TC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)

Block: 824,857

DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 08Jan24

Precedence: Routine (RR)

Controls: Public Release

QQQQ

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BLUF: Israel targets another Hezbollah leader in Lebanon / US Congress strikes deal to avert shutdown / Nebraska bill to protect 'blockchain' / Yellen declares 'soft landing'

Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $44,125, 22.19oz Gold

24hr Hi: $45,141 / Lo: $43,244

Vol: $28.9B (Up 77%)

Mkt Cap: $880.1B (Up 1.7%)

HashRate: 432 EH/s

Avg Fees: 31,365 sats/tx (Up 22%)

Nodes: 17,571

---Reports---

-International Events-

1. Israeli airstrike kills a senior Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon: The Lebanese security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Israel struck a commander from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Forces, without giving his name. The strike hit a Honda SUV in the southern village of Khirbet Selm(AP)

2. China sanctions 5 US defense companies in response to US sanctions and arms sales to Taiwan: The sanctions will freeze any property the companies have in China and prohibit organizations and individuals in China from doing business with them, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted online. The companies are BAE Systems Land and Armament, Alliant Techsystems Operation, AeroVironment, ViaSat and Data Link Solutions.(AsahiShimbun)

3. German farmers blockade Berlin with tractors in subsidy row: Farmers in Germany have begun blockading roads in protest against subsidy cuts, with some 200 tractors parked by Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.The subsidy cuts were designed to fix a budget crisis after a court ruled the government's 2024 budget was illegal, but the cuts have backfired and there are fears the ensuing row could feed the far right's popularity.(BBC)

-US Events-

1. Congressional leaders announce spending deal as shutdown threat looms: House and Senate leaders on Sunday announced a spending deal for government funding in 2024, averting a shutdown later this month even as that threat still looms. The topline numbers agreed to include $1.59 trillion for fiscal year 2024, with $886 billion for defense spending and $704 in non-defense spending. They also agreed to a $69 billion side deal in adjustments that will go toward non-defense domestic spending.(CNN)

-Regulatory and Legal-

1. 'Blockchain Basics Act' Lands in Nebraska, 13 States to Introduce Crypto Legislation in 2024: The Blockchain Basics Act, a bill that seeks to protect several blockchain-based activities from being outlawed by the U.S. government, has been introduced in Nebraska. Sponsored by Sen. Eliot Bolstar, the bill is similar to the one introduced in Missouri recently, and 11 more states are expected to introduce similar regulations this year, according to the Satoshi Action Fund.(BitcoinCom)

2. South Korea To Introduce Virtual Assets Distribution & Listing Regulation: According to the report, Ahn Byeong-nam, head of the Digital Asset Research Team at the FSS, disclosed during a policy discussion that the guidelines encompass issuance volume, circulation, and listing standards.(CoinGape)

-Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)-

NSTR

-Institutional Concerns-

1. BlackRock, Other Potential Bitcoin ETF Providers Reveal Fees: BlackRock said its fee will start at 0.20%, rising to 0.30%. Fidelity listed a 0.39% fee, while Cathie Wood's investment firm ARK and asset manager VanEck both announced fees of 0.25%. Bitwise announces 0.24%.(CoinDesk)

-Economic Indicators-

1. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Declares 'Soft Landing' Reached, Americans Recovering Optimism: Janet Yellen, U.S. Treasury Secretary and former Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, believes that the recent improvements in the American economy show that the country has achieved a soft landing. For Yellen, the recent low figures of inflation and the strength of the labor market are signs of this scenario.(Bitcoincom)

-Technological Updates-

NSTR

-Security Incidents and Concerns-

1. North Korean Hackers: A Digital Asset Pilferage of Over $500 Million in 2023: According to the findings, DPRK-linked hackers managed to siphon off $600 million worth of cryptocurrency throughout the course of last year. Alarming indicators towards the end of December suggest that the actual total might soar even higher, potentially reaching $700 million.(CoinTrust)

-Bitcoin Community-

1. Bitcoin Payments Skyrocket As Merchant Numbers Triple To Over 6,000 Worldwide: Last year, there was a substantial surge in the global count of merchants actively embracing crypto payments, marking a notable 300% increase, as reported by BTC Map(Bitcoinist)

-Bitcoin Sentiment-

1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 71/100 (Down 1 pt)