaders Arrested in El Paso — Boss El Mayo, and El Chapo’s Son: The man known as El Mayo was the leader of a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel and was considered the supreme boss of the organization. Guzman Lopez was considered the eldest heir of the Chapitos faction, which was previously run by his father El Chapo. (Breitbart) -US Events- 1. Netanyahu's speech was cheered in Congress, decried by hostage families back home: Netanyahu railed against Hamas and Iran in his Wednesday address, and he said Israel would not settle for anything less than “total victory” in its offensive in Gaza, which he said “could end tomorrow if Hamas surrenders, disarms and returns all the hostages.” Shortly after the prime minister's defiant speech, the Israeli military said the bodies of five hostages had been recovered in Gaza: those of teacher Maya Goren and four soldiers. (NBC) 2. Obama Endorses Harris, as Trump Prepares to Meet With Netanyahu: Former President Barack Obama was the most prominent Democrat to have held out on endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. Former President Donald J. Trump is set to meet with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Florida on Friday. (NYT) 3. FBI Director Not Convinced Trump Is Telling the Truth on Bullet Injury: FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that it’s not clear whether Donald Trump was hit by a bullet. Appearing before the House Judiciary Committee, Wray testified about the agency’s investigation into the attempted assassination, expressing uncertainty about the nature of the injury Trump suffered to his ear. (NewRepublic) (AC: When the head of the FBI testifies before Congress and will not admit to an observable, provable fact then you know 5GW narrative warfare is in action against truth.) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. U.S. Presidential Candidate RFK Jr. Says He's 'Fully Committed' to Bitcoin: Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doubled down on his support for bitcoin at the BTC 2024 conference in Nashville. "I am a huge supporter of Bitcoin. I have most of my wealth in Bitcoin," he said. I am fully committed." Kennedy, a libertarian-leaning candidate, took aim at the Federal Reserve, saying the central bank had the interest of bankers, not the general public, at heart. (CoinDesk) 2. Republican Senator Roger Marshall Backs Out of Controversial Crypto Bill: Republican Senator Roger Marshall has withdrawn his support for the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act (DAAMLA), an anti-crypto bill he co-authored with Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren. (CryptoNews) (AC: Grassroots political pressure and general Republican acceptance of Bitcoin has led to a weakening of opposition as seen by Marshall's retreat.) 3. Elizabeth Warren Says Foreign Adversaries Use 'Cryptomines' to Spy on U.S. Military: In the hearing, Warren claimed that "one third of crypto mining facilities in the U.S. are owned by citizens of the People's Republic of China, including people with direct ties to the Chinese government," seemingly citing a March 2024 report by Inca Digital. (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Brazil’s Central Bank to Launch AI-Integrated Super App Featuring CBDC by 2025: The initiative will integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and the nation’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), known as “Drex.”. Specifically, it plans to incorporate instant payment methods like Pix and leverage AI technologies similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. (BeInCrypto) (AC: What could go wrong?) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Jersey City to Invest in Bitcoin ETFs, the Latest Pension to Dive Into Crypto: The municipal pension plan of Jersey City, New Jersey, will soon invest in bitcoin via exchange-traded funds, according to a Thursday social media post from Mayor Steven Fulop. (CoinDesk) -Economic Indicators- 1. Dollar Steadies Ahead of PCE Inflation Data: The dollar index steadied around 104.3 on Friday after facing heightened volatility in recent sessions, as traders braced for the latest PCE price index report, which is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Stocks Gain Traction: US stocks gained traction on Thursday afternoon, trimming losses from yesterday’s selloff that saw the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq book their worst sessions since 2022 after skepticism over the sustainability of the AI-driven rally magnified the rotation to traditional sectors of the US economy. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. U.S. DoJ Indicts North Korean Hacker for Ransomware Attacks on Hospitals: "Rim Jong Hyok and his co-conspirators deployed ransomware to extort U.S. hospitals and health care companies, then laundered the proceeds to help fund North Korea's illicit activities," said Paul Abbate, deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). "These unacceptable and unlawful actions placed innocent lives at risk." (HackerNews) -Technology and Science- 1. OpenAI officially takes on Google with SearchGPT: OpenAI announced that it's testing SearchGPT in a blog post on Thursday. It calls it a "temporary prototype" and only posts a waiting list for access. It will accept natural language queries, which is not unlike Google, but unlike the world's most popular search engine, SearchGPT will accept follow-up queries. (TechRadar) 2. Brazil Sees Elon Musk’s Starlink as a Political Threat: Starlink is growing fast in the country’s Amazon and farming regions, bastions of support for former President Jair Bolsonaro, in opposition to current leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. (WSJ) (AC: Technology is against proving to be a powerful force against tyranny.) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin 2024: Politics takes center stage in Nashville: The Bitcoin 2024 conference kicked off on July 25 in Nashville, Tennessee, with high-profile speakers, including Donald Trump, Michael Saylor, Cathie Wood, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Russell Brand and Edward Snowden, set to draw record crowds. "2024 is year one of mainstream Bitcoin adoption" — Michael Saylor. (CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 68/100 (Down 1 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: 853,707 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 24Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Russian Intel Officer Bombed in Moscow / Netanyahu to Address Divided Congress / Secret Service Director Resigns / Trump Rallies in NC / TN Rep Files Impeachment Articles on VP Harris / Trump Files Complaint With FEC / Mt Gox Returns $3.2B Worth of BTC / Riot Mining Buys Block Mining Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $66,397, 27.50 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $67,359 / Lo: $65,484 Vol: $31B (Down 31%) Mkt Cap: $1.31T (Down 1%) HashRate: 653 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 19 sats/vBtye (Up 210%) Nodes: 18,802 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Russian military intel officer injured in car bomb as Kyiv hits Putin’s Crimea ferry: A Russian military intelligence officer has been critically injured in a car bomb explosion in Moscow. Kremlin-approved media reported that the officer, believed to be the deputy head of a military unit specialising in communication, was wounded after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated inside his car. The bombing comes as Ukrainian forces have “seriously damaged” a ferry in occupied Crimea which was being used by Russian forces to transport military equipment. (Independent) 2. Israel’s Netanyahu Confronts Altered Political Landscape in U.S.: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Wednesday drops one of the world’s most polarizing politicians into the middle of an unprecedented U.S. political shake-up, a risky combination as he tries to win support from both parties for his country and its war. (WSJ) -US Events- 1. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns: The move comes as lawmakers and an internal government watchdog move forward with investigations into the agency’s handling of Trump’s protection and how a gunman came close to the killing the 2024 Republican presidential candidate at a rally in Pennsylvania this month. Deputy Director Ronald Rowe has been tapped to lead the agency. (CNN) 2.Trump takes fight against Harris to North Carolina rally: Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, will hold his first campaign rally since Harris emerged as his near-certain Democratic foe in the 2024 election. The former president will appear at an event in Charlotte, North Carolina, a state that will be an important battleground in the Nov. 5 election. (Reuters) 3. Tennessee Republican files articles of impeachment against VP Harris: Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) filed articles of impeachment against Vice President Harris on Tuesday. The filing expands on previously introduced articles that target Harris’s record on immigration, a GOP rallying cry against the vice president. He added a second article in the new filing, which claims Harris covered up President Biden’s mental well-being, constituting a “breach of public trust.” (TheHill) 4. Trump Campaign Files Complaint over Transfer of Biden Campaign Funds to Harris: Former President Donald Trump’s campaign filed the complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), claiming that the $96 million that sat in the Biden campaign’s account that was transferred to Harris is a violation, according to Bloomberg News. (Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Kamala Harris is catching up on crypto as she runs against Donald Trump: Entrepreneur and Bitcoin enthusiast Mark Cuban stated in an interview with Decrypt that the Harris camp had contacted him with questions about crypto. (Quartz) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Russian Lawmaker: Our CBDC Won’t Be Cross-border Ready Until 2026: Per the state news agency TASS, Anatoly Aksakov, the Chairman of the State Duma’s Committee on the Financial Markets, said that “Russians will be able to make payments abroad with digital rubles in two years at the earliest.” (CryptoNews) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Mt. Gox sees $3.2B BTC in outflows in just two hours: Mt. Gox again began shifting funds on July 23, moving over 47,500 Bitcoin worth almost $3.2 billion to two unknown addresses at 5:05 am and 6:27 am UTC. On July 22, Mt. Gox began preparing to repay creditors through Bitstamp, according to onchain fund holding movements. With the latest $3.2 billion in BTC shifted out of the Mt. Gox address, the tally amounts to over $12 billion sent out since July 16 to distributing entities helping return funds to creditors. (CoinTelegraph) 2. Musk evaluates possible Tesla $5 billion xAI funding amid its steady Bitcoin reserves: Elon Musk appears to be considering whether his Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing company, Tesla, should invest $5 billion in his artificial intelligence (AI) startup, xAI. In a parallel development, the earnings call also revealed that Tesla’s Bitcoin holdings remained unchanged for the eighth consecutive quarter, with no purchases or sales between April and June 2024. Tesla owns $184M worth of Bitcoin. (CryptoSlate) -Economic Indicators- 1. Mortgage Rates at Over 5-Month Low: The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages declined by 5bps to 6.82% in the week ended July 19th, 2024, from 6.87% in the previous period. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. CrowdStrike Explains Friday Incident Crashing Millions of Windows Devices: Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on Wednesday blamed an issue in its validation system for causing millions of Windows devices to crash as part of a widespread outage late last week. (HackerNews) -Technology and Science- 1. In a seafloor surprise, metal-rich chunks may generate deep-sea oxygen: In an unexpected twist, metal-rich nodules found on the seafloor are generating oxygen, new research suggests. This meager but steady supply of the vital gas may help support seafloor ecosystems in areas currently targeted for deep-sea mining, scientists say. These nodules can act like batteries that split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen. (ScienceNews) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Miner Riot Scoops Small Kentucky Rival for $92 Million as Sector Sags: Riot Platforms said Tuesday it had acquired Kentucky-based Block Mining for $92.5 million, as headwinds faced by smaller Bitcoin miners continue to pose challenges for the sector. (Decrypt) 2. Ferrari to Extend Cryptocurrency Payments to Europe: The Italy-based luxury sports car manufacturer began accepting crypto in the U.S. last October, in partnership with BitPay. Bitcoin {{BTC}}, ether {{ETH}} and USD coin {{USDC}} were the tokens accepted. Ferrari is now extending the program to Europe "to support dealers in better addressing the evolving needs of its clients," (CoinDesk) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 69/100 (Down 1 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: 853,558 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 23Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Red Sea Boils / China, Philippines Reach Agreement / Ukraine Foreign Minister Visits China / Secret Service Under Heavy Fire / Netanyahu Snubbed, Will Speak to Congress / MARA Fined $138M / Is Bitcoin as Reserve Asset Possible? / ETH ETFs Start Trading / BTC Miners Struggling Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $66,601, 27.58 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $68,267 / Lo: $66,292 Vol: $45B (Up 45%) Mkt Cap: $1.31T (Down 1%) HashRate: 746 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 6 sats/vBtye (Up 43%) Nodes: 7,410 (*Anomaly: Detected nodes have dropped the past two weeks from an average of 19K to below 10K) ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Red Sea tensions reach new high as US weighs terrorist designation for Houthis: Israel's strike on Yemen's port of Hodeidah on Saturday killed three and injured 87, in a fighter jet assault over 1,000 miles away from Tel Aviv. Israel says it was a response to a Houthi drone attack Friday that killed one person in Tel Aviv. Tallies of reporting from U.S. Central Command count 14 missiles and nearly 60 drones fired by the Houthis and destroyed by the U.S. Navy in June alone, which by some assessments has made the sea combat the United States' most sustained naval fight since World War II. "There's more and more talk now about a designation under the [Foreign Terrorist Organization], which would level the Houthis with al-Qaeda affiliates and Hamas. (ABC) 2. China, Philippines agree on 'provisional arrangement' for South China Sea resupply missions, Manila says: "Both sides continue to recognize the need to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and manage differences through dialogue and consultation and agree that the agreement will not prejudice each other’s positions in the South China Sea," the Dept of Foreign Affairs in Manila said. (Reuters) 3. Ukraine's FM Kuleba to visit China: China has announced that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will visit China from Tuesday to Friday, the first such trip since the Ukraine conflict broke out in 2022. According to Ukraine's foreign ministry, the main topic of discussion would be the search for ways to end the conflict and China's possible role in achieving sustainable and just peace. (ChinaDaily) (AC-An unexpected twist as China has supported Russia since the conflict began.) -US Events- 1. Secret Service Director’s Testimony Sparks Bipartisan Calls for Her Resignation: Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle offered lawmakers few answers Monday about how a 20-year-old gunman was able to open fire on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, fueling bipartisan anger and widespread calls for her resignation in the wake of what she acknowledged was a colossal security lapse. (WSJ) 2. Netanyahu trip will put US divisions on display: Boycotts from Democratic lawmakers and pro-Palestinian activists against Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday will contrast with a Republican Party united on a rare area of solidarity. With Biden’s decision to not seek reelection, all eyes will be on Vice President Harris for how she handles meetings with Netanyahu. Harris is not expected to attend Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, in a sign welcomed by advocates for a tougher U.S. policy toward Israel. (TheHill) (AC-Meanwhile, Netanyahu landed in DC without Biden, Harris or Blinken there to meet him, seen as a diplomatic snub.-Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Marathon Digital Fined $138 Million for Breaching US Bitcoin Corp and Hut 8 Non-Disclosure Agreement: Marathon Digital, the largest Bitcoin mining company, has been fined $138 million for breaching a non-disclosure agreement. Michael Ho, former co-founder of US Bitcoin Corp, won a breach of contract lawsuit against Marathon Digital for executing his growth strategy without compensating him. (CoinTelegraph) 2. Will Trump endorse bitcoin as strategic reserve asset?: The excitement centers around a tweet from Dennis Porter suggesting that Trump might announce bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset. Melker emphasized the potential for a historic shift. He noted that the U.S. government already holds a substantial amount of bitcoin from past confiscations, such as from Silk Road. Transferring these holdings to the treasury could effectively position bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset. If Trump makes this announcement, it would not only make international headlines but also compel other central banks to reconsider their stance on bitcoin. (TheStreet) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. Ethereum ETFs Approved: Trading Begins July 23, 2024: Spot Ethereum ETFs launch July 23, 2024, after SEC approval, allowing traditional investment in the second-largest crypto, with expected lower demand than Bitcoin ETFs. (Blockononmi) (AC-There is no second best) -Economic Indicators- 1. Dollar, Treasuries and Futures Steady as Traders Mull US Political Outlook: The dollar index steadied around 104.2 on Tuesday as investors continued to assess the US political landscape in the wake of President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. EU Rules Blamed for Global IT Catastrophe Triggered by Faulty CrowdStrike Update: At the heart of the crisis lies CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm whose Falcon system, designed to thwart cyberattacks, holds privileged access to a computer's kernel. Microsoft has pinned the blame on EU regulations. A 2009 agreement stemming from a competition investigation forced the tech giant to allow multiple security providers, including CrowdStrike, kernel-level access. The confluence of a faulty update, widespread reliance on CrowdStrike's software, and Microsoft's regulatory obligations created a perfect storm. (TechTimes) -Technology- 1. NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Swan Bitcoin capitulates, BTC miners shrink, consolidation grows, fears mount: Cory Klippsten, CEO of the California-based Swan Bitcoin financial services firm, announced that his company “is unlikely to continue with our Managed Mining business in the near term.” Klippsten added, “ without the expectation of significant near-term revenue from our Managed Mining unit, we are pulling our plans to IPO in the near future.” Since the scheduled ‘halving’ of the block subsidy this spring, the economics of BTC mining no longer add up. Even as the BTC token’s fiat value has recovered much of the losses it endured over the past couple of months, it’s still not always high enough to cover the huge electricity costs of successfully mining a BTC block. -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 71/100 (Up 1 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Rumors of Trump announcing Bitcoin as a strategic asset reserve are swirling, but is it as significant news as thought? The USG already owns 213K BTC, or $14B worth of BTC, which is not much compared to what would be needed as a reserve asset. There is no current law or requirement that says a reserve asset must be used, kept or distributed in any sort of way in order to 'backstop' the US dollar. The act would be as 'fiat' as saying the assets are held but how does that relate to the US currency? Would it really slow down the dollar debasement? There are just too many questions, legal conflicts and agendas to put much stock in the reality of backing the US dollar with bitcoin in the near future. Short term, it would certainly be bullish for BTC price and could set off buying competition, but significant changes would need to occur for it to become a reserve asset in the USA. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

LETS GO!!! GET ON NOSTR, GET TO NASHVILLE, AND GET ON THE MISSION View quoted note →

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 853,370 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 22Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Biden Drops Out of Race / Israel Strikes Back at Yemen / Vietnam's Communist Leader Dies / Ukraine Launches Drone Attack / VP Harris Gets Ready for Presidential Campaign / Bitcoiners Prepare for Significant Week / Seven US States Challenge SEC Over Crypto / CashApp to Depart UK / Airports Still in Disarray / Hackers Take Advantage of CrowdStrike Fail / Elon Laser Eyes Draw Speculation Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $67,600, 28.20 oz Gold, .16 Median US House 24hr Hi: $68,480 / Lo: $65,842 Vol: $32B (Up 76%) Mkt Cap: $1.33T (Up 1%) HashRate: 600 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 4 sats/vBtye (Down 33%) Nodes: 7,412 (*Anomaly: Detected nodes have dropped the past two weeks from an average of 19K to below 10K) ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. At least 6 killed as Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen day after Tel Aviv drone attack: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its fighter jets struck “military targets of the Houthi terrorist regime” in the area of Yemen’s Hodeidah Port on Saturday, in what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was a direct response to the death of a 50-year-old Israeli in a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv on Friday. This is the first time Israel has struck Yemen, according to Israeli officials. (CNN) (AC-This is a major expansion in war for Israel. They are now fighting Iranian proxies on three fronts; Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and now Houthis in Yemen.) 2. Death of Vietnam’s Top Leader Raises Questions of Succession: With the death Friday of Vietnam’s long-serving Communist Party general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong, the country’s top leadership role has been left at least temporarily to President To Lam, who is best known for implementing a sweeping anticorruption drive. Whether he will retain the duties of general secretary on a more permanent basis depends on the Politburo, which is expected to decide whether to confirm his new role. Vietnam analysts said it was unlikely that the death of Mr. Trong would lead to any changes in foreign policy or trade relations, as Vietnam will continue balancing its relations with the United States, China and Russia. (NYT) 3. Ukrainian Drone Attack Sets Oil Refinery Ablaze, Russian Officials Say: Russia's military said early Monday that its forces had downed 75 Ukrainian drones overnight, with regional authorities reporting that falling debris set fire to a major oil refinery on the Black Sea coast. Rostov region Governor Vasily Golubev said no one was injured during an overnight wave of attempted drone strikes in his region, but added that falling debris had caused some fires. (MoscowTimes) -US Events- 1. World leaders react to Biden’s exit from the 2024 US presidential race: Messages of gratitude and support for US President Joe Biden poured in following his stunning announcement Sunday that he is exiting the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the next Democratic nominee. It was the second seismic moment in US politics in just over a week, following the assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13, which saw global leaders rally around him as the Republican nominee. One Weibo (Social Media in China) user remarked, “that one shot didn’t kill Trump but dropped Biden,” while another described the political situation in the US as “a total mess". (CNN) 2. Harris races to lock up White House bid, Trump campaign pivots: Harris, 59, was due to speak at the White House at 11:30 a.m. ET (1530 GMT) on Monday. Harris spent Sunday working the phones as she spoke with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a potential vice presidential running mate. Harris' campaign had raised $49.6 million since Biden's exit, a campaign spokesperson said on Monday.(Reuters) 3. Janet Napolitano joining review of Secret Service response to Trump shooting: Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday named one of his predecessors, Janet Napolitano, to a bipartisan panel of experts tasked with conducting a 45-day independent review of the attempted assassination of former President Trump. The panel is charged with conducting a review “of the planning for and actions taken by the U.S. Secret Service and state and local authorities before, during, and after the rally, and the U.S. Secret Service governing policies and procedures,” according to a DHS press release. (TheHill) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Bitcoin Traders Brace for 'Fat Tails' as Focus Shifts to Trump's Nashville Bitcoin Conference Speech: "This week we’re going to hear Trump speak at the Nashville Bitcoin conference. As long as Trump remains a front-runner, this is a potential catalyst for "something to happen” this week. The derivative markets seem to agree, and we’re seeing pricing support the “something is about to happen” narrative." (CoinDesk) 2. 7 US States Unite to Challenge SEC's Crypto Overreach: Iowa announced earlier this month that Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird led a seven-state coalition in filing an amicus brief opposing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) attempt to regulate cryptocurrencies. The amicus brief, supported by Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, was filed on July 10 to challenge the SEC’s overreach. “Congress never gave the SEC power to regulate cryptocurrency, and there is no accountability to ensure the actions the SEC takes are legitimate and necessary,” the Iowa Attorney General’s Office stressed. (BitcoinCom) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Kazakhstan pays for rail line to China using programmable CBDC: “During the pilot launch of the digital tenge platform, the money allocated to finance the project was marked. The marked digital tenge is paid only to organisations that have fully fulfilled the required obligations.” (CoinTelegraph) (AC-The programmable facet of CBDCs are coherent with tyrannical governance.) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Cash App Announces Exit from UK Market to Concentrate on US Growth: Cash App, the popular mobile payment service owned by Jack Dorsey’s Block (formerly Square), has announced its decision to cease operations in the United Kingdom. For Block, this move represents a strategic refocusing of resources. By concentrating on its home market, the company aims to deepen its penetration and expand its service offerings to American users. (Blockonomi) -Economic Indicators- 1. Treasury Yields Fall Slightly: The yield on the 10-year Treasury note steadied edged lower to 4.22% on Monday after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Futures Rise as Biden Drops Out of 2024 Race: US stock futures rose on Monday after President Joe Biden announced that he will not seek reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Nominee. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Flight Cancellations Caused by Tech Outage Continue Through Weekend: Travelers confronted a third day of flight snarls and long waits at U.S. airports Sunday, as many monitors still displayed the telltale blue screens of the technology-fueled meltdown that began Friday. This weekend has been one of the worst for travel this year. More than 1,700 U.S. flights were canceled Sunday, adding to the roughly 5,500 that were called off Friday and Saturday. Businesses in many other industries whose Microsoft Windows-based machines melted down due to the buggy update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike recovered by the end of the day Friday. But the continuing cascade of flight cancellations speaks to the airline industry’s heavy reliance on interconnected technology systems and its fragility when things go awry. (WSJ) 2. Cybercriminals Exploit CrowdStrike Update Mishap to Distribute Remcos RAT Malware: The attack chains involve distributing a ZIP archive file named "crowdstrike-hotfix.zip," which contains a malware loader named Hijack Loader (aka DOILoader or IDAT Loader) that, in turn, launches the Remcos RAT payload. (HackerNews) -Technology- 1. NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Is Unaffected by Global CrowdStrike Outages: A faulty software update from cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike caused widespread computer outages, affecting major systems such as government offices, banks, and airlines. However, Bitcoin remained unaffected due to its decentralized nature and independence from centralized providers. (Decrypt) 2. Elon Musk Sports Bitcoin Laser-Eyes: Joining Trump At BTC 2024?: In a move that has ignited fervent discussion across the Bitcoin community, Tesla CEO Elon Musk updated his profile picture on X (formerly Twitter) to feature the notable “laser eyes,” a meme symbolizing bullish sentiment towards BTC. This change occurred just days before the Bitcoin 2024 conference scheduled in Nashville from July 25-27, where prominent figures, including US presidential candidate Donald Trump, are slated to speak. (Bitcoinist) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 70/100 (Up 10 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): "May you live in interesting times" has meaning this week. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

The first wave of Bitcoin Veterans is landing in Nashville today ITS ABOUT TO GO DOWN!!

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 852,881 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 19Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Global IT Outage Attributed to CrowdStrike Driver / Houthis Strike Tel Aviv With Long Range Drone / More Nations Join BRICS / Trump Accepts GOP Nomination / Rumors Increase of Biden Dropping Out / Winklevii Donate To Unseat Sen Warren / Putin Pushes CBDC / Trump Using Bitcoin2024 for Raising $USD Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $64,830, 26.64 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $65,104 / Lo: $63,237 Vol: $28B (Up 1%) Mkt Cap: $1.27T (Down 1%) HashRate: 578 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 6 sats/vBtye (Down 65%) Nodes: 7,912 (*Anomaly: Detected nodes have dropped this week from an average of 19K to below 10K) ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Yemen's Houthis claim drone strike on Tel Aviv that Israeli military says killed 1 and wounded 8 people: Israeli officials said later Friday morning that the blast was caused by a drone fired from Yemen, and that one man in his 50s was killed by shrapnel that tore into his home and at least eight other people were wounded. The Houthis said the strike used a "new drone called 'Yafa', which is capable of bypassing the enemy's interception systems," without providing any further detail. The explosion caused by the drone was very near the U.S. consulate in Tel Aviv, but it remained unclear whether that was the target. There were no U.S. casualties reported. (CBS) (AC-This is a major expansion from the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and likely to become a third front in the Israeli war against Iranian proxies. First Hamas in Gaza, then Hezbollah in Lebanon and now the Houthi in Yemen. The three fronts will certainly tax IDF resources.) 2. More nations interested in joining BRICS: Last month, Zimbabwe announced its interest in joining the BRICS grouping for an opportunity to access new markets and investment opportunities as well as grow its economy. Just like Zimbabwe, some other developing countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS recently. In January, the grouping welcomed five more countries, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Iran and Ethiopia, expanding to a 10-member organization. Paul Frimpong, founder and executive director of the Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory, said more than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, indicating the attractiveness of the bloc. (ChinaDaily) (AC-Propaganda from China at some level, but there is also truth in the message. The rise of BRICS, in opposition to US global power, is real and a significant geopolitical shift.) -US Events- 1. Top Democrats Prepare for Campaign Without Biden: People close to top Democrats said Thursday that it now appeared it was a matter of when—not if—Biden bows out of the presidential race. Biden was holed up at his Delaware vacation home on Thursday after testing positive for Covid-19 the previous day. His frail appearance upon returning to Delaware and several stumbles in interviews earlier in the week sparked fresh concerns that he lacks the stamina and acuity to remain in the race and serve another term. Biden was on a course of Paxlovid to treat his Covid and experiencing mild upper respiratory symptoms, according to a letter from his doctor. (WSJ) 2. Trump Accepts GOP Presidential Nomination: Donald Trump accepted the nomination for his party for the third time at the RNC, ahead of his post-convention rally with JD Vance in Michigan on Saturday. A gripping opening to Trump’s acceptance speech gave way to well-trod territory on the economy, immigration and crime. (WSJ)(AC-It was almost impossible to find a neutral report on this event as they were either glowing or hateful of the speech across all media outlets. -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Winklevoss Twins Donate $1 Million in Bitcoin to Unseat Elizabeth Warren: To unseat Warren, the pair donated $1 million in Bitcoin — 8 BTC each — to the campaign of pro-crypto Republican challenger John Deaton. “When it comes to crypto, she is public enemy number one,” Tyler Winklevoss wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday. “She’s the chief architect and driver of the Biden Administration’s war on crypto.” (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Putin Calls to 'Seize the Moment' to Kickstart Digital Ruble and Crypto Adoption In Russia: President Vladimir Putin declared it was time for Russia to create the environment needed to increase the adoption of digital assets and the Russian CBDC, the digital ruble, as part of the country’s economic tissue. He also reported that over 30,000 transactions have been made in the pilot test phase of the digital ruble, with over 7,000 constituting payments for goods and services. (BitcoinCom) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Grayscale Launches Decentralized AI Crypto Fund: Grayscale has launched the Decentralized AI Fund LLC, focusing on leading crypto AI tokens. (BitcoinSensus) (AC- The next 'crypto' phase will include 'AI' in substance or name only.) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Futures Lower, Tech Under Pressure From Outage: US futures were lower on Friday, with the three major averages losing nearly 0.2%, as the megacap tech sector was again under heavy pressure after a global IT outage disrupted activities in several sectors including airlines. (TradingEconomics) 2. US 10-Year Yield Rises as Fed Outlook Mulled: The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose above 4.2% on Friday, rebounding slightly from four-month lows as investors reassessed the outlook for US monetary policy in light of the latest economic data and central bank commentary. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Global tech outage live updates: Flights grounded and offices hit as internet users face disruptions: A widespread technology outage grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air on Friday in a massive disruption that affected companies and services around the world and highlighted dependence on software from a handful of providers. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said that the issue believed to be behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack. Escalating disruptions continued hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. News outlets in Australia reported that airlines, telecommunications providers and banks, and media broadcasters were disrupted as they lost access to computer systems. Some New Zealand banks said they were also offline. (AP) 2. CrowdStrike Windows Outage—What Happened And What To Do Next: There is a workaround, he added. 1. Boot Windows into Safe Mode or WRE. 2. Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike 3. Locate and delete file matching "C-00000291*.sys" 4. Boot normally. (Forbes) -Technology- 1. NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Trump Bitcoin Conference Roundtable Seats Are Going for $844,600: While in town for the Bitcoin conference, former president Donald Trump will be hosting a private fundraising round table. A single seat at the roundtable will cost $844,600. And a picture with the former president is priced at $60,000, according to the WinRed website. (Decrypt) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 60/100 (Down 1 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): "Linux" is trending on X for a reason. Big Tech is not your friend. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 852,737 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 18Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Kenya Bans Protests / Venezuela Arrests Opposition Staffers Before Election / China Wants to Go High-Tech / Trump Speech At RNC Tonight / Biden Contracts Covid / US Senators Question USSS Failure / Did a Company Buy Large Number of Puts Before Trump Shooting? / Dimon as Possible Trump US Treasury Secretary Pick / Swedes Say POW is Unacceptable for CBDC / BTC ETFs Continue Inflows / Mt Gox Targeted by Hackers / Indian Crypto Exchange Hacked for $230M / 50% of Mt Gox Customers Won't Sell Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $64,830, 26.28 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $65,366 / Lo: $63,896 Vol: $28B (Down 26%) Mkt Cap: $1.28T (Even) HashRate: 499 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 15 sats/vBtye (Up 210%) Nodes: 7,761 (*Anomaly: Detected nodes have dropped this week from an average of 19K to below 10K) ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Kenya police ban protests in the capital: The ban comes after a month of anti-government protests in which scores of people have been killed. More protests are planned for Thursday. The protests began against unpopular tax rises but after they were withdrawn have broadened out, including demands for President William Ruto to resign. The ban has sparked outrage online with some arguing that the police do not have such powers, as Kenyan law gives citizens the right to hold demonstrations. (BBC) 2. Venezuela arrests security chief for opposition leader days ahead of presidential vote: Officials in Venezuela arrested the head of security for the country’s top opposition leader on Wednesday, a little more than a week before President Nicolás Maduro faces a tough reelection. Former lawmaker and opposition powerhouse María Corina Machado said that Milciades Ávila was arrested on what she said were trumped up charges of violence against women. Machado said that at least eight people connected to the opposition campaign have been detained in recent days in four states across the country. (AP) (AC- Taking a tactic from other countries, Socialist Maduro is arresting as many people associated with his political opposition as possible just before an election in an effort to cement his power.) 3. China Communist Party policy meeting expected to endorse leader Xi’s high-tech vision for economy: The plenary meeting of the party’s Central Committee was held behind closed doors. But analysts expect a major focus to be on strategies for self-sufficient economic growth at a time when China faces tightening restrictions on access to Western advanced technology, such as leading-edge computer chips and artificial intelligence. (AsahiShimbun) -US Events- 1. Donald Trump to Rally GOP at RNC With Primetime Speech Tonight: Donald Trump is set to take the stage tonight to formally accept the Republican nomination for president for the third time, after winning back complete control of the party. (WSJ) 2. Joe Biden suffers fresh setback after Covid diagnosis halts president’s campaign: Mr Biden had to suddenly abandon his campaign stops in Las Vegas on Wednesday as news came through of his diagnosis while greeted customers at a Mexican restaurant in the city. Although Biden’s symptoms are said to be mild, it adds to the mounting pressure on the president to stand down from his campaign following calls by senior Democrats Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. (IndependentUK) 3. Blackburn, other lawmakers confront Secret Service director at RNC: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) posted on X: “It is appalling that the Secret Service Director refused to answer our questions. This is one of the greatest security failures in the history of the agency. She can run but she cannot hide. She is a failed leader and she needs to immediately step down from her position.” The senator’s office identified the other lawmakers who confronted the director as Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY), and James Lankford (R-OK), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND).(WKRN) 4. Investment Firm Denies Shorting Trump Media Stock Day Before Assassination Attempt: Investment firm Austin Private Wealth LLC has denied claims that it placed a massive put option on Trump Media & Technology Group stock the day before the assassination attempt, asserting that the filing was a “clerical error”. As writer and researcher Josh Walkos highlighted, it appeared as though the firm had “shorted 12,000,000 shares of $DJT via a put option. The filing date is July 12th, the day before the assassination attempt.” “Another interesting thing about the amendment filed on 7/16 is that it is the only one they have ever had. I searched and their first filing was on 2-12-2020,” wrote Walkos. Kyler Becker also noted that “Vanguard (Soros) and BlackRock are among the largest holders in Austin Private Wealth LLC.” (Modernity) (AC-"Austin Private Wealth LLC is trending on X as a crowdsourcing effort gains steam to uncover the large trade by the company to short $DJT shares a day before the assassination attempt. Although the report has a conspiratorial flavor, there are elements that raise suspicion and warrant more research.) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Bitcoin Critic Jamie Dimon Floated as Treasury Secretary by Trump: “He’s Changed His Tune”: Trump told Bloomberg that, if elected, he would tap JPMorgan chief executive Jamie Dimon to be the Secretary of Treasury. “Jamie Dimon was, you know, very negative and now all of a sudden he’s changed his tune a little bit,” Trump told Bloomberg, citing that the bank CEO has warmed up toward the novel asset class of cryptocurrencies, and more precisely, Bitcoin. (BitcoinSensus) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Swedish central bank concludes proof of work blockchains are unacceptable: Riksbank, the Swedish central bank, recently released a paper on the potential climate impact of retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) models. It concluded three things: that the energy usage of an e-krona would be similar to that of card payments, that after a certain point, more nodes lead to diminishing returns, and that proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchains and any kind with Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) are likely palatable, whereas proof-of-work (PoW) blockchains are out of the question. (CoinGeek) (AC-Fiat is palatable) -Institutional Concerns- 1. US Spot Bitcoin ETFs Clinch 9 Day Winning Streak of Inflows: U.S. spot exchange-traded funds for Bitcoin have experienced a nine-day winning streak of inflows, with total daily net inflows amounting to approximately $1.97 billion. (Decrypt) -Economic Indicators- 1. Dow Extends Record High, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Sink: U.S. stocks closed mixed on Wednesday amid a significant selloff in the chip sector and AI-related companies. The S&P 500 declined 1.4% and the Nasdaq 100 sank 2.8%, pulling back from recent record highs, with the latter marking its worst day since December 2022. This followed the Biden administration's threats to expand trade restrictions and impose tougher sanctions on firms selling technologies to China. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Mt. Gox Creditors Report Account Breach Attempts: In the last 24 hours, numerous Mt. Gox creditors have reported unauthorized login attempts on their accounts. According to posts on an insolvency subreddit, unknown hackers have been attempting to access the accounts of Mt. Gox creditors through brute-force attacks. Brute-force attacks involve systematically testing a multitude of passwords or keys until the correct one is found. Several Reddit users indicated that their two-factor authentication (2FA) likely prevented the intruders from fully accessing their accounts. (CoinGape) 2. Over $230 Million Lost In Indian Crypto Exchange WazirX Hack: Cyvers Alerts, a blockchain security firm that initially reported the attack, believes that the threat actors targeted the exchange’s Safe Multisig wallet by compromising the private keys used to upgrade it. The attackers then transferred 234.9 million worth of stolen crypto assets to a new address labeled “0x04b2” and converted them into Ethereum (ETH). The stolen assets, such as $PEPE, $GALA, and $USDT, were swiftly converted into Ethereum ($ETH) and other digital assets. (Techworm) -Technology- 1. Japan’s Pragmatic Path to an Antifragile Energy Infrastructure: Agile Energy X, led by CEO Kenji Tateiwa, is transforming Japan's energy infrastructure using Bitcoin mining. The core idea is to use variable renewable energy sources to power portable, distributed energy facilities. These facilities can flexibly create power demand, turning surplus energy into a valuable resource. Bitcoin mining stands out as one of the most effective demand response tools due to its unique flexibility. Tateiwa describes it as a process that converts power (MW) directly into digital value (MH: Hash value). (BitcoinNews) 2. Mycelium Networks: Pioneering Blockchain Technology in Northwest Arkansas: Mycelium Networks, a blockchain technology startup based in Fayetteville, has focused on enhancing mobile phone networks through cell signal arrays and collecting weather data from stations installed across Northwest Arkansas. The company, currently employing five staff members, aims to build interconnected networks enabled by blockchain technology. (CoinTrust) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Mt Gox News: Reddit Poll Shows Over 50% Creditors Won’t Sell Bitcoin: A new Reddit poll shows that over 50% of Mt Gox creditors will not sell repayment Bitcoin (BTC). As repayment moves go underway to distribute assets after a decade, creditors express delight in the development. (CoinGape) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 61/100 (Down 8 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: 852,608 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 17Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Poisoning In Bangkok Kills Six / ISIS Attack in Oman / Knifewielding Homeless Man Near RNC Killed By Cops / Biden Targets SCOTUS / USSS Director Takes 'Full Responsibility' / California Cuts Out Parents From Gender Issues / Musk Commits to Move Both SpaceX and X Out of CA / Bitcoin Basher Convicted of Bribery / BTC ETF Inflows High / Dow Up, UST Yields Down / BOJ Injects 2T Yen / Disney Hacked / Europeans Can Buy BTC Through Stripe Now Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $64,753, 26.18 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $66,066 / Lo: $63,155 Vol: $38B (Down 5%) Mkt Cap: $1.28T (Up 2%) HashRate: 618 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 4 sats/vBtye (Down 25%) Nodes: 8,722 (*Anomaly: Detected nodes have dropped this week from an average of 19K to below 10K) ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Cyanide poisoning likely killed six found dead in luxury hotel, including two US citizens: Six people, including two US citizens, who were found dead inside a luxury hotel room in central Bangkok likely drank from tea and coffee cups laced with cyanide following a dispute linked to bad investments, Thai police said Wednesday. Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Noppasin Poonsawat told reporters they believe one of the members of the group may have poisoned the five others. (CNN) 2. Islamic State claims responsibility for rare attack at Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Oman: The attack on Monday, which is unusual in the wealthy, Sunni Muslim-dominated Gulf states, raises fears that the Islamic State group may be trying to gain a foothold in new territory. "Three suicide attackers from the Islamic State attacked last night a gathering of Shi'ite (Muslims) while they were practicing their annual rituals at a temple in the Wadi al-Kabir district in the (Omani) capital," (Reuters) -US Events- 1. Knife-wielding man fatally shot by out-of-state officers near Milwaukee's Republican National Convention: Ohio police officers in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention shot and killed a man who was wielding two knives near the convention, Milwaukee's police chief said Tuesday. A cousin and others identified the man killed as 43-year-old Samuel Sharpe. Linda Sharpe said her cousin lived in a tent encampment across the street from King Park, where the shooting occurred. (CBS) 2. Biden set to announce support for major Supreme Court changes: President Biden is finalizing plans to endorse major changes to the Supreme Court in the coming weeks, including proposals for legislation to establish term limits for the justices and an enforceable ethics code, according to two people briefed on the plans. Term limits and an ethics code would be subject to congressional approval, which would face long odds in the Republican-controlled House and a slim Democratic majority in the Senate. Under current rules, passage in the Senate would require 60 votes. (WaPo) 3. Secret Service ‘solely responsible’ for implementation and execution of security at the Trump rally site, USSS director tells CNN: Director Kimberly Cheatle added that no assets from the agency were diverted from the rally that day, even though there were other events in the state on Saturday requiring agency protection. (CNN) 4. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bill banning schools from notifying parents of child's gender identity: AB 1955 has won praise from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups who say the ban will help protect transgender and gender-nonconforming students who live in unwelcoming households. The conservative group, the California Family Council, said the law violates parents' rights. AB 1955 also requires the state Department of Education to develop resources for families of LGBTQ+ students in grade 7 through high school. The law will take effect in January. (Fox) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Elon Musk to move SpaceX, X headquarters out of California over new law on children's gender identity: American billionaire Elon Musk announced Tuesday that he would move the headquarters of SpaceX and X out of California, one day after the state's Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that bans school rules requiring staff to disclose children's gender identity changes to their parents. "This is the final straw," Musk wrote on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter. "Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas." Soon after making the SpaceX announcement, Musk wrote another statement announcing that X would also be moved out of the Golden State, from San Francisco to Austin, Texas. (ChinaDaily) 2. U.S. Senator Who Called Bitcoin 'Ideal Choice for Criminals,' Convicted of Bribery: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (Dem) from New Jersey, a staunch crypto critic, was found guilty of accepting bribes, including gold bars and a luxury car, in exchange for his political clout by a jury on Tuesday. The development saw the crypto community point out the irony of a crypto critic who once alleged that bitcoin (BTC) "is an ideal choice for criminals" getting convicted as a criminal. (CoinDesk) 3. Judge grants Tornado Cash dev Roman Storm's request to delay trial over prosecutors' objections: Storm's defense attorneys had requested the trial delay due to the complexity of the case and the voluminous nature of the discovery, according to a court filing. (TheBlock) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. The Digital Yuan is a Disaster: The Chinese central bank has released the latest statistics regarding its CBDC pilot project. The cumulative transaction volume was a mere 6.6 billion yuan ($910 million) between January 1 and the end of May. This is a sevenfold increase compared to the previous year, but it remains a drop in the bucket compared to the 5,000 trillion yuan traded annually in China… Additionally, the number of downloaded “wallets” has dropped from 261 million in 2021 to 120 million in 2023. The CBDC is thus in its fifth year of testing. (CoinTribune) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Bitcoin ETF Inflows Hit Six-Week High of $422.5M: On Tuesday, the 11 funds recorded a cumulative net inflow of $422.5 million, the highest single-day tally since June 5, extending the seven-day winning run. These funds have collectively drawn in over $1 billion in just the last three days. (CoinDesk) -Economic Indicators- 1. Bitcoin Tops $65K as ETF Inflows Accelerate: Bitcoin climbed above $65,000, hitting its highest levels in nearly a month amid a resurgence in bullish sentiment toward cryptocurrencies. Data showed that the 11 US-based spot bitcoin ETFs saw daily net inflows of $422.67 million on July 16, marking the highest inflow since June 5 and extending the positive reading to eight straight days. (TradingEconomics) 2. Dow Closes at Fresh Record: On Tuesday, the S&P 500 gained 0.6%, and the Dow Jones surged 742 points, extending its record close for the second consecutive day with its strongest performance since June 2023. The Nasdaq 100 edged higher by 0.2% as investors shifted from large-cap to small-cap stocks. (TradingEconomics) 3. US 10-Year Yield Hovers at 4-Month Low: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note held around 4.17%, hovering at its lowest levels in four months amid firm expectations that the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates in September, with two more reductions seen before the end of the year. (TradingEconomics) 4. BOJ may have pumped 2 trillion yen in propping up currency: The government and the Bank of Japan may have intervened in the foreign exchange market twice last week to support the yen against the U.S. dollar, according to market estimates based on BOJ data. The yen surged sharply against the dollar overnight on July 11, and again the following night. (AsahiShimbun) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Internal Disney Communications Leaked Online After Hack: Data from Disney’s internal Slack workplace collaboration system have been leaked online, including discussions about ad campaigns, studio technology and interview candidates. An anonymous hacking group that calls itself Nullbulge said in a blog post that it published data from thousands of Slack channels at the entertainment company, including computer code and details about unreleased projects. (WSJ) -Technology- 1. Dune-Inspired Spacesuits Can Recycle Urine Into Drinking Water: A study from a research staff member, Sofia Etlin, of Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University unveiled a prototype inspired by the sci-fi movie Dune, particularly its stillsuits, offering a spacesuit that can recycle urine into drinking water for astronauts to safely consume. It is said that it offers 87 percent efficiency in its filtration system and can deliver 500 milliliters of potable water in under five minutes. -Bitcoin Community- 1. South Korea Considers Deferring Crypto Taxation Until 2028: The ruling party of South Korea is, once again, considering the postponement of the enactment of crypto-specific taxes, as this could influence public opinion towards the government. The party aims to implement these taxation rules by 2028, citing a lack of necessary regulations and institutional infrastructure as the primary reasons for this measure. (BitcoinCom) 2. Stripe Enables Crypto Purchases in Europe: European customers can buy Bitcoin and other cryptos with their credit or debit cards. Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols are in place to verify users’ identities, making the process simpler and covering the requirements for financial transactions involving cryptocurrency. (BitcoinSensus) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 69/100 (Up 4 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

We will be LIVE Thursday night at 7pm ET with guest @Alekandar Svetski Aleksandar Svetski is the Author of the best selling “UnCommunist Manifesto” and the upcoming "Bushido of Bitcoin”. In 2018, he launched the world’s first Bitcoin only savings app: Amber. He recently open sourced the first Bitcoin LLM (The Spirit of Satoshi) and is now working on the Nostr-enabled Travel & Community Social Network: Satlantis.