When Boston Fiat Party?!

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 831,682 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 23Feb24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: ATT Outage, Pharma Hack Raise Suspicions / Houthis Hit Another Ship / Private US Firm Lands on Moon / TX Blockchain Sue DOE / Reddit Reveals BTC, ETH Positions Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $50,966, 25.15 oz Gold, .12 Median US House 24hr Hi: $52,009 / Lo: $50,856 Vol: $23B (Down 14%) Mkt Cap: $1T (Down 1%) HashRate: 607 EH/s Avg Fees: 7,485 sats/tx (Up 8%) Nodes: 18,480 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Houthi rebel attack sets cargo ship ablaze, forces Israel to intercept another attack near Eilat: The attack Thursday in the Gulf of Aden saw two missiles fired at a Palau-flagged cargo ship named Islander, the U.S. military’s Central Command said. A European naval force in the region described the attack as sparking a fire and wounding one sailor on board the vessel, though the ship is continuing on its way. (AP) 2. South Korea health alert raised to ‘severe’ over doctors walkout: Almost two-thirds of the country’s young doctors are on strike against a government plan to admit more students to medical schools, forcing hospitals to turn away patients. (NBC) -US Events- 1. U.S. returns to the moon as first private spacecraft touches down: Space company Intuitive Machines became the first business to land a private spacecraft on the moon on Thursday. The spacecraft is carrying a host of NASA science experiments alongside several other private payloads. The experiements will help support NASA's Artemis program which will place humans back on the moon in 2026. (Axios) 3. Florida House passes legislation that would prohibit kids under 16 from having certain social media accounts: On Thursday, the House passed House Bill 1 in a vote of 108-7 and is now headed to Gov Desantis' desk. (CNN) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Texas Blockchain Council including Riot file lawsuit against US Energy Department over Bitcoin miner survey: The Feb. 22 court filing showed that the miners want to halt what they deem an “unlawful emergency data collection,” Lee Bratcher, president of the TBC, said: “It’s evident that this survey is not about grid stability, as bitcoin miners are the most flexible load on any grid, but is a targeted political effort led by figures like Elizabeth Warren.“ (CryptoSlate) 2. Trump: Bitcoin Has Taken on 'a Life of its Own,' Will Probably Need Some Regulation: The former U.S. president had previously said he was "not a fan" of cryptocurrencies and called central bank digital currencies dangerous, vowing not to allow them if elected. (CoinDesk) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Reddit Adds Bitcoin and Ether to Its Treasury: The social-media company said that it invested some of its excess cash reserves in the cryptocurrencies, which are the two largest coins in crypto by market value. Reddit said that its investments in crypto for treasury purposes will be limited to coins that are unlikely to be securities, based on statements by regulators. (WSJ) (AC-Wall Street is taking notice) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. Digital Yuan Now Used to Complete Car Prepurchase Payments: The digital yuan, China’s CBDC, is being used as a security element in car prepurchase payment settlements. According to local media reports, a pilot test that allows customers to pay for their cars with digital yuan was established in early February in Shenzhen, and several customers are already purchasing their vehicles using this system. (Bitcoincom) -Economic Indicators- 1. It’s Been 30 Years Since Food Ate Up This Much of Your Income: In 1991, U.S. consumers spent 11.4% of their disposable personal income on food, according to data from the U.S. Agriculture Department. At the time, households were still dealing with steep food-price increases following an inflationary period during the 1970s. More than three decades later, food spending has reattained that level, USDA data shows. In 2022, consumers spent 11.3% of their disposable income on food, according to the most recent USDA data available. (WSJ) -Technological Updates-' 1. AT&T outage caused by software update, company says: AT&T told ABC News in a statement ABC News that the outage was not a cyberattack but caused by "the application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network." (ABC) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. UnitedHealth Blamed ‘Nation-State’ Threat in Hack That Disrupted Pharmacy Orders: A cyberattack against a division of UnitedHealth Group Inc. has caused a nationwide outage of a computer network that’s used to transmit data between health-care providers and insurance companies, rendering some pharmacies unable to process prescriptions, according to the company and reports from affected organizations. (Yahoo) -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 76/100 (Up 2 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Yesterday's cyber and communication anomalies are suspect. The AT&T outage, UnitedHealth's hack and sporadic reports of Wells Fargo customer outages happening on one day are indicative of foul play, environmental effects (i.e. solar flares), or incompetencies. What is relevant to the general population is the apparent fragility of the networks of power, communications and infrastructure that we so rely on. Whether yesterday's events were a test or some combination of incompetence, distributed and redundant systems are necessary and individual planning for contingencies are simply prudent. Follow us on NOSTR: @Bitcoin Veterans ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 831,534 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 22Feb24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Yemeni Houthis Launch More Missiles at Ships, Israel / Russia Gains Offensive in Ukraine / Biden Forgives Some Debts / NVDIA Pumps US Stocks / Nigerians Use VPNs to Access Crypto Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $51,512, 25.39 oz Gold, .12 Median US House 24hr Hi: $51,980 / Lo: $50,671 Vol: $27B (Down 21%) Mkt Cap: $1.01T (Flat) HashRate: 543 EH/s Avg Fees: 5,965 sats/tx (Down 18%) Nodes: 17,978 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Israel’s Arrow intercepts apparent Houthi ballistic missile headed for Eilat: Israel’s long-range Arrow air defense system shot down a ballistic missile over the Red Sea early Thursday morning. Meanwhile, US conducts four 'self-defense strikes' against Houthi weapons preparing to launch(TimesOfIsrael/Fox) 2. Julian Assange's US extradition hearing wraps up in London, decision not expected until at least next month (Fox) 3. Ex-CIA director says Russia has broken the stalemate in Ukraine and is 'on the offensive' along the 600-mile war front: The Russians are no longer on the back foot in Ukraine, says former CIA chief Robert Gates. "A lot of people are referring to the war at this point as a stalemate," Gates told The Washington Post in an interview on Wednesday. "I'm afraid I believe that, at this point, it's actually not so much a stalemate, but that the Russians have regained momentum." "It's not breakthrough kind of momentum, but it is the sense that they are now the ones pressing the offensive," he continued. (BusinessInsider) -US Events- 1. Oregon Fentanyl Overdoses Increase by 1,530%, Largest Spike in the Nation: A new FOX12 report using data obtained from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) exposed the shocking statistics, revealing that 1,268 deaths occurred as a result of the fatal drug between September 2019 and September 2023. (Fox) 2. Biden Transferring Student Debt from 153,000 Borrowers, Notifies Them in Emails: Politico reported that on Wednesday, the Biden administration was set to blast out emails to some 153,000 loan borrowers, who will see $1.2 billion transferred out of their collective debts under his Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan.(Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Bitcoin ETF Approval Comparable to 'Naked Emperor’s New Clothes,’ ECB Officials Say: The U.S. SEC’s approval of multiple spot ETFs and the billions of dollars that have poured in since don't make Bitcoin a good investment or a better means of payment, the central bankers said in a blog post. (CoinDesk) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Most Bitcoin ETFs Keep All Their Eggs In One Basket. Is That Risky? Cryptocurrency custody is divided into two camps — custody from a technology perspective and qualified custodians, according to Kyle DaCruz, Director of Digital Assets Products at VanEck. VanEck launched its spot bitcoin ETF, the VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL) on Jan. 11. VanEck recorded more than $86.9 million in inflows since launch and has $187.6 million in assets under management as of Feb. 14, according to BitMEX Research. (IBD) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- NSTR -Economic Indicators- 1. US Futures Rally after Nvidia Results Beat: Stocks futures in the US rallied on Thursday, with contracts on the S&P 500 futures soaring 1.1% to hover at record levels, while the Nasdaq 100 jumped 2.2% and the Dow Jones futures added about 160 points after Nvidia's results topped forecasts. (TradingEconomics) -Technological Updates-' NSTR -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. A cache of leaked Chinese hacking documents just confirmed experts' warnings about how compromised the US could be: Over 570 files and documents were posted to the developer platform GitHub last week, per The Washington Post. The documents, which track hacking activity across multiple countries, belong to iSoon, a private security contractor with ties to China's Ministry of Public Security, according to the Post's report on Wednesday. (BusinessInsider) 2. Nigerians turn to VPN as government blocks access to Binance, Coinbase, others: The Nigerian government barred access to crypto platforms because of their alleged roles in the country's fiat currency struggles. (CryptoSlate) -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 74/100 (Down 4 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): The Investors Business Daily (IBD) article referenced above is an indicator of mainstream financial media beginning to address the need for Bitcoin education. Though this article focuses on how the ETFs 'custody' the Bitcoin, it teaches readers how Bitcoin is different than other assets, giving investors a primer on the value inherent in it. As more economic value begins to chase the limited supply of Bitcoin, this kind of education will be necessary for responsible investing and eventually a transition to a Bitcoin Standard. Follow us on NOSTR: @Bitcoin Veterans ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 831,402 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 21Feb24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Missile Strikes Damascus / UK Nuke Missile Test FLops, Again / Digital Asset Industry Sets Sights on Sen Warren / VanEcks ETF volume explodes 2,200% in One Day / More US Businesses Plan on 'Crypto' / US Mortgage Rate Over 7% Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $51,330, 25.28 oz Gold, .12 Median US House 24hr Hi: $52,945 / Lo: $50,773 Vol: $34B (Up 47%) Mkt Cap: $1.01T (Down 2%) HashRate: 612 EH/s Avg Fees: 7,310 sats/tx (Up 8%) Nodes: 18,302 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Israeli airstrike kills two people in Damascus, Syrian state TV says: An Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in the Kafr Sousa district in Syria's capital Damascus on Wednesday, killing two people, Syrian state media and a security source said. (Reuters) 2. No Farmers No Food: Greek Tractor Protests Head to Parliament: The farmers – whose demands are similar to those at farmer protests elsewhere in Europe – have spent weeks staging sporadic blockades along highways and in rural towns. Farmers in central Greece are also still reeling from major floods last year. (Reuters) 3. UK nuclear missile test fails for second time in eight years: A British nuclear missile test failed after the Trident weapon crashed into the sea near the submarine that fired it, in another embarrassing flop after the UK’s last trial launch also failed eight years ago.The Ministry of Defence confirmed on Tuesday that “an anomaly” occurred during the latest test firing of a Trident II ballistic missile, which took place on January 30 off the coast of Florida. (FT) -US Events- 1. Alabama Supreme Court rules frozen embryos are 'children' under state law: The decision was issued in a pair of wrongful death cases brought by three couples who had frozen embryos destroyed in an accident at a fertility clinic. Justices, citing anti-abortion language in the Alabama Constitution, ruled that an 1872 state law allowing parents to sue over the death of a minor child "applies to all unborn children, regardless of their location." (NPR) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Warren vs. crypto investors – Battle royale over anti-crime bill: The Chamber of Digital Commerce accused Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown of “trying to kill the entire industry” with the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act. CDC founder and CEO Perianne Boring adds, “This bill, if passed, will erase hundreds of billions of dollars in value for U.S. start-ups and decimate the savings of countless Americans invested in this asset class legally.” The Blockchain Association also wrote to Senator Brown and other US senators, claiming that digital assets offered a “strategic advantage” for the United States. (Cryptopolitan) -Institutional Concerns- 1. VanEck's Bitcoin ETF Records 2,200% Volume Surge in a Day: Trading volumes of VanEck’s HODL, one of the ten spot bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds in the U.S. (ETF), surged over 2,200% on Tuesday in a move driven by individual traders. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Eric Balchunas said on X that the volumes came from 32,000 individual trades instead of one big investor – showing signs of a retail mania. (CoinDesk) 2. 25% of public firms to increase digital asset investments in 2024, but regulation’s a major challenge: Deloitte polled around 500 C-suite executives involved in their companies’ digital asset management. A total of 25.4% of executives at public companies expect their digital asset investment to increase this year, Deloitte found. This was more than twice as high as their counterparts in the private sector, who expect a similar change at 10.5%. (CoinGeek) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. EU Parliamentary Committee votes in favor of ‘digital euro’ CBDC: The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties and Justice (LIBE) has overwhelmingly voted to endorse the latest digital euro report backing the European Central Bank’s proposed digital euro, taking the bloc one step closer to a CBDC. The draft legislation would make a proposed CBDC legal tender and was passed by a resounding 48 in favor of with only six against (and with seven abstentions). (CoinGeek) -Economic Indicators- 1. Mortgage Rates Back to 7%: The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages in the US soared 19bps to 7.06% in the latest week, the highest level since early December, tracking Treasury yields higher. As a result, applications to purchase a home loan sank 10.6%, the biggest fall so far this year. (TradingEconomics) -Technological Updates-' NSTR -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Global law enforcement effort cracks down on LockBit ransomware group: Law enforcement officials from 11 countries have joined forces to disrupt the activities of a major cybercrime group. Among those in the community of cybersecurity researchers, the group, known as Lockbit, is considered one of the most dreaded, most prolific and often most harmful team of cybercriminals. The Department of Justice says Lockbit made over $120 million by holding victims' data for ransom. (NPR) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin exchange balance dips to lowest since 2018 as market shifts to HODLing: Since mid-March 2020, there has been a notable decline in the volume of Bitcoin stored in exchange wallets, marking a significant shift in investor behavior. (CryptoSlate) 2. Coinbase CEO: Every Institution Is Now Starting to Hold Crypto: Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says “every institution is now starting to hold crypto,” emphasizing that “the asset class will be a standard part of every diversified portfolio.” Moreover, the executive noted that institutions will eventually be using crypto in other ways, such as “holding it on their balance sheet, paying their vendors, [and] doing payroll.” (Bitcoincom) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 78/100 (Up 5 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Two separate articles today indicate a tentative move for businesses to start holding and/or using "crypto" but most likely Bitcoin. The recent accounting change allowing FMV on balance sheets, coupled with business performances by Michael Saylor are drawing the attention of CEO and CFOs. Holding BTC as a store of value, similar to Saylor's strategy, is the first logical move for these businesses, with eventual usage as a medium of exchange. It will be interesting to see how different CFOs learn and execute digital asset strategies in the coming years. Follow us on NOSTR: @Bitcoin Veterans ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

We will be putting on a HAM radio licensing test at Bitcoin 2024 in Nashville If you’re interesting in testing, please fill out the interest form below https://formstr.app/ #/fill/13afbf97d5ed5f2093d0a6eb0c2cb7533d7d16c9678aa039110713a641866b35

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 831,262 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 20Feb24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Ukraine War Enters 3rd Year / Can The USG Confiscate Bitcoin? / BitWise ETF Approved for RIAs / Trump Must Put up $500M Just to Appeal Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $52,244, 25.73 oz Gold, .12 Median US House 24hr Hi: $52,449 / Lo: $51,334 Vol: $24B (Up 24%) Mkt Cap: $1.02T (Down 0%) HashRate: 553 EH/s Avg Fees: 6,663 sats/tx (Down 10%) Nodes: 18,180 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. As the Ukraine war enters a third year, Putin waits for Western support for Kyiv to wither: When the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, some analysts predicted it might take as few as three days for Russian forces to capture the capital of Kyiv. With the war now entering its third year, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be trying to turn that initial failure to his advantage — by biding his time and waiting for Western support for Ukraine to wither while Moscow maintains its steady military pressure along the front line. (AP) 2. WikiLeaks founder Assange starts final UK legal battle to avoid extradition to US on spy charges: Julian Assange’s lawyers began their final U.K. legal challenge Tuesday to stop the WikiLeaks founder from being sent to the United States to face spying charges, arguing that his actions had exposed serious criminal actions by U.S. authorities and were “of obvious and important public interest.” (AP) 3. Russian Court Upholds Detention of WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich: Tuesday’s rejection of the latest appeal by Gershkovich’s lawyers means he is set to remain behind bars until at least March 30, which would mark more than a year since he was taken into custody on an allegation of espionage that the Journal and the U.S. government vehemently deny. (WSJ) -US Events- 1. Trump Must Pay Half a Billion Dollars Before He Can Appeal New York Decision: Former President Donald Trump must pay nearly half a billion dollars as a bond to New York State before he can appeal the ruling by Judge Arthur Engoron last week that he must pay $354 million in fines — over $450 million, with interest — for fraud. (Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Australian Police Officer in Court for Stealing Nearly 82 BTC From Seized Drug Trafficker's Wallet: An Australian police officer recently appeared in a Melbourne court where he faced charges of stealing 81.616 bitcoins from a crypto wallet seized from drug traffickers. After initially blaming the drug traffickers,’ the Australian Federal Police later reopened the case after an expert found evidence linking the theft to a former police officer. The accused police officer’s lawyer has vowed to fight all the allegations against his client. (Bitcoincom) 2. (Speculatory Article) Experts Warn Of 6102-Style Bitcoin Ban In The US, What Does It Mean?: The Bitcoin community is currently hotly debating the possibility of a US government crackdown on BTC akin to the historic 1933 gold confiscation, an event now ominously referenced in crypto circles as “6102.” David Bailey, CEO of BTC Media, has catapulted this conversation into the spotlight with a series of predictions on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that the US might enact similar measures against Bitcoin within the next six years. Bailey’s theory hinges on a sequence of economic and market developments beginning with Bitcoin achieving parity with gold. This milestone, according to Bailey, will skyrocket BTC’s market valuation to an estimated $13 trillion. Such an event, he argues, would not only affirm BTC’s status as a premier asset class but also trigger a domino effect across global financial systems. (Bitcoinist) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Bitwise Bitcoin ETF approved investment option for $30 billion advisor network: Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley revealed this development via social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Feb. 19, noting that advisors within the network are now authorized to allocate funds with BITB, typically ranging from 1% to 5%. (CryptoSlate) 2. Bitcoin Order Books Are Most Liquid Since October as Market Depth Nears $540M: Early Tuesday, bitcoin's 2% market depth across 33 centralized exchanges, or the combined value of buy and sell orders within 2% of the market price, rose to $539 million. That's the highest since October and a roughly 30% increase since the spot ETFs hit the market on Jan. 11, according to data tracked by Paris-based Kaiko. (CoinDesk) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- NSTR -Economic Indicators- 1. Bond Yields Edge Lower: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note kicked off a holiday-shortened week slightly lower below 4.28%, with traders bracing for the FOMC minutes and comments from several Fed officials for further clues on the timing of the first interest rate cut by the Fed. Also, bond yields in Europe declined, with the benchmark 10-year one for Germany falling to 2.38%. (TradeingEconomics) 2. Chinese Banks Slash a Key Lending Rate as Economy Falters: The country is grappling with deflation, slowing exports and a prolonged real-estate slump. The People’s Bank of China said Tuesday that China’s major banks reduced the five-year loan prime rate, a benchmark for home loans, to a new low of 3.95%, from 4.2% previously. It was the largest cut since the rate was introduced five years ago, and a much bigger reduction than economists had expected. (WSJ) -Technological Updates-' NSTR -Security Incidents and Concerns- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 72/100 (Down 3 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Normally the BTC DIB reports on fact-based news but the speculatory article about a 6102 event is pertinent to game out the possibilities of future events relating to Bitcoin. This full article is at

Bitcoinist.com

Experts Warn Of 6102-Style Bitcoin Ban In The US

The Bitcoin community is currently hotly debating the possibility of a US government crackdown on BTC akin to the historic 1933 gold confiscation, ...

and as we look forward to the probable ascendancy of Bitcoin within a financial world storm, it is important to understand the possible reactions of governments and populations. A 6102-type order would have immense ramifications on Bitcoin holders and uses as a medium of exchange and store of value. It would take an economic emergency to allow governments to adopt this path, but those types of emergencies are common within generations. Any future-based forecasting should be looked at with a mechanistic lens and based in changing probabilities. Follow us on NOSTR: @Bitcoin Veterans ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 831,128 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 19Feb24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Houthi Hit Ship in Red Sea, Possible US Drone Downed / Texas Building Military Base on Border / Another Big Storm for CA / BTC Transactions and Fees are Low / Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $52,365, 25.96 oz Gold, .12 Median US House 24hr Hi: $52,483 / Lo: $51,567 Vol: $18B (Down 11%) Mkt Cap: $1.03T (Up 1%) HashRate: 568 EH/s Avg Fees: 7,795 sats/tx (Down 30%) Nodes: 17,747 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Houthi rebels’ attack severely damages a Belize-flagged ship in key strait leading to the Red Sea, may have also shot down a US MQ-9 drone: A missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that damaged a Belize-flagged ship traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden has forced the crew to abandon the ship, authorities said Monday. Another ship reportedly came under attack as well in the Gulf of Aden. The Iran-backed Houthis also claimed they shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, something not immediately acknowledged by U.S. forces in the region. However, the Houthis have downed U.S. drones before. (AP) 2. Once banned from the US, this fiery ex-army general is poised to lead Indonesia: At 72, Prabowo Subianto, the ex-army general, once banned from the United States over alleged human rights violations, might be decades older than his competitors – both former governors in their 50s – but he says he is more than ready to lead. Official results are not complete yet but he has garnered up to 60% of the vote so far. (CNN) -US Events- 1. Texas Gov. Abbott Announces Border Military Base to Combat Flow of Migrants: The Texas Military Department is set to construct a Forward Operating Base on 80 acres of land along the Rio Grande that will house up to 1,800 Texas National Guard soldiers, with the ability to accommodate an additional 500, Abbott’s office stated. (Breitbart) 2. Nearly the entire population of California remains under flood alerts as people are urged to stay off the roads due to an incoming storm. (CNN) 3. Suspicious Reversal:’ DOJ Backs Down from Massive Fraud Case Against Dem Megadonor Dish CEO, BlackRock: FCC insiders are raising concerns over the Justice Department’s sudden push to settle a multi-billion dollar fraud lawsuit against Democratic megadonor Charlie Ergen’s Dish Network and BlackRock, just before they were set to be deposed. (Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Fed Governor Discusses Crypto's Impact on US Dollar Dominance — Says Banks Should Avoid Bitcoin ETFs as Primary Asset: Federal Reserve Governor Christopher J. Waller addressed crypto’s impact on the U.S. dollar’s dominance. Additionally, he expressed reservations about the need for a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC) and stated his opposition to banks holding bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as their primary asset. (Bitcoincom) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Cathie Wood’s ARK Offloads $90M Coinbase Shares Amid Slew of Analyst Upgrades: ARK Invest sold nearly half a million shares of Coinbase Global (COIN), worth around $90 million, on Friday as the Nasdaq-listing cryptocurrency exchange witnessed a slew of analyst upgrades after its fourth-quarter results beat Wall Street expectations. (CoinDesk) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- NSTR -Economic Indicators- NSTR -Technological Updates-' 1. Billions Start Flowing to Chip Makers for New U.S. Factories: The U.S. government is giving chip maker GlobalFoundries $1.5 billion in grants to build and expand facilities in New York and Vermont, the first major award in a program that aims to reinvigorate domestic chip production. The award from the Commerce Department kicks off what is expected to be a series of cash injections into semiconductor manufacturing projects in Arizona, Texas, New York and Ohio in the coming weeks. Chip makers Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Samsung Electronics and Micron Technology have all submitted applications for the government to cover a portion of the billions of dollars it costs to build cutting-edge factories. (WSJ) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. $26 million in Bitcoin and Ethereum stolen from FixedFloat exchange: FixedFloat, a non-custodial crypto exchange, confirmed that its platform was hacked over the weekend. In a Feb. 18 post on the social media platform X, the project acknowledged the hack and subsequent fund theft in response to queries from the crypto community. On-chain data shows that the stolen funds from the platform were worth $26 million in digital assets, including 1,728 ETH, worth around $4.85 million, and 409 BTC valued at $21 million. (CryptoSlate) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Network Faces Downturn in Transactions and Fees as Halving Approaches: The volume of daily transactions on the Bitcoin network has seen a significant decline since Jan. 28, 2024, with numbers falling from peaks above 600,000 to below 300,000 transactions per day. This downturn is in sync with a decrease in the daily creation of Ordinal inscriptions, overall easing congestion and reducing onchain fees. (Bitcoincom) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 75/100 (Down 3 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Transaction fees for BTC are the lowest they've been in months, making it a good time to consolidate UTXOs. Follow us on NOSTR: @Bitcoin Veterans ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 830,714 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 16Feb24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: UK, Japan Slip Into Recession / Putin Opponent Navalny Dies in Prison / Kraken Requires KYC on Self-Custody in UK / US Retail Slips More Than Expected / Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $52,365, 26.06 oz Gold, .12 Median US House 24hr Hi: $52,820 / Lo: $51,371 Vol: $35B (Down 4%) Mkt Cap: $1.03T (Even) HashRate: 541 EH/s Avg Fees: 10,545 sats/tx (Even) Nodes: 17,620 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Japan unexpectedly slips into recession, Germany now world's third-biggest economy: Japan unexpectedly slipped into a recession at the end of last year, losing its title as the world's third-biggest economy to Germany and raising doubts about when the central bank would begin to exit its decade-long ultra-loose monetary policy. (Reuters) 2. Britain falls into recession, with worst GDP performance in 2023 in years: Gross domestic product fell 0.3% in the final three months of 2023, following a 0.1% contraction in the July-to-September period, the Office for National Statistics said. (CNN) 3. Russian activist and Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in prison: Navalny, 47, one of Putin’s most visible and persistent critics, was being held in a jail about 40 miles north of the Arctic Circle where he had been sentenced to 19 years under a “special regime” (Guardian) -US Events- 1. Kansas City shooting latest: Police reveal dispute led up to shooting as two juvenile subjects questioned: So far, police have detained three individuals, two of whom are juveniles, but have not released any further details about the subjects or weapons used. Kansas City Police Chief, Stacey Graves, said that the shooting appeared to have stemmed from a dispute between people and was not terrorism-related. President Biden condemned the shooting, calling on stricter gun control measures that Republicans have rejected. (Independent) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. U.S. Federal Reserve Gov. Waller Says DeFi Could Boost Dollar's Global Strength: Despite some fears in government circles that crypto could undermine the dollar, the Fed governor said that the use of dollar-dependent stablecoins can boost the dollar's reach. (CoinDesk) 2. Kraken Starts Requiring Info on Self-Custody Crypto Wallet Ownership in the UK: Kraken, a U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, has started requiring additional information in the U.K. regarding transactions of self-custody wallets made to and from its accounts. Kraken sent an email to some of its U.K. customers, stating that if the information required was not provided, it could result in an account lock until the required data is delivered. (Bitcoincom) 3, Big banks are nudging the SEC for a slice of sweet Bitcoin ETF action: Major banks and financial institutions in the United States are pushing the US SEC to re-adjust its definition of crypto assets, which could allow them to play a larger role in crypto, such as acting as custodians to the recently approved spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds. On Feb. 14, a trade group coalition comprising the Bank Policy Institute, American Bankers Association, Financial Services Forum and Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association pled their case in a letter to SEC Chair Gary Gensler. (CoinTelegraph) -Institutional Concerns- 1. MicroStrategy listing in the S&P 500 index could expose millions to Bitcoin: MicroStrategy’s market cap would need to rise another $3.7 billion and meet other eligibility criteria to have a chance of making it on the popular index. (CoinTelegraph) 2. VanEck slashes spot Bitcoin ETF fee to 0.20%; Fidelity cuts EU ETP fee to 0.35% (CryptoSlate) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. Fed Chair Powell Briefs Lawmakers on US Central Bank Digital Currency Progress: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has provided an update to Congress members regarding the Fed’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) work. “If we’re going to have a CBDC, Congress needs to authorize it,” he stressed. Moreover, the Fed chair reportedly said that a framework for stablecoins is needed. (Bitcoincom) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Retail sales fell 0.8% in January from December, the Commerce Department said Thursday—much worse than expectations for a 0.3% decline. Also Thursday, Federal Reserve data showed January industrial production edging down 0.1% compared with expectations for a 0.2% increase. (WSJ) 2. The U.S. Government Will Soon Spend More on Interest Payments Than Defense: Treasury yields have sprung to multiyear highs, forcing the U.S. government to pay a lot more in interest and putting pressure on the budget. Interest costs are on pace to surpass defense this year as one of the largest government expenses in the budget. Only Social Security and Medicare are forecast to be bigger burdens in the coming years. (WSJ) -Technological Updates-' NSTR -Security Incidents and Concerns- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 72/100 (Down 3 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Kraken is now requiring KYC data on self-custody wallets in the UK or they will freeze assests. This tactic is a relatively easy method for governments to pressure the exchanges and can be expected worldwide at some point. Follow us on NOSTR: @Bitcoin Veterans ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 830,580 DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 15Feb24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Shootout at KC Super Bowl Celebration / Israel Forces Storm Hospital in Gaza / Missouri Passes Pro-BTC Bill / Money Flows out of Gold ETC, into BTC ETFs Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $52,365, 26.21 oz Gold, .12 Median US House 24hr Hi: $52,504 / Lo: $51,252 Vol: $36B (Down 13%) Mkt Cap: $1.03T (Up 1%) HashRate: 585 EH/s Avg Fees: 10,148 sats/tx (Down 20%) Nodes: 17,696 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Israeli forces storm the main hospital in southern Gaza, saying hostages were likely held there: Israeli forces stormed the main hospital in southern Gaza on Thursday, hours after Israeli fire killed a patient and wounded six others inside the complex. The Israeli army said it was a limited operation seeking the remains of hostages taken by Hamas. (AP) -US Events- 1. Gunfire at Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration kills 1 and wounds nearly two-dozen, including children: A historic railway station on the edge of downtown Kansas City became the latest backdrop for a mass shooting as gunfire near the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration sent terrified fans scrambling for cover and left 21 people wounded — including at least eight children — and a mother of two dead. (AP) 2. Top Republican's cryptic warning of US 'national security threat': Officials in the US have told the BBC's partner there, CBS News, that Russia is developing a nuclear-capable weapon that could take down satellites, thereby knocking out communications. They said there is no evidence a weapon has actually been deployed. The White House has said the threat is not imminent, but that congressional leaders would be briefed this week. Kremlin spokesman Peskov claimed the information was a 'trick' to get Ukraine funding through Congress. (BBC/CBS/TASS) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Jerome Powell urges for stablecoin regulatory framework: Fed Chair Powell addressed House Democrats regarding the necessity of a legislative framework for stablecoins. “We need a framework for stablecoins [and I’m] very supportive and am glad that we are close,” Powell said in a closed-door meeting with the House Financial Services Committee. (CryptoNews) 2. South Korea to Expel Crypto Exchanges Failing to Meet Its Stringent Conditions: Cryptocurrency exchanges that fail to meet South Korea’s stringent operating standards will be expelled from the crypto market, the country’s financial intelligence agency has said. The Financial Intelligence Unit said its annual work plan incorporates the insights of cryptocurrency experts serving on its advisory committees.(Bitcoincom) 3. Missouri passes pro-Bitcoin bill: Missouri passes a bill out of committee to protect the right to buy, self-custody, and mine Bitcoin. (SatoshiActionFund on X) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Gold ETFs see massive outflows as Bitcoin ETFs flourish: Leading gold-tracking exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have encountered substantial outflows totaling $2.39 billion since the beginning of the year. (Cryptopolitan) -Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)- 1. UCC Amendments: Trojan Horse For Bitcoin Or CBDC Nightmare? Using Tennessee as a recent example, the UCC's amendments, particularly Article 12, aim to provide a robust legal framework that acknowledges the unique nature of digital assets like Bitcoin. These changes are designed to facilitate the use of digital currencies in commerce and lending, but they have paradoxically ignited fears among those wary of increased government control and the specter of CBDCs. (Forbes) -Economic Indicators- NSTR -Technological Updates-' NSTR -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. U.S. Cyber Authorities Investigate 'Binance Trust Wallet' iOS App for Vulnerabilities: A potential vulnerability for the iOS version of "Binance Trust Wallet" has been listed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a U.S. agency that sets best practices and standards for technology and cyber security. The flaw has already been exploited in the wild, according to the database entry. In July 2023, it allowed attackers to guess security words and steal money from digital wallets because of the way it used the trezor-crypto library. (CoinDesk) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Two Russian Crypto Mining Centers Shut Down, 400+ Rigs Taken Offline: Russian crypto mining efforts suffered a setback last week, with police closing two large, illegal data centers. In total, officers said they took over 400 crypto mining rigs offline in raids in Siberia and the republic of Dagestan. (CryptoNews) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 75/100 (Up 1 pt) Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report #Bitcoin  #news

Bitcoin Veterans goes LIVE tonight at 7pm ET Tonight’s guest is the first veteran of the Space Force, LTC Matthew Lohmeier LTC Matthew Lohmeier, USAF fighter pilot and a former space-based missile warning squadron commander with the US Space Force, is a public speaker, consultant and author of the bestselling book “Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military” LETS GOOO!!!