BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)
Block: 894,738
DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 01May2025
Precedence: Routine (RR)
Controls: Public Release
QQQQ
__________________________
BLUF: US Ukraine Policy May be Shifting / US Tries to De-Escalate IN-PK Tensions / Judges Halt CBP Arrests in CA, Release Tesla Bomber / May Day in USA / NC House Passes Bitcoin Reserve Bill, Goes to Senate / Metaplanet Comes to USA / New EU Bitcoin Treasury Group Rises / GDP Contracts, Spin Results / Job Layoffs Up, Inflation Steady / WorldCoin Brings Biometric System to USA / Coinbase Files With SCOTUS For Privacy Issues / Fifth Gen Warfare Operation Used Claude AI / Blockstream Expanding
Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $96.292, 30.01 oz Gold, .22 Median US House
24hr Hi: $96,373 / Lo: $92,979
Vol: $32B (Up 33%)
Mkt Cap: $1.91T (Up 1%)
HashRate: 852 EH/s
Avg Fee Rate: 9 sats/vBtye (Up 50%)
---Reports---
-International Events-
1. US and Ukraine sign natural resources deal and agree to establish investment fund: The deal followed prolonged negotiations amid a more-than-three-year war with Russia, with Ukraine securing full sovereignty over its mineral resources as compensation for U.S. Military aid. (GroundNews) (AC-The timing of this announcement seems to coincide with Russia's latest military push in Ukraine and the consternation the US is showing towards Russia for not seeking an end to hostilities. It also reveals a possible shift in attitude towards the Ukrainian plight.)
2. US Calls On India And Pakistan To 'De-escalate': SECState Rubio "urged Pakistani officials' cooperation in investigating this unconscionable attack" and "encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia", said spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. (IBTimes)
-US Events-
1. Judge Limits Border Patrol Stops in California, Citing Civil Rights Concerns: A federal judge in California’s Eastern District prohibited Border Patrol agents from arresting individuals suspected of being in the country unlawfully without first obtaining a warrant or having reasonable suspicion. (GroundNews) (AC-The war between activist judges and the Trump administration is in high gear now. The ability to mire the admin in legal injunctions and time-delaying tactics in having effects on Trump's momentum and ambitions. The results of the war will certainly degrade the trust in the legal system as well as executive power limits.)
2. Judge Orders Suspect Behind Firebombing of Missouri Tesla Released from Federal Custody: A federal judge ordered that the suspect behind the firebombing of a Tesla dealership in Kansas City, Missouri, be released from federal custody ahead of his upcoming court date. (Breitbart)
3. May Day Protests Expected Nationwide: May Day protests are set to intensify across the U.S. on May 1, 2025, with workers rallying against perceived anti-labor policies. Historians note the U.S. avoids officially recognizing May Day due to resistance to working-class unity. (NPR)
-Regulatory and Legal-
NSTR
-CBDCs/World Currencies/Strategic Reserves-
1. North Carolina House Approves Bitcoin Investment for $127 Billion Pension Fund: North Carolina House passes bills allowing 5% of $127 billion pension fund to be invested in Bitcoin, awaiting Senate approval. (Blockonomi)
-Institutional Concerns-
1. Metaplanet to Set Up Florida Subsidiary, Eyes $250M Raise for Its Bitcoin Strategy: Metaplanet Inc. is establishing a wholly owned subsidiary in Florida to raise $250 million for its Bitcoin treasury strategy. The Tokyo-listed investment firm aims to expand access to U.S. institutional investors and operate 24/7 across time zones. (Decrypt)
2. The Rise of Europe’s First Bitcoin Treasury Company: In the United States, Strategy proved the Bitcoin treasury model. In Asia, Metaplanet took the baton ran with it. Now in Europe, a new name is emerging as a leader in balance sheet transformation—The Blockchain Group (ALTBG). In just six months, it has posted a 709.8% BTC Yield, far outpacing Bitcoin’s price performance and demonstrating how balance sheet engineering—when executed through the Bitcoin lens—can drive exponential shareholder value. (BItcoinMag)
-Economic Indicators-
1. U.S. Economy Contracts in Q1 2025: The U.S. economy shrank by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, the first contraction since 2022, driven by a surge in imports as businesses stockpiled goods ahead of President Trump’s tariffs. Consumer spending slowed, with personal consumption expenditures up 1.8%, the lowest since Q2 2023. Economists warn tariffs could increase recession risks. (CBS) (AC-No mention in mainstream articles on the government component of GDP, which has been the more significant factor is GDP 'growth' for a number of years.)
2. US April Layoffs Highest for the Month Since 2020: U.S.-based employers announced 105,441 job cuts in April, down sharply by 62% from March’s 275,240 but still 63% higher than in April 2024. It marked the highest total for the month since April 2020, when a record 671,129 layoffs were reported. So far in 2025, employers have announced 602,493 job cuts—the most for this time of year since 2020—mainly in government, due to DOGE-related cost-cutting, as well as in the tech and retail sectors. (TradingEconomics)
3. US PCE Inflation Slows as Expected: The personal consumption expenditure price index in the US was unchanged in March from February 2025, the least in ten months, and following a 0.4% rise in each of the previous two months, in line with expectations. (TradingEconomics)
-Security Concerns-
1. Worldcoin Launches in Six U.S. Cities with Iris-Scanning Technology and Cryptocurrency Rewards: The Sam Altman-founded company plans to deploy 7,500 scanning orbs across the U.S. by the end of 2025 and has partnered with Visa for a debit card and integrated with Match Group, Razer, and others. Despite having scanned 12 million users globally, the project faces ongoing privacy and regulatory concerns. (Blockonomi) (AC-It's like watching a cancer spread.)
2. Coinbase and Allies Seek Supreme Court Review on Digital Privacy Laws: Coinbase, along with other parties, filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider the application of the third-party doctrine in digital privacy laws. The case involves a John Doe summons issued by the IRS to Coinbase in 2016, seeking information on thousands of users suspected of tax violations. (Decrypt)
-Technology and Science-
1. Claude AI Exploited to Operate 100+ Fake Political Personas in Global Influence Campaign: Artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic has revealed that unknown threat actors leveraged its Claude chatbot for an "influence-as-a-service" operation to engage with authentic accounts across Facebook and X. The now-disrupted operation, Anthropic researchers said, prioritized persistence and longevity over vitality and sought to amplify moderate political perspectives that supported or undermined European, Iranian, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), and Kenyan interests. (HackerNews) (AC-The tools of 5Th Generation Warfare are becoming more and more leveraged and powerful. It will take a concerted effort to combat these influence operations.)
-Bitcoin Community-
1. Blockstream Spins out Mining and ASIC Divisions in Major Restructuring Effort: The bitcoin-focused technology firm closed a $210 million funding round led by Fulgur Ventures last October and is now implementing key expansion initiatives. (BitcoinCom)
-Bitcoin Sentiment-
1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 56/100 (Down 4 pts)
Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR
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____________________
Analyst: BV2A
END REPORT
NNNN
*NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report
BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)
Block: 894,464
DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 29Apr2025
Precedence: Routine (RR)
Controls: Public Release
QQQQ
__________________________
BLUF: Liberals Win in Canada Election / Iran Port Death Toll Rises / Houthis Hit by US Strikes / Ukraine Holds 3-Day Ceasefire / Spain, Portugal Recover From Power Blackout / Tariff War Drops US Imports / MLK-Associated Church Burned Down / Congress Works on Budget / USS Truman Drops Plane Overboard / DOJ Seeks 20 Year Sentence for Celsius CEO / Sec. of Commerce Wants Bitcoin Paradise / Arizona Passes First US SBR, Sent to Governor / BTC ETFs Have Big Week / USD Rises, UST Yields Down / Cyberattack on Iran / Workers Hiding AI Use / Bitcoin Mining Sustainability Over 50%
Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $95,158, 28.73 oz Gold, .22 Median US House
24hr Hi: $95,598 / Lo: $93,498
Vol: $29B (Up 23%)
Mkt Cap: $1.89T (Even)
HashRate: 846 EH/s
Avg Fee Rate: 2 sats/vBtye (Down 75%)
---Reports---
-International Events-
1. Canadian Election Results: Liberals Win Under Mark Carney: The Liberal Party, led by Mark Carney, secured victory in Canada’s 2025 federal election, defeating the Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre, who conceded defeat. (IndianExpress)
2. Iran Port Explosion Death Toll Rises to 40: A massive explosion at Bandar Abbas, Iran’s largest port, killed at least 40 people. Iranian state media reported firefighters were still working to extinguish the blaze. Local sources suggest negligent chemical storage as the cause, with Israeli officials denying involvement. (Reuters)
3. 68 Bodies Recovered in Yemen After U.S. Strike on Saada: Yemen’s Houthi TV reported that 68 bodies were recovered following a U.S. military strike on Saada. The strike’s context and targets were not detailed in the reports. (Reuters)
4. Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Announced for May 8-11: The Kremlin announced a 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine from May 8 to May 10, coinciding with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations. Russia warned it would respond if Ukraine violates the truce. (AP)
5. Spain and Portugal Recover from Blackout: Electricity was restored to nearly all of Spain and parts of Portugal after an 18-hour blackout. The cause of the outage was not detailed in the reports. (NYT)
-US Events-
1. Trump Tariffs: Automakers May Get Relief: The Trump administration is considering softening tariffs on automakers, with reports indicating potential relief from the 145% tariffs on Chinese imports imposed April 5, 2025. Cargo shipments from China have dropped 60%, impacting retailers like Walmart and Target, with inventory shortages expected by mid-May. (Yahoo)
2. Memphis Church Tied to MLK Destroyed: A historic Memphis church linked to Martin Luther King Jr.’s final campaign was destroyed by fire on April 28, 2025. The cause of the fire was not reported. (Reuters)
3. Congress Returns for Budget Reconciliation: Congress resumed sessions on April 28, 2025, after a two-week recess, focusing on budget reconciliation as a priority, with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune leading discussions. (NPR)
4. US Warplane Falls Off Aircraft Carrier Into Red Sea: "The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard," the Navy said in a statement. This is the second aircraft lost from the USS Truman in 5 months. (IBTimes)
-Regulatory and Legal-
1. DOJ Seeks 20-Year Prison Sentence for Celsius Founder Alex Mashinsky: The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking a 20-year prison sentence for Alex Mashinsky, the founder of Celsius Network, for his involvement in a $7 billion fraud scheme. Prosecutors argued that Mashinsky's deliberate actions caused significant losses and that he refuses to take responsibility for his crimes. (Decrypt)
2. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick Has a Bitcoin Vision for America: Secretary Lutnick encourages Bitcoin businesses to set up shop in the United States, as he claims that the Trump administration is doing everything in its power to welcome such companies to the U.S. in the wake of the Biden administration’s hostile treatment of them. (BItcoinMag)
-CBDCs/World Currencies/Strategic Reserves-
1. Arizona Passes Landmark Bill To Have First Bitcoin Strategic Reserve in The U.S.: Arizona just made history. Today, on April 28 the Grand Canyon State became the first among U.S. regions to pass a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve bill. If signed into law, it would mark a major shift in how states handle digital assets. But before this becomes reality, Governor Katie Hobbs has to sign it off. Her stance on state-backed Bitcoin investments isn’t clear yet, and whether she greenlights the bill or shuts it down remains to be seen. (BitcoinSensus) (AC-Somebody had to be first.)
-Institutional Concerns-
1. Bitcoin ETF demand skyrockets on price breakout leading to largest flows in 2025: After initially stumbling through a dry spell earlier this year, these funds roared back to life between April 21-25, pulling in a staggering $3 billion in net inflows. The April 22 frenzy alone netted $936.5 million, marking the most substantial one-day surge in recent memory. (CryptoSlate)
-Economic Indicators-
1. Dollar Rises Amid Global Trade Developments: The dollar index rose above 99.1 on Tuesday, recouping some losses from the previous session as investors monitored global trade developments. China reiterated that it is not engaged in trade talks with the US, clarifying that President Xi Jinping has not called President Donald Trump. (TradingEconomics)
2. US 10-Year Yield Hovers at 3-Week Low: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury not hovered around 4.2% on Tuesday, lingering at its lowest levels in three weeks as investors awaited crucial economic data that could reveal the early impact of President Donald Trump’s new tariffs. (TradingEconomics)
-Security Concerns-
1. Iran claims it stopped large cyberattack on country’s infrastructure: Iran repelled a “widespread and complex” cyberattack targeting the country’s infrastructure on Sunday, according to a senior official who spoke to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked Tasnim News Agency. (TheRecord)
-Technology and Science-
1. Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks: The Lyrid meteor shower reached its peak, with NASA reporting 10 to 20 meteors visible per hour under optimal conditions. (CBS)
2. Workers Are Hiding Their AI Use—Study Reveals Why That's a Big Problem for Employers: New worldwide research has uncovered an increasing trend of employees secretly utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the workplace, with implications for transparency, trust, and risk management in contemporary workplaces. The research revealed that most workers have no idea how AI operates or how to use it ethically. (TechTimes)
-Bitcoin Community-
1. Cambridge University study says Bitcoin mining sustainable energy use hit 52.4%, exceeding Elon Musk's target to resume Tesla BTC payments: A new Bitcoin mining report from Cambridge University says that sustainable energy use by the industry has reached 52.4% — up from 37.6% in 2022. (TheBlock)
-Bitcoin Sentiment-
1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 60/100 (Up 6 pts)
Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR
Follow us on NOSTR: