BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)
Block: 865,596
DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 14Oct24
Precedence: Routine (RR)
Controls: Public Release
QQQQ
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BLUF: Chinese Exercise Encircles Tawain (Again) / Hezbollah UAV Attack on IDF Base Kills 4, Wounds 60+ / Man Arrested Near Trump with Gun, Fake IDs / Utah Lawmakers Seek to Protect Crypto / MicroStrategy Wants Bitcoin Bank / Costco Gold Flies off Shelves / Trump Finally Gets Encrypted Comms / Musk Has Big Week, Robots and Space Launches / NC Relief Efforts Continue
Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $64,875, 24.47 oz Gold, .15 Median US House
24hr Hi: $65,059 / Lo: $62,035
Vol: $31B (Up 92%)
Mkt Cap: $1.28T (Up 4%)
HashRate: 547 EH/s
Avg Fee Rate: 26 sats/vBtye (Up 350%)
Nodes: 18,969
---Reports---
-International Events-
1. Taiwan condemns Chinese military drills around island as ‘unreasonable provocation’: Beijing deployed warships and fighter jets in what it described as a “stern warning” to “separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces.” The Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command said Monday that the drills, involving joint operations of the army, navy, air force and rocket force, are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait, as well as encircling Taiwan. Analysts said Monday’s drills were part of general strategy of both keeping Taiwan under pressure and normalizing regular war games. (CNN)
2. 4 Israeli soldiers killed, more than 60 people injured by Hezbollah drone: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, launched by Hezbollah hit an army base adjacent to Binyamina, a town north of Tel Aviv that lies some 40 miles from the Lebanese border. The four killed soldiers were all 19 years old and in infantry training at the base, the IDF said, adding that eight other soldiers were severely injured. Israeli air defence systems tend to be very reliable, but on Sunday, there were no reports of alerts in the Binyamina area at the time of the attack, raising questions of how the drone was able to penetrate so deep into the Israeli territory without being spotted. (CNN)
-US Events-
1. Man arrested near Trump rally in California faces gun charges: A man arrested at a security checkpoint near Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's California rally on Saturday faces gun charges after he was found in possession of loaded firearms, multiple passports and a fake license plate, the local sheriff said on Sunday. Jail records show Las Vegas resident Vem Miller was released on $5,000 bail on Saturday after being charged with possession of a loaded firearm and a high-capacity magazine, both misdemeanors. (Reuters)
-Regulatory and Legal-
1. Utah Republicans push back against government regulation of crypto: Utah’s Republican senator Mike Lee outlined three outcomes that could imperil the nascent cryptocurrency industry: (1) the creation of a central bank digital currency, (2) patchwork regulation by states, and (3) heavy-handed federal regulation. "Instead of coming after you, we should be your protectors," Republican congressman John Curtis said about the government’s role. (TheStreet)
-Central Bank Digital Currencies/World Currencies-
NSTR
-Institutional Concerns-
1. MicroStrategy Announces Bitcoin Bank Plans as Stock Reaches New High: The concept of a Bitcoin bank, as explained by Saylor, involves building financial entities around Bitcoin, similar to other asset classes. The Bernstein report stated, “Michael believes MSTR is in the core business of creating Bitcoin capital market instruments across equity, convertibles, fixed income, and preferred shares etc.” (Blockonomi)
-Economic Indicators-
1. US 10-Year Yield Hovers at 2-½-Month High: The yield on the 10-year US Treasury note held around 4.1%, hovering at its highest levels since late July on bets that the Federal Reserve will not deliver further supersized rate cuts at its remaining meetings this year. Those views developed as the latest monthly jobs report and consumer inflation data came in stronger-than-expected, although higher weekly jobless claims and slowing producer inflation provided a counter argument. (TradingEconomics)
2. Gold Fever Hits Costco: 77% of Stores Sell Out Amid Soaring Demand for Bullion: Costco’s gold bars are flying off the shelves as record-high gold prices spark a buying frenzy across the U.S. A recent survey found that 77% of Costco stores offering gold sold out in early October. The trend reflects growing demand for gold as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. (BitcoinCom)
-Security Incidents and Concerns-
1. Trump Campaign Enhances Security With Encrypted Devices Amid Iranian Cyber Threats: The Trump campaign has just acquired a series of secure products from Green Hills Software, a Santa Barbara, California-based company that specializes particularly in security. The organization's CEO confirmed that the campaign purchased a package that includes a customized Android phone with a proprietary operating system designed to improve security. Functions are limited to basic calling and texting but enforce very tight security measures. (techtimes)
-Technology and Science-
1. In an engineering feat, mechanical SpaceX arms catch Starship rocket booster back at the launch pad: At the flight director’s command, the first-stage booster flew back to the launch pad where it had blasted off seven minutes earlier. The launch tower’s monstrous metal arms, dubbed chopsticks, caught the descending 232-foot (71-meter) stainless steel booster and gripped it tightly, dangling it well above the ground. (AP)
2. Tesla unveils Optimus robot: 'Can do anything you think of,' claims Musk: At last night’s We, Robot event, the much-awaited Tesla Cybercab took centre stage. However, Elon Musk also used the occasion to showcase Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, which he boldly claims can now “do anything.” He mentioned that the robot can perform tasks like walking your dog, babysitting, mowing the lawn, and even serving drinks. He predicted that the long-term cost would be between $20,000 and $30,000. Musk confidently asserted, "I believe this will be the most significant product ever created." (BizStandard)
-Bitcoin Community-
1. Bitcoin Mining Profitability Dipped in September as North American Companies Increased BTC Share: Jefferies reported that Bitcoin mining profitability decreased in September due to a stable BTC price and a 1.7% increase in network hashrate. North American mining companies mined more BTC in September, with Marathon Digital leading in tokens mined and installed hashrate. (Decrypt)
-Bitcoin Sentiment-
1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 48/100 (Up 4 pts)
Analyst Comments (AC): The efforts by Bitcoin Veterans in support of NC/TN Helene relief efforts kept us from producing the DIB last week. The situation on the ground continues to improve through the efforts of numerous volunteers, organizations, churches, local and government groups. The devastation in Appalachia is very significant and the response continues to draw both unifying and contentious support. Though misinformation is abundant, so is the truth that Americans are putting on their work gloves to help those in need after this tragedy. The people of Appalachia are resilient and tough and will come through this even if the land needs decades to recover. Please continue to support efforts responsibly however you are led to do so.
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Analyst: BV2A
END REPORT
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*NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report
