BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 856,734 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 14Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Japan PM Kishida to Step Down / Ukraine Forces Press Front Near Belgorod / Thai PM Sacked By Ethics Court / DEA Seizes 2,380 Pounds of Meth Hidden in Celery / Biden Admin Approves $20B in Weapons to Israel / Omar Wins Primary in MN / US Army Intel Specialist Guilty of Conspiracy / Vivek Calls Out Harris for Crypto Stance / Iran Offers $20 to Turn In BTC Miners / Goldman Sachs Holds $400M in BTC ETFs / CPI Report Released Today / Fedi Launches SuperApp For Freedom Tech / HODLers Continue to Hold / Riot Buys More of Bitfarms / AirBTC online Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $61,404, 24.81 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $61,572 / Lo: $58,788 Vol: $29B (Down 13%) Mkt Cap: $1.21T (Up 4%) HashRate: 640 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 6 sats/vBtye (Up 100%) Nodes: 19,444 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1.Japan's Prime Minister Kishida to resign, paving way for new leader: Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday he would step down next month, succumbing to public disaffection over political scandals and rising living costs that marred his three-year term, and setting off a scramble to replace him. The LDP will hold a contest in September to replace him as president of the party, and, by extension, as prime minister. (Reuters) 2. Russia’s Belgorod border region declares emergency after Ukrainian incursion: The Russian border region of Belgorod declared an emergency on Wednesday after new attacks by Ukrainian forces, with Kyiv claiming control of hundreds of square miles of Russian territory after its rare cross-border incursion. It was a notable change in tactics for Ukraine and marked the first time foreign troops had entered Russian territory since World War II. Two locations in Belgorod, the city of Shebekino and the village of Ustinka, had been attacked by Ukrainian drones. (CNN) 3. Thai court dismisses PM for violating constitution: A Thai court has dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for appointing to his cabinet a former lawyer who was once jailed. The Constitutional Court ruled that Mr Srettha had violated the "rules on ethics" with "the display of defiant behavior". (BBC) -US Events- 1. Atlanta DEA seizes 2,380 pounds of meth hidden in celery at farmer’s market: It’s the largest-ever seizure of meth made by the DEA in Atlanta, and the third largest nationwide in 2024. The DEA got information that led to the State Farmer’s Market in Clayton County. “This was contained in a cover load of celery,” DEA Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Robert Murphy said. “It was hiding in the celery. Obviously, we threw away the celery. That didn’t make it to the store.” (WSB-TV) 2. U.S. plans to sell $20 billion in weapons to Israel over several years: The Biden administration approved a deal to sell F-15s, air-to-air missiles and munitions, but much of it won’t arrive in Israel until 2026 at the earliest. Notification of the pending sale was sent to Congress on Tuesday. It includes F-15 fighter jets, 120mm tank ammunition, tactical vehicles, AMRAAM antiaircraft missiles and high-explosive mortars. (WaPo) 3. Omar breaks ‘Squad’ losing streak with primary victory in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, which the Cook Political Report rates as "solid" Democrat. (Fox) 4. U.S. Army Intelligence Analyst Pleads Guilty to Charges of Conspiracy: Korbein Schultz, a U.S. Army soldier and intelligence analyst, pleaded guilty today to all charges against him in the indictment returned by a federal grand jury in March 2024 charging him with conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information, exporting technical data related to defense articles without a license, conspiracy to export defense articles without a license, and bribery of a public official. (DOJ) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Ramaswamy Urges Harris to Clarify Crypto Stance for Partisan Unity: As the U.S. election draws near, cryptocurrency has become a hot-button issue, with Democrats under scrutiny for their perceived antagonism toward the industry. The current administration has overseen regulatory enforcement measures that contribute to the party’s image as anti-crypto. With crypto’s growing relevance on the political scene, Ramaswamy urged Harris to clarify her position on key cryptocurrency issues, such as her views on self-custody or comment on Gary Gensler’s tenure as SEC chair. (DailyCoin) 2. Iran offers $20 to report on shady crypto miners amid ongoing power crisis: Iran is now offering rewards of $20 to the public for reporting illegal crypto mining activities as the country faces severe power shortages exacerbated by an intense heatwave and energy crisis. (CryptoNews) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. Coinbase teases ‘cbBTC’ days after BitGo Wrapped Bitcoin controversy: Coinbase has just teased the possible launch of a new product called “cbBTC,” with many commentators speculating that the United States-based crypto exchange is launching its own wrapped Bitcoin token. (CoinTelegraph) 2. Goldman Sachs Holds Over $400M in Bitcoin ETFs: The investment bank in its quarterly 13-F report disclosed that it holds positions in seven out of the 11 BTC ETFs in the U.S. (CoinDesk) -Economic Indicators- 1. CPI Report Today: July's consumer-price index is due at 8:30 a.m. ET. The expected CPI is 3.0%. (WSJ) 2. US PPI Rise Less than Expected: Factory gate prices in the US increased 0.1% month-over-month in July 2024, following a 0.2% rise in June and below forecasts of 0.2%. Prices of goods rose 0.6%, the most since February, mainly due to energy (1.9%). Gasoline advanced 2.8%, diesel fuel, meats, jet fuel, fresh fruits and melons, and basic organic chemicals also increased. (TradingEconomics) 3. US Mortgage Applications Soar the Most in 18 Months: Mortgage applications in the US surged by 16.8% from the previous week in the period ending August 9th, the sharpest weekly increase in mortgage applications since January of 2023, and extending the 6.9% jump in the previous week. (TradingEconomics) (AC-The recent slight dip in mortgage rates fueled this spike, revealing pent-up demand.) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. DDoS Attacks Surge 46% in First Half of 2024: The number of DDoS attacks in H1 2024 has increased by 46% compared to the same period last year, reaching 445K in Q2 2024. Compared to data for the previous six months (Q3–4 2023), it increased by 34%. (HackerNews) -Technology and Science- 1. Fedi Combines Bitcoin And Other Freedom Tech With Community: In 2022, Obi Nwosu had a vision to empower disenfranchised communities worldwide with technology that could help them more easily custody and use their bitcoin. As of August 6, 2024, that vision became a reality when Fedi launched its superapp, which is much more than just a platform for money management. The app leverages what Nwosu refers to as “freedom technologies” like Bitcoin, Lightning and Nostr. It also employs the Fedimint protocol, which enables users to share custody of bitcoin; utilize the Lightning Network; and mint ecash, digital tokens pegged to the value of bitcoin, fiat currencies or other assets that are used to preserve privacy in transactions. (BitcoinMag) -Bitcoin Community- 1. 45% of Bitcoin supply has not moved in 6 months: Analyzing the realized cap HODL waves indicator, Glassnode reveals that just over 45% of all bitcoins have remained dormant in their wallets for at least the past half a year. Despite the record highs and subsequent volatility, a considerable swathe of market participants prefer to do nothing. (CoinTelegraph) 2. Riot increases Bitfarms ownership stake following board member removal: Riot Platforms has announced an increase in its ownership stake in Bitfarms Ltd. to 18.9%, intensifying its influence over the Canadian Bitcoin mining firm. This development follows Riot’s acquisition of an additional 1 million common shares of Bitfarms. (CryptoSlate) 3. AirBTC: Pay Vacation Rentals in Bitcoin: AirBTC is a new platform that allows Bitcoiners to rent holiday properties from other Bitcoiners. It is similar to AirBnB, but it only accepts bitcoin as payment. (H17n) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 30/100 (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: 856,590 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 13Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Ukraine Holds Section of Kursk / British Immigration Riots Peak, New Knife Killing of Girl / Bangladesh Charges Ex-PM With Murder / Musk and Trump Riff on X After Tech Issues Delay / Chokepoint 2.0 In Effect / Zimbabwe To End Dollar Use / BTC More Volatile on Weekends / DEFCon Hacks Voting Machines, Again / China Chases NVIDIA / MARA Prints "Made in USA" on Blocks / Technology Can Fix Election Honesty Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $58,856, 23.89 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $60,680 / Lo: $57,860 Vol: $32B (Up 10%) Mkt Cap: $1.16T (Down 1%) HashRate: 575 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 3 sats/vBtye (Down 55%) Nodes: 19,623 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Top Ukrainian commander says his forces now control almost 390 square miles of Russia’s Kursk region: “The troops are fulfilling their tasks. Fighting continues actually along the entire front line. The situation is under our control,” Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said. (AP) 2. Britain is hoping its riots have peaked. But the far right is lingering, and more trouble could lie ahead: It was meant to be another night of violence at the hands of the far right. A list of target addresses for far-right protests, seen by CNN, had been circulating on Telegram channels and then on social media for days, raising alarm that the racist attacks on Muslims and asylum seekers over the weekend would return. Wednesday felt like a turning point after a string of violence that had put a country on edge and thrown its new government into a sudden crisis. (CNN) 3. UK: Man stabbed girl, 11, eight times, court told: A 32-year-old man has appeared in court charged with attempted murder after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed in London’s Leicester Square on Monday. Ioan Pintaru, a Romanian national with no fixed address, is also charged with possession of a bladed article. (AP) 4. Bangladesh's ex-PM investigated for murder: A murder investigation has been opened into Bangladesh's ex-premier Sheikh Hasina over the police killing of a man during civil unrest last month. Six other top figures in the previous government are also being investigated following weeks of deadly unrest in the capital Dhaka. Ms Hasina resigned and left the country earlier this month, fleeing to New Delhi, India after political unrest destabilized the government. (BBC) -US Events- 1. Musk hosts friendly chat with Trump on X after tech delays: The conversation, in which Mr Musk asked friendly questions on subjects such as immigration and inflation, began more than 40 minutes late as many users struggled to gain access. The two men touched on a range of issues, from the assassination attempt on Trump last month at a Pennsylvania rally, to his wanting the US to get an "Iron Dome" missile defence system like the one in Israel as well as immigration, a key plank of his campaign. As many users struggled to access the livestream, Mr Musk blamed "a massive DDoS attack on X" for the problems in a post. (BBC) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Tyler Winklevoss Warns Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Remains in Full Swing: Tyler Winklevoss, co-founder of U.S.-based exchange Gemini and VC firm Winklevoss Capital, has alerted about the ongoing status of Operation Chokepoint 2.0, a plan directed to difficult banking access to crypto companies. Winklevoss’ remarks come after the Federal Reserve found Customers Bank, a crypto-friendly bank, had “deficiencies” in compliance with anti-money laundering requirements. (BitcoinCom) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Zimbabwe to Unveil Roadmap to End Dollar Use, Cabinet Says: Zimbabwe’s cabinet said it has approved a roadmap to abandon US dollars in favor of its bullion-backed currency in transactions, a strategy that Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube may unveil next week. “On modalities to operationalize the ZiG CBDC currency as legal tender for use in the economy, a dedollarization roadmap is now in place,” (Bloomberg) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Bitcoin risks ‘sharp weekend price swings’ as ETFs suck up liquidity: Bitcoin has become more susceptible to wild weekend volatility since the launch of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETF) in the United States, according to Kaiko Research. In an Aug. 12 report, Kaiko’s crypto analysts noted Bitcoin’s liquidity has become more concentrated on weekdays, particularly in BTC/US dollar markets. (CoinTelegraph) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Factory Gate Prices Expected to Rise Moderately: Factory gate prices in the US are projected to have risen by 0.2% month-over-month in July 2024, maintaining the same pace as in June. The core producer price index, which excludes volatile categories like food and energy, is also expected to increase by 0.2%, a slowdown from the previous month's 0.4% rise. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Futures Mixed Ahead PPI Data: US futures were mixed on Tuesday as investors awaited key inflation data. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures ticked up slightly, while Dow Jones futures fell over 100 points. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. The nation’s best hackers found vulnerabilities in voting machines — but no time to fix them: Organizers and participants at the DEF CON Voting Village found cyber vulnerabilities in everything from voting machines to e-poll books, but there is no time before the November elections to fully implement their findings. “If you don’t think this kind of place is running 24/7 in China, Russia, you’re kidding yourselves,” Harri Hursti said, gesturing around the room of voting equipment. “We are here only for two and a half days, and we find stuff…it would be stupid to assume that the adversaries don’t have absolute access to everything.” (Politico) (AC-See AC below) -Technology and Science- 1. Huawei Readies New Chip to Challenge Nvidia, Surmounting U.S. Sanctions: Chinese internet companies and telecommunications operators have been testing Huawei’s latest processor, called Ascend 910C, in recent weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. Huawei told potential clients that the new chip is comparable to Nvidia’s H100, which was introduced last year and isn’t directly available in China, the people said. (WSJ) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Marathon Digital stamps ‘Made in USA’ on Bitcoin blocks mined: Marathon Digital CEO Fred Thiel underscored the company’s commitment to labeling blocks made in the US with a stamp. According to Thiel, every block mined by their MARA Pool in the United States will be stamped “Made in USA.” (CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 31/100 (Up 6 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): With election season in full swing in the US, every aspect of electoral process is clouded in purposeful confusion. The candidate narratives, media coverage, social media spin, election process and legal aspects of the US election are as clear as mud. Within this confusion lies the opportunity to design and steer the results in a direction that does not suit the citizen voter. The democratic process is broken in the US and faith in the system is at a low. As with many problems, technology often provides an actual solution if human nature would concede. The latest guest on the Bitcoin Veterans podcast outlined a system now in use in Guatemala that uses checks and balances, combined with immutable confirmation on the Bitcoin blockchain to implement one of the most honest elections held in the world. The time is ripe to explore such a hopeful project and prepare for the dishonest broker onslaught in the US. For an introduction, consider watching the short film:

Immutable Democracy

Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 856,456 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 12Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: US Buildup Continues in Mideast / Russians Evacuate Kursk Areas / US SOF Busy in Syria Against ISIS / Trump Campaign Hacked / Musk and Trump on X Tonight / NYC Overflows With Migrants / Venezuelans Use VPNs to Access Binance / Turkey Opens Up To Digital Assets / IRS Changes Crypto Form / Canada Politicians Spar on CBDC / Four Years of MSTR BTC Strategy / Quantum Computers Pick Up Steam / Bitcoin Miners Scraping By Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $59,806, 24.51 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $60,739 / Lo: $57,688 Vol: $29B (Up 86%) Mkt Cap: $1.18T (Down 2%) HashRate: 724 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 7 sats/vBtye (Up 75%) Nodes: 19,685 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. US is 'strengthening' military force in Middle East: The U.S. is "strengthening" its capabilities in the Middle East by sending an additional guided missile submarine to the region "in light of escalating regional tensions," according to a statement from Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder issued on Sunday. Secretary Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters, to accelerate its transit to the Middle East, which was previously expected to get there by the end of the month. Additionally, Austin has ordered the USS Georgia guided missile submarine to the Middle East. (ABC) 2. Russia orders more evacuations as Ukraine’s incursion into its territory enters its seventh day: Russian authorities were on Monday evacuating civilians from more areas along the Ukrainian border, a week into Kyiv’s surprise cross-border incursion into Russian territory. The incursion, which is now affecting two Russian regions, is seen as something of a game-changer in the conflict. (CNN) 3. In Syria’s Hinterlands, the U.S. Wages a Hidden Campaign Against a Resurgent Islamic State: American commandos are scrambling to contain a resurgence of Islamic State where the militant group once imposed its violent religious fervor on vast territories and millions of people. Militant fighters have doubled their pace of attacks in Syria and Iraq this year. They have targeted security checkpoints, detonated car bombs and plotted to free thousands of comrades jailed since the SDF and a U.S.-headed Western coalition recaptured the last Islamic State-held town. (WSJ) -US Events- 1. Trump campaign says it has been hacked: Politico reported earlier Saturday that it had received emails from an anonymous account with documents from inside Trump’s campaign operation. “These documents were obtained illegally from foreign sources hostile to the United States, intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our Democratic process,” a Trump campaign spokesperson said. Spokesman Cheung pointed to a recent report published by Microsoft that said Iranian operatives had ramped up their attempts to influence and monitor the US presidential election. (CNN) 2. Elon Musk to interview Trump on X social media network: The interview, scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time (0000 Tuesday GMT), could provide the former president an opportunity to seize the limelight. Trump's access to his account, @realDonaldTrump, was restored a month into Musk's ownership of X after being suspended by the platform's previous owners following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Congress by his supporters. Trump frequently posts on his Truth Social social media platform, which was launched in February 2022.(Reuters) 3. Migrants Camp in City Streets as Biden’s Shelters Overflow and Gang Violence Grows: As the number of migrants continues to grow in the Big Apple, authorities are beginning to become concerned over the number of border crossers who are choosing to live outside in tents instead of going into the city’s shelter system. With the city already struggling to house some 65,000 migrants, a major factor spurring migrants to camp outside in tents is that they feel unsafe in the massive shelters arranged by city officials. (Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Venezuelans turn to VPNs as government restricts Binance access: Binance has confirmed that the Venezuelan government has restricted access to its website amid turmoil following controversial presidential election results. Local group VE sin Filtro advised Venezuelans to use a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass the crypto platform’s blockade. (CryptoSlate) 2. 47 Companies Apply to Operate in Turkey Under New Crypto Regulations: Turkey’s Capital Markets Board has issued an update on crypto asset service providers following new regulations. The provisional lists include 47 operational companies and three that are planning to liquidate. Current crypto service providers are required to apply for permits or proceed with liquidation by specified deadlines, with legal repercussions for noncompliance. (BitcoinCom) 3. IRS Updates Crypto Tax Form, But Could Still Bring ‘Unintended Consequences’, Expert Says: The IRS has released a revised draft of the 1099-DA form for crypto investors, aiming to simplify tax reporting for digital asset holders. The new form eliminates intrusive questions about wallet addresses, transaction IDs, and specific broker types. (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Trudeau’s rival pushes to ban CBDC in Canada, preserves cash use: Canadian Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre voiced strong opposition to the development of a central bank digital currency in Canada in a recent X post, pledging to protect cash usage and resist the government’s push toward economic digitization. (CryptoNews) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Saylor's Big Bitcoin Gamble Turns 4. Here's How MicroStrategy Stock Has Performed: After languishing for nearly two decades, the stock ended up recovering following Saylor's Bitcoin gamble. In fact, MicroStrategy has managed to outperform 499 out of 500 stocks in the S&P 500. As reported, MicroStrategy (MSTR) stock was added to the much-coveted the MSCI World Index earlier this year after outperforming Bitcoin. (UToday) -Economic Indicators- 1. Bank of Japan Rules Out Interest Rate Hikes Until 2025: A former Bank of Japan (BOJ) official stated that the central bank will delay any further interest rate hikes until next year, prioritizing market stability in the near term. The BOJ recently raised its key interest rate for the first time in over a decade but has now signaled a pause in additional rate hikes. The shift in policy caused the Japanese yen to strengthen and led to a decline in risk assets, including Bitcoin. (Decrypt) 2. Dollar Stabilizes Ahead of Inflation Data: The dollar index steadied around 103.1 on Monday as investors look ahead to key inflation data this week for confirmation that price growth has continued to stabilize. (TradingEconomics) 3. Week Ahead: The focus in the United States will be on the CPI and PPI reports, and speeches by Federal Reserve officials. Additionally, key data releases will include retail sales, Michigan consumer confidence, export and import prices, housing starts, building permits, and industrial production. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- NSTR -Technology and Science- 1. Quantum computers are advancing much faster than scientists expected: Most people working in the field believe that quantum computers will be able to solve problems that classical computers can’t solve within the next 10 years. This is according to a recent survey of 927 people with associations to the field of quantum computing (researchers, executives, press, enthusiasts, etc.) conducted by QuEra. Of those surveyed, 74.9% “expect quantum to be a superior alternative to classical computing for certain workloads” within the next 10 years. (CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin miners record lowest daily revenue of 2024: Revenue earned by Bitcoin miners, primarily through block rewards and transaction fees, declined consistently over two weeks to record a new yearly low on Aug. 11. On Aug. 11, daily earnings of the Bitcoin mining community dipped to a new yearly low of $2.54 million, a number last seen in October 2023. (CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 25/100 (Down 23 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: 856,030 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 09Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Russia Struggles on New Front / New Bangladeshi Leader Sworn In / Venezuela's Maduro Bans X / Polls Show Harris Takes Lead Over Trump / States Sue to Stop Immigrant Health Care / Can Trump Control the Fed? / Dems 'Crypto for Harris' Launched / 'Chokepoint 2.0' Underway / Putin Legalizes Bitcoin Mining / CBOE Files for BTC Options / BTC, Stocks Rebound / MSFT, Palantir Team Up for DoD AI Project Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $60,757, 24.96 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $62,673 / Lo: $56,740 Vol: $43B (Up 12%) Mkt Cap: $1.2T (Up 6%) HashRate: 596 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 4 sats/vBtye (Down 20%) Nodes: 19,693 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Russia struggles to repel deep incursion by Ukraine on fourth day of cross-border attack: Mykhaylo Zhyrokhov, a military analyst, told the BBC that Russia had been forced to redeploy some troops to the Kursk region from the front line in eastern Ukraine. Elsewhere today, Ukraine's military says it's hit a military airfield deep inside Russia, destroying guided bombs stored in warehouses. The Ukrainian military reports a huge blaze and multiple detonations at the Lipetsk airfield, more than 350km (217 miles) from Ukraine's border. (BBC) (AC-The surprise front and deep attacks by Ukraine are putting Russian forces on a reactionary footing, while taking pressure off the front lines of Russian efforts within Ukraine.) 2. Interim leader Muhammad Yunus takes the helm in Bangladesh, to seek peace and prepare elections: The key tasks for Yunus now are restoring peace in Bangladesh and preparing for new elections following the ouster of Hasina, who fled to India after weeks of student protests over job quotas grew into an uprising against her increasingly autocratic 15-year rule. (AP) 3. Venezuela's Maduro blocks X access in country for 10 days: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday took tensions with social media platform X and its owner Elon Musk to new heights, banning the platform in the South American country for 10 days amid furore over a disputed presidential election. Maduro said he signed a resolution presented by regulator Conatel which "has decided to take social network X, formerly known as Twitter, out of circulation for 10 days" and accused Musk of inciting hate, civil war, and death. (Reuters) -US Events- 1. Polls show Kamala Harris moving ahead of Donald Trump in 2024 US election: As Kamala Harris named Tim Walz, the Minnesota governor, as her running mate, recent polls showed the vice-president moving ahead of Donald Trump in the race for the White House. Among recent national head-to-head polls, SurveyUSA put Harris up three points ahead of Trump, 48%-45%; August polls in the seven battleground states where the election is expected to be decided presented a more mixed picture. (TheGuardian) (AC-Polls have been notoriously suspect over the last few election cycles.) 2. 15 states sue to block Biden’s effort to help migrants in US illegally get health coverage: Fifteen states filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the Biden administration over a rule that is expected to allow 100,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children to enroll next year in the federal Affordable Care Act’s health insurance. (AP) 3. Trump’s Plans Stir Fears for Fed Independence, Inflation: Donald Trump’s assertion that as president he should have more say over how the Federal Reserve sets interest rates would, if carried out, reverse a longstanding custom by which the central bank enjoys political autonomy to fight inflation with often unpopular rate increases. (WSJ) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Democrats Launch 'Crypto for Harris': Senior White House officials have reportedly engaged with cryptocurrency leaders to discuss industry concerns, facilitated by Representative Ro Khanna. This initiative continues the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to engage with the crypto sector. Additionally, the Democrats have launched a “Crypto for Harris” initiative to help Vice President Kamala Harris gain support from the cryptocurrency community. (BitcoinCom) 2. Federal Reserve Cites Significant Deficiencies in Customers Bancorp’s AML Compliance: The U.S. Federal Reserve Board has found “significant deficiencies” in Customers Bancorp, Inc.’s management of risk and adherence to anti-money laundering (AML) regulations. These issues, particularly troubling for the bank known for its crypto-friendly stance, were detailed in an enforcement action filed on Thursday. One crypto advocate added: 'The Fed and FDIC are systematically dismantling all crypto-friendly banks one after the next.' (BitcoinCom) (AC-Dubbed 'Chokepoint 2.0', the second major administrative effort to restrict or stop US financial institutions from supporting crypto or bitcoin transactions seems to have begun. The effort seeks drive any digital asset activity only through designated and co-opted institutions.) 3. Putin Signs Law Legalizing Cryptocurrency Mining in Russia: According to a report by Russian news agency TASS, the law introduces several key concepts, including digital currency mining, mining pools, and mining infrastructure operators. Mining activities are now recognized by Russia as part of turnover rather than the issuance of digital currency. (BitcoinMag) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. CBOE re-files for spot Bitcoin ETF options in sign SEC may be engaging: Bloomberg Intelligence analyst James Seyfarrt said he expected options on spot Bitcoin ETFs to become available in Q4. “Final deadline for SEC decision is ~Sept. 21 but there's more steps needed after that from OCC and CFTC. (TheBlock) -Economic Indicators- 1. US 10-Year Yield Set for Weekly Rise: The yield on the 10-year US Treasury note eased toward 3.95% on Friday, but was still set to rise for the week as better-than-expected US labor market data allayed fears of a recession, prompting markets to rotate back into riskier assets. (TradingEconomics) 2. Bitcoin Climbs Back Above $60K: Bitcoin rallied more than 10% to above $60,000, hitting a one-week high as better-than-expected US jobless claims data allayed fears of a looming economic downturn, prompting investors to get back into risk assets. (TradingEconomics) 3. Wall Street Rebounds Firmly: US stocks staged a strong rebound on Wednesday as positive labor market data alleviated fears of a significant economic slowdown following Monday's sharp sell-off. The S&P 500 climbed 2.3% to mark its best day since November 2022, the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 surged 3.1% and the Dow Jones jumped 683 points. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. New Crypto Scam Targets Users via QR Codes, $120K Lost: The scam follows a specific pattern designed to exploit user trust. The scammer proposes an over-the-counter (OTC) transaction, which is a direct transfer of tokens from one wallet to another, instead of going through an exchange. This type of transaction has a great exchange rate, higher than the market rate, to get the victim’s attention. To gain further trust, the scammer offers a small amount in USDT, a stablecoin tied to the dollar, and proposes a commission in TRX, the Tron network token, in exchange for future long-term cooperation. (BitcoinSensus) -Technology and Science- 1. ChatGPT’s controversial advanced voice mode is finally here: ChatGPT is about to get even chattier. OpenAI announced this week that it will finally start rolling out a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that allows the chatbot to engage in real-time voice conversations with its users. (CoinGeek) 2. Microsoft and Palantir to Upgrade AI in Defense and National Security: Through this new collaboration, Palantir's technologies will be integrated with Microsoft's Azure cloud computing services, including advanced language models like GPT-4 from OpenAI. Military, intelligence, and national security agencies will be able to harness the power of cloud-based AI while maintaining the necessary levels of security and control required for their critical missions. (Decrypt) -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 48/100 (Up 28 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Media reporting is fixated on the US Presidential election season. Since world and US events seem to be stabilized following the economic turmoil of Monday, media has turned back to the political conflict of 'democracy'. Meanwhile the time distance from Trump's assassination attempt is working to keep it from people's minds and answers are still out of reach. The theater of media and politics continue to drive wedges between citizens and keep us from finding common ground. The antidote is local community work and neighborhood networks. Love on your neighbors this weekend. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 855,897 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 08Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Ukraine Forces Advance Into Russian Territory / IDF Abuse at Detention Camp Draws Ire / Iran Issues NOTAMs / Debby Hits Landfall Again / Judge Rules in SEC-Ripple XRP Case / New Org, USABTC Promotes Gov. Centralization of Bitcoin / mBridge CBDC Starts MVPs / El Salvador Negotiates With IMF / CISA, FBI Warn of Election DDoS Attacks Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $57,302, 23.73 oz Gold, .13 Median US House 24hr Hi: $57,652 / Lo: $54,620 Vol: $39B (Down 13%) Mkt Cap: $1.13T (Up 1%) HashRate: 613 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 5 sats/vBtye (Even) Nodes: 19,732 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Ukrainian forces have made confirmed advances up to 10 kilometers into Russia's Kursk Oblast amid continued mechanized offensive operations on Russian territory on August 7: The Kremlin's response has so far been contradictory, as Russian officials are attempting to balance presenting the effort as a notable Ukrainian escalation with avoiding overstating its potential implications and risking domestic discontent. Ukrainian forces reportedly used a first-person view (FPV) drone to down a Russian Mi-28 helicopter over Kursk Oblast, indicating that Ukrainian forces continue to successfully adapt their drone capabilities. (UnderstandingWar) (AC-The push by Ukraine is large and apparently unexpected. Since Kursk Oblast is technically Russian territory, the incursion marks a significant turn of events in the war.) 2. State Dept calls for Israel to investigate allegations of ‘horrific’ sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees: The statement comes after Israeli media obtained leaked surveillance video that allegedly showed Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman base in Israel’s Negev desert. (CNN) 3. Iran warns airlines to avoid its airspace for 3 hours on Thursday over military drills, Egypt says: The warning comes amid soaring tensions in the region following last week’s assassination of Hamas’ leader in Tehran. The Egyptian ministry said the warning came in a notice sent by Iran to all commercial airlines. The ministry said the ban from Iranian airspace was to last for three hours, 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on Thursday. (AP) -US Events- 1. Tropical Storm Debby makes second landfall in South Carolina, heavy rain expected up the East Coast: The National Hurricane Center says Debby came ashore early Thursday near Bulls Bay, South Carolina. The storm is expected to keep moving inland, spreading heavy rain and possible flooding all the way up through the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast by the weekend. (AP) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Ripple Scores Partial Victory in SEC Battle: The SEC had accused Ripple of conducting an unregistered securities offering by selling its XRP token. The agency sought a hefty $2 billion penalty, arguing that XRP should be classified as a security rather than a digital currency. While the court found that certain sales of XRP did indeed constitute securities offerings, it also determined that XRP itself is not a security. The ruling also imposed a $125 million civil penalty on Ripple and enjoined the company from future securities law violations. (DailyCoin) (AC- XRP is up 26% on the news) 2. USABTC seeks to establish Bitcoin tax-free zone for digital economy growth: The initiative, spearheaded by the newly formed USABTC policy group, advocates for the tax-free Digital Economic Zone (DEZ) where Bitcoin can be traded and accumulated without capital gains taxes but with a tax on redemption. USABTC says the exit tax on Bitcoin conversions back to traditional currency could provide a new revenue stream for the government, which could benefit both the federal and state treasuries. -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Global CBDC Platform, mBridge, Launches Minimum Viable Project (MVP), Invites International Participation: The initiative was founded by the central banks of Thailand, Hong Kong, China, and the United Arab Emirates, and it operates under the umbrella of the Hong Kong BIS Innovation Hub. Participants include: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and 23 central banks from across the world. (Bitcoinke) (AC-mBridge is one to watch, as this one has large global support and structure.) -Institutional Concerns- 1. El Salvador and IMF Advance Talks on Bitcoin Risk Mitigation and Economic Reforms: The IMF has reported progress in negotiations with El Salvador on policies to strengthen public finances, boost bank reserves, improve governance, and address bitcoin risks. Although many BTC risks haven’t materialized for El Salvador, the IMF stated that both parties agree on the need for enhanced transparency and measures to ensure fiscal and financial stability. (BitcoinCom) 2. Metaplanet Secures 1 Billion Yen Loan to Buy Bitcoins, the Best Yen Carry Trade?: Public-listed Japanese firm Metaplanet has doubled down on its Bitcoin acquisition strategy by securing an additional loan of 1 billion Japanese Yen earlier today. This move comes a day after the company announced its plan to conduct a $68 million stock rights offering for BTC acquisition. (CoinGape) (AC-MSTR playbook) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Futures Swing, Volatility Persists: US futures swung around the flatline on Thursday, following losses in the previous session, as volatility persists and traders remain concerned about the economic outlook and the potential of a big slowdown in the US. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. CISA, FBI warn of potential DDoS attacks on 2024 elections: The agencies said DDoS attacks targeting election infrastructure “could prevent a voter from accessing websites containing information about where and how to vote, online election services like voter registration, or unofficial election results.” “They may cause some minor disruptions or prevent the public from receiving timely information,” she said. “It is important to talk about these potential issues now, because nefarious actors, like our foreign adversaries or cybercriminals, could use DDoS incidents to cast doubt on the election systems or processes.” (TheRecord) (AC-Highly expected) 2. WazirX to reverse trades after $235M crypto hack: The Indian cryptocurrency exchange WazirX is planning to restore the balances of all platform accounts following the halt of withdrawals caused by a $235 million hack in July 2024. “All users will have their portfolio balances on the WazirX platform restored to what they were on July 18, 2024,” the announcement said. The first reports on WazirX’s $234.9 million hack surfaced on July 18, detecting “multiple suspicious transactions” involving WazirX’s Safe Multisig wallet on Ethereum. (CoinTelegraph) -Technology and Science- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Stripe Partners with Bitstamp to Boost EU Crypto Adoption: Stripe has teamed up with Bitstamp, a cryptocurrency exchange, to help it grow in the EU. The plan is to make it easier for customers to switch between traditional currency and crypto. They’ve created a widget that users can adjust to suit their needs allowing for quick transactions and currency changes. The new widget will support various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Stellar (XLM), and USD Coin (USDC). (BitcoinSensus) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 20/100 (Down 9 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): The USABTC article is highly suspect. In an attempt to portray Bitcoin as a lifeboat for the US Dollar and the economy, the organization is proposing a Digital Economic Zone (DEZ) where deposited BTC can be held without capital gains, until withdrawn. The language on the website (.org) seems pro-Bitcoin but in effect has the effect of centralizing Bitcoin holdings, issuing IOUs for them, and taxing them upon redemption. The effort is in opposition to the USG using Bitcoin as a reserve asset which they consider unattainable. Upon initial observation, this effort seems like an elaborate centralization and possible rug-pull by unknown actors. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

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