🖥 Bitcoin Core gets an upgrade: version 29.0 introduces full RBF by default On April 15, Bitcoin Core 29.0 was released — a technical update that improves stability and performance, enhancing the experience for developers. The most significant change? Full RBF is now enabled by default, eliminating “zero-conf” transactions and making all transactions potentially replaceable. Also introduced: “ephemeral dust” and P2P network improvements, with new standards for connection handling and orphan transaction management. Atlas21’s article. ⬇️

Atlas21

Bitcoin Core 29.0: full RBF by default and network improvements

The new update introduces improvements in network management and mempool policies. On April 15th, Bitcoin Core 29.0 was released, an

🏦 Bitcoin in retirement plans: Fidelity launches Crypto IRAs for investors Fidelity, one of the largest fund managers in the United States, has expanded its financial services to include cryptocurrencies in retirement plans. Starting April 2, U.S. clients can invest in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin through individual retirement accounts (IRAs), with Fidelity also handling the custody of the assets. Atlas21 article. ⬇️

Atlas21

Fidelity opens the door to Bitcoin for retirement accounts

U.S. customers can now include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin in their individual retirement plans. Fidelity, one of the largest asset

👀 GameStop prepares to invest in Bitcoin: added to treasury assets GameStop has updated its investment policy to include Bitcoin among its treasury reserve assets. The announcement came alongside financial results that exceeded expectations. The decision follows a meeting between CEO Ryan Cohen and Michael Saylor, president of Strategy. However, GameStop has not yet purchased bitcoin nor set a maximum limit for potential future acquisitions. With $4.775 billion in cash and marketable securities, the company may use its own funds or issue debt and equity for potential future purchases. Atlas21’s article. ⬇️

Atlas21

GameStop follows Strategy: Bitcoin added to treasury assets

The video game giant GameStop has added Bitcoin to its investable assets following a meeting with Michael Saylor. GameStop has

🇵🇰 Pakistan wants to use surplus energy to mine bitcoin During the first official meeting led by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) presented a plan to allocate surplus energy for Bitcoin mining. PCC CEO Bilal Bin Saqib sees mining as a strategic opportunity. During the event, Aurangzeb stated: "We are committed to building a transparent, future-ready financial ecosystem that attracts investment, empowers our youth, and puts Pakistan on the global map as a leader in emerging technologies.” Atlas21 article. ⬇️

Atlas21

Pakistan wants to use surplus electricity for mining

The Pakistan Crypto Council proposes strategies for Bitcoin mining using the country's unused energy. According to The Nation, Pakistan aims

🇺🇸 Recession ahead? BlackRock sees Bitcoin as a potential winner BlackRock's head of digital assets suggests that a U.S. recession could serve as a powerful catalyst for Bitcoin. “I don’t know if we’ll have a recession or not, but a recession would be a big catalyst for Bitcoin.” Robbie Mitchnick told Yahoo Finance. According to Mitchnick, Bitcoin benefits from typical economic downturn conditions, such as increased public spending, rising deficits, and lower interest rates. Additionally, it may gain from fears of widespread social unrest. Mitchnick also noted that the market has yet to fully understand Bitcoin, often treating it as a risk asset. Atlas21's article. ⬇️

Atlas21

Bitcoin could thrive in a U.S. recession: BlackRock

The head of digital assets at the asset management firm predicts that the cryptocurrency could benefit from an unfavorable economic

🔍 FEATURE - Lightstack: self-custodial Lightning nodes with Phoenixd In the latest in-depth report by Atlas21, curated by Massimo Musumeci, we explore the proper setup and management of Lightning nodes in a cloud environment, with a strong focus on maintaining control over private keys. The article also highlights the benefits of automation through Phoenixd, streamlining infrastructure management. Massimo Musumeci's deep dive ⬇️

Atlas21

Lightstack: self-custodial Lightning nodes with Phoenixd

Automation and control of your own funds: how to manage Lightning nodes in the cloud without compromising security. Self-custody represents

🇧🇹 Bhutan uses its billion dollars in Bitcoin to fund the national economy According to Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay in an interview with Al Jazeera, the country actively uses its Bitcoin reserves to finance national expenses, such as public salaries, healthcare, and environmental projects. Currently, Bhutan holds 10,635 bitcoins. The mining is done using clean hydroelectric energy, a resource abundant due to the country's mountainous geography. During the interview, Tobgay rhetorically asked: “Hundreds of people have made significant profits from Bitcoin. Why shouldn’t governments adopt similar strategies?” Atlas21 article. ⬇️

Atlas21

Bhutan: the billion dollars in Bitcoin supporting the national economy

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay reveals how the country's Bitcoin reserves fund public salaries and environmental projects, all powered by clean

🇺🇸 Trump announces the "Crypto Strategic Reserve": immediate uproar in the Bitcoin community U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the creation of a strategic digital asset reserve that will include Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana, and Cardano. The initial exclusion of Bitcoin and the subsequent clarification by the tycoon have sparked controversy within the Bitcoin community. Figures like Samson Mow and Saifedean Ammous have harshly criticized the decision, calling it "a sad day for America" and comparing altcoins to "useless databases." Even Peter Schiff, a well-known Bitcoin critic, has opposed the idea of a strategic reserve in XRP. Atlas21's article. ⬇️

Atlas21

USA: Trump’s “Crypto Strategic Reserve” sparks reactions from the Bitcoin community

The announcement of a strategic reserve of digital assets by the United States has drawn criticism from the Bitcoin community

🚨 OKX pays $504 million for anti-money laundering violations: settlement with the U.S. DOJ The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a settlement with OKX affiliate, Aux Cayes FinTech Co. Ltd., for over $500 million. The settlement includes a $84.4 million fine and the confiscation of $420.3 million in commissions earned from U.S. clients. According to the DOJ, OKX ignored federal regulations for years, facilitating suspicious transactions exceeding $5 billion. The exchange also operated as an unlicensed Money Service Business, violating U.S. laws and actively seeking clients in the U.S. Following the plea deal, OKX stated that it has taken steps to improve compliance and that the involved U.S. clients are no longer on the platform. Atlas21's article. ⬇️

Atlas21

OKX: $504 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice

The exchange’s affiliate agrees to pay a fine and return illegally earned commissions from U.S. clients. The U.S. Department of

🚨 Mega hack on Bybit: $1.4 billion in Ether allegedly stolen Bybit has suffered a hacker attack that may have led to the loss of $1.4 billion in ETH. On-chain analyst ZachXBT reported the incident, later confirmed by the exchange, which revealed details about the sophisticated technique used by the criminals. The hackers exploited a UI spoofing technique, manipulating the interface of the multisig wallet for Bybit’s ETH cold storage. The transaction signers, deceived by a fake screen, unknowingly authorized a critical modification to the smart contract. Atlas21’s article. ⬇️

Atlas21

Hacker attack on Bybit: $1.4 billion in ETH allegedly stolen

As admitted by the exchange's CEO, a UI spoofing attack allowed hackers to alter the smart contract and drain Bybit’s

🌎 Introducing the Bitcoin State Adoption Tracker by ATLAS21 In recent months, more and more states have introduced legislative proposals to invest part of their public funds in bitcoin. Some countries have already bought or mined bitcoin, others are planning to, and some are silently monitoring the trend. With the Bitcoin State Adoption Tracker, keeping up with daily updates is no longer a challenge. You can now track the progress of Bitcoin adoption by states worldwide: new legislative proposals and the status of existing ones, the number of BTC held by major countries, the stance of local central banks, and the latest news from key nations. Try the Bitcoin State Adoption Tracker now with the link ⬇️ https://adoption.atlas21.com/globe ✋ ATLAS21 is listening to you Want to suggest an update or changes to the tool? Click the “Suggest Changes” button at the bottom right and let the editorial team know!

🚨 LIBRA case: what really happened and the role of argentine President Milei After Trump and the President of the Central African Republic, this time the scandal has reached Argentine President Javier Milei and the newly launched LIBRA token. Promoted as a digital asset meant to "support the Argentine economy," the token’s rapid rise and sudden collapse shortly after led to significant investor losses and cast a shadow over Milei's political career. Atlas21's full analysis. ⬇️

Atlas21

LIBRA: the rug pull that involved Milei. What really happened?

The token collapse and political consequences for the Argentine President: what happened in the past 72 hours. Last weekend, another

🕹 Bitcoin as a lifeline for GameStop? Gaming giant considers the purchase GameStop is considering an investment in Bitcoin, following the example of MicroStrategy, according to CNBC. After the news, the stock saw a 5.5% increase. The interest in Bitcoin emerged after a meeting between CEO Ryan Cohen and Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy. In 2022, GameStop attempted to diversify by entering the Web3 market with an NFT platform, but the project was abandoned due to poor results. Atlas21 article. ⬇️

Atlas21

GameStop considers buying Bitcoin: a potential turning point for the gaming giant

CEO Ryan Cohen may follow in MicroStrategy’s footsteps as the stock surges. According to CNBC, GameStop, the American video game

👨‍🎓 Bitcoin and universities: the University of Austin launches a strategic $5 million fund The University of Austin has launched a $5 million Bitcoin fund within its $200 million endowment fund. The goal is to generate long-term returns to ensure the institution’s sustainability. Endowment funds are invested to support the university in the long term, with a portion of the returns used annually while the principal capital remains intact. Chun Lai, Chief Investment Officer, emphasized that the university doesn’t want to fall behind on the potential of digital assets, applying a five-year investment strategy. Atlas21 article. ⬇️

Atlas21

Austin University bets on Bitcoin: $5 million fund with long-term strategy

The Texas university embraces Bitcoin with a five-year investment plan. The University of Austin has announced the launch of a

⛏️Home mining: the Bitcoin lottery or something more? In recent years, Bitcoin home mining has gained traction among enthusiasts. With a specialized device, anyone can join the global race to find the next block, hoping to earn the reward. But which are the best "Bitcoin Lottery Miners" on the market? Explore the available options, their advantages, and limitations in Davide Coltro's deep dive. Link to the article. ⬇️

Atlas21

Home mining: the Bitcoin lottery

An overview of home mining devices: specifications, power consumption, price, and utility. In recent years, Bitcoin home mining has generated

🌊 LEARN - Guide to using the Liquid Network The Liquid Network is a Bitcoin sidechain that enables faster, more confidential transactions and the ability to issue tokenized assets. While it offers advantages in transaction speed and privacy, it sacrifices the decentralized nature of Bitcoin’s network. Liquid is a federated network, meaning it is managed by over 70 different entities, including exchanges, wallets, companies developing on the Lightning Network, and other participants. How to use Bitcoin’s sidechain in the Atlas21's guide. ⬇️

Atlas21

Guide to using the Liquid Network

How to use Bitcoin’s sidechain: peg-in, peg-out, and swaps. The Liquid Network is a Bitcoin sidechain that enables faster, more

⚡️ USDT lands on Lightning: Tether brings the stablecoin back to Bitcoin During the Plan B Forum in El Salvador, Tether, the issuer of the world's leading stablecoin, announced the integration of USDT on the Lightning Network protocol. This move is made possible through a partnership with Lightning Labs and the use of the Taproot Assets protocol, which enables the issuance and utilization of stablecoins and other assets on the Lightning Network. The Atlas21 article. ⬇️

Atlas21

Tether brings USDT back to Bitcoin: partnership with Lightning Labs

The world’s largest stablecoin can now be used on the Lightning Network with instant transactions and low fees. During the

#Finance #Bitcoin #USDT

👀 Czech central bank opens up to Bitcoin: approval to assess BTC reserves The Czech National Bank (CNB) has approved a proposal to evaluate the inclusion of Bitcoin in its monetary reserves. The decision was announced on January 30 by Governor Aleš Michl. The proposal calls for an in-depth analysis to assess the potential diversification of the bank’s reserves, which amount to approximately $146 billion, with a possible allocation of up to 5% in Bitcoin. Atlas21 article.⬇️

Atlas21

Czech central bank approves proposal to assess Bitcoin investment

The bank’s board will decide the next steps based on the analysis, with no changes made until the process is

🇷🇺 Russia's rise in Bitcoin mining: second in hash rate after the United States Russia is emerging as a key player in the global Bitcoin mining landscape. With 16% of the global hash rate, the Eurasian giant leverages its strengths: low-cost energy, ideal temperatures for mining, and a clear regulatory framework. Read more about Bitcoin mining in Russia in Davide Coltro's in-depth analysis. Link to the article. ⬇️

Atlas21

The growth of Bitcoin mining in Russia: an overview of the sector

Russia holds 16% of the global hash rate: natural resources, low costs, and clear regulations drive the industry. Russia is

🇷🇺 Russia's rise in Bitcoin mining: second in hash rate after the United States Russia is emerging as a key player in the global Bitcoin mining landscape. With 16% of the global hash rate, the Eurasian giant leverages its strengths: low-cost energy, ideal temperatures for mining, and a clear regulatory framework. Read more about Bitcoin mining in Russia in Davide Coltro's in-depth analysis. Link to the article. ⬇️

Atlas21

The growth of Bitcoin mining in Russia: an overview of the sector

Russia holds 16% of the global hash rate: natural resources, low costs, and clear regulations drive the industry. Russia is