
BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)
Block: 928,265
DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 17 DEC 2025
Precedence: Routine FNG (RR)
Controls: Public Release
QQQQ
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BLUF: U.S. “blockade” of sanctioned Venezuela tankers/ Expanded U.S. travel ban list announced/ Small plane crashes in central Mexico/ Brown University shooting/ MIT professor killed at home/ Trump's approval rating slips to 39%/ No vote planned on extending ACA/ Trump says he’ll “look at” pardoning Samourai/ Bitcoin Hashrate Sees Sharpest Post Halving Drop/ U.S. stock market close/ Oil market reaction to Venezuela/ China economic data weakens/ Warner Bros. Discovery rejects Paramount/ Pornhub premium-user data theft
Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $86,981 20.16 oz Gold, .20 Median US House
24hr Hi: $88,148 / Lo: $86,091
Volume: $25.45 B
Mkt Cap: $1.73 T
HashRate: 1,038.66 EH/s
Avg Fee Rate: 1 sats/vBtye (down 1)
---Reports---
-International Events-
1. U.S. “blockade” of sanctioned Venezuela tankers President Donald Trump announced a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela (Dec 16). Reuters reported enforcement details were not fully specified, but the move is intended to increase pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government; critics raised legal/political objections. Venezuela condemned the action and accused the U.S. of imperial intent.(Reuters)
2. Expanded U.S. travel ban list announced The Trump administration expanded travel/immigration restrictions to 20 additional countries and the Palestinian Authority, broadening a June action affecting 19 countries. AP noted exemptions for certain visa holders, permanent residents, diplomats, and athletes, while advocacy groups criticized the policy and highlighted limited carve-outs for Afghan allies. Implementation is slated for Jan 1, 2026 (AP)
3. Small plane crashes in central Mexico, killing at least 7 people A small plane crashed in central Mexico while trying to make an emergency landing Monday, killing at least seven people. The accident took place in San Mateo Atenco, an industrial area about 31 miles west of Mexico City. The private jet had registered eight passengers and two crew, but hours after the crash only seven bodies had been recovered. The plane had apparently tried to land on a soccer field but hit the metal roof of a nearby business, starting a large fire. The crash is under investigation. (AP)
-US Events-
1. Brown University shooting: reward and updated imagery The FBI posted a $50,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest and described the shooting inside the engineering building using a 9mm handgun, with two dead and nine injured. Authorities released new images of a person of interest and continued the manhunt with FBI support. Officials urged public review of neighborhood cameras and personal footage for suspect identification. (Guardian)
2. MIT professor killed at home; homicide investigation Nuno F.G. Loureiro (47), an MIT professor and director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was shot at his Brookline home on the night of Dec. 15, 2025, and died at a hospital the next morning, prompting authorities to open a homicide investigation. No suspect or motive had been publicly identified as of Tuesday afternoon. Authorities stated there was no known connection between this killing and the recent Brown University shooting. MIT leadership issued public condolences and campus support measures as the investigation continued. (Guardian)
3. Trump's approval rating slips to 39% President Donald Trump's approval rating slipped in recent days to nearly its lowest level of his current term as voters from his Republican Party soured on his handling of the economy according to a latest poll. Trump returned to power in January with a 47% rating, but his popularity has softened since then, particularly regarding his economic stewardship. A recent government shutdown disrupted data collection on the U.S. economy, but many economists think employers have pulled back on hiring because of what some described as shock from Trump's tariffs on imports. Just 33% of U.S. adults said they approved of how Trump was handling the U.S. economy, the president's lowest rating on the matter this year. (Reuters)
4. No vote planned on extending ACA enhanced subsidies House Speaker Mike Johnson said the House will not hold a vote to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that are set to expire at the end of 2025. GOP leaders instead moved forward with a separate House health-care package that does not include the subsidy extension, and the Congressional Budget Office estimate cited by AP projects the package would reduce coverage by about 100,000 people per year (2027–2035) while saving $35.6B. Johnson told members no agreement could be reached inside the GOP conference to add an extension, prompting some moderates to consider a discharge petition or bipartisan workarounds to force a floor vote. (Axios)
-Regulatory and Legal-
1. Trump says he’ll “look at” pardoning Samourai Wallet developers President Donald Trump said on Dec. 15, 2025 that he had “heard about” the case of Samourai Wallet co-founder Keonne Rodriguez and would “look at it,” then addressed Attorney General Pam Bondi in the room “We’ll look at that, Pam” White House comments were framed as a case review rather than a finalized clemency decision. (DeCrypt)
-CBDCs/World Currencies/Strategic Reserves-
1. Bitcoin Hashrate Sees Sharpest Post Halving Drop Since 2024 Amid China Machine Shutdowns Bitcoin’s hashrate fell about 8% after reported shutdowns of mining rigs in China’s Xinjiang region, with industry sources estimating roughly 400,000 miners offline. 30-day simple moving average hashrate has recorded its steepest decline since the April 2024 halving, according to Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research at VanEck. Bitcoin mining difficulty is currently projected to decline by roughly 3%, offering temporary relief to miner revenues (Coindesk)
-Institutional Concerns-
NSTR
-Economic Indicators-
1. U.S. stock market close U.S. equities finished mixed: the S&P 500 fell 0.2% to 6,800.26, the Dow dropped 0.6% to 48,114.26 (down 302 points), and the Nasdaq rose 0.2% to 23,111.46; the Russell 2000 declined 0.4% to 2,519.30. Reports tied the session to mixed U.S. macro signals, including uncertainty around jobs and activity data and what they imply for the Fed’s rate path. (AP)
2. Oil market reaction to Venezuela tanker blockade Oil prices rose more than 2% on Dec 17 after Trump’s blockade announcement increased supply-risk uncertainty tied to sanctioned Venezuelan flows. Reuters cited Brent and WTI both posting sizable daily gains, alongside separate U.S. inventory data as an additional factor. Traders are watching for enforcement specifics (e.g., Coast Guard posture) and any disruption to buyers and intermediaries.
(Reuters)
3. China economic data weakens; Beijing cautious on fiscal expansion Softer China data and continued deflation risks alongside official messaging that prioritized consumption but avoided large-scale fiscal “splurges.” Analysts warn incremental measures may be insufficient given the property downturn and weakening investment. Exports and a record trade surplus were described as a stabilizing factor even as domestic demand remained fragile. (Reuters)
4. Warner Bros. Discovery rejects Paramount Skydance bid; backs Netflix deal Warner Bros. Discovery’s board said it rejected a hostile $30-per-share all-cash bid from Paramount Skydance (reported value ~$108.4B), citing insufficient financing assurances and material execution risk. The board disputed Paramount’s claim the offer was “backed” by the Ellison family, saying there was no binding commitment and that the structure relied heavily on a revocable trust with unverified assets. WBD instead reaffirmed support for its binding merger agreement with Netflix at $27.75 per share, which Reuters said includes secured debt commitments and does not depend on outside equity financing. (Financial Times)
-Security Concerns-
1. ShinyHunters claims Pornhub premium-user data theft The “ShinyHunters” group claimed it stole data tied to Pornhub premium users. 94GB of Pornhub viewing data, including over 200 million records of personal information were stolen; Pornhub acknowledged a cybersecurity incident involving a third-party analytics provider. Mixpanel denied the exposed data came from them. Shiny Hunters is reportedly sending extortion emails to Mixpanel’s customers, threatening to release the data unless ransoms are paid publicly. (PCMag)
-Technology and Science-
NSTR
-Bitcoin Sentiment-
1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 25/100 (down 3)
Analyst Comments NSTR
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Analyst: BV2A
END REPORT
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*NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report