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Bitcoin Veterans 2y ago

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)

Block: 826,027

DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 16Jan24

Precedence: Routine (RR)

Controls: Public Release

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BLUF: Trump Takes Iowa Caucus by Large Margin, Vivek Drops Out / Anti-Chinese wins Taiwanese Election / Milei Allowing Provinces to Use Own Currencies / Germans Ramp Up Protests

Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $43,090, 21.12oz Gold

24hr Hi: $43,319 / Lo: $42,176

Vol: $20.9B (Up 1%)

Mkt Cap: $843.5B (Up 1%)

HashRate: 533 EH/s

Avg Fees: 24,655 sats/tx (Down 14%)

Nodes: 17,143

---Reports---

-International Events-

1. Taiwan president-elect Lai Ching-te has steered the island toward democracy and away from China: Lai, 64, emerged victorious in the election Saturday on the island of 23 million people that China claims as its own. He is currently vice president with the Democratic Progressive Party, which has rejected China’s sovereignty claims over Taiwan.(AP)

2. Zelenskyy takes center stage in Davos as he tries to rally support for Ukraine’s fight: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is headlining a frenzied first full day of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, where top officials from the United States, the European Union, China, the Middle East and beyond also will be prominent Tuesday.(AP)

3. 10,000 Expected at Tractor Protest Against German Government as Truckers Join Rebels: Monday is to be the biggest day yet for German anti-government protesters as thousands of tractors and now truckers are expected in Berlin as the workers who keep society fed and clothed push back against the green agenda.(Berliner Morgenpost)

-US Events-

1. Trump takes Iowa Caucus: Fresh off a record-setting victory in Iowa, Donald Trump shifted attention to his next target in the GOP nomination hunt: a New Hampshire primary that Nikki Haley hopes will stall the front-runner’s momentum. The results were Trump 51%, DeSantis 21%, Haley 19%, and Ramaswamy 8%.(WSJ)

2. Vivek Ramaswamy Drops Out of GOP Presidential Race, Endorses Trump: Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech company founder who spent heavily from his own fortune to finance his Republican presidential bid, suspended his campaign in the 2024 primary race Monday after a disappointing finish in the Iowa GOP caucuses(WSJ)

-Regulatory and Legal-

1. Argentine president to allow provinces circulate own currencies: Argentine President Javier Milei promised not to oppose provinces’ attempts to launch their own currencies after a public exchange between Milei and the governor of La Rioja province. The president believes that the market will ultimately decide on the value of the projects, but he warned that “quasi-currencies” will spur up inflation and those accepting them will end up scammed, (CoinTelegraph) (AC-The country as a whole is saddled with IMF loans which often prohibit other forms of currencies, so this move may be an "end-run" that enables Bitcoin or other forms of crypto to be used as currency in Argentina.)

2.Tether Hits Back at UN Report Alleging Role of USDT in Illicit Activity in East Asia: Tether, the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin USDT, has challenged the United Nations' (UN) report on the role of USDT in underground banking and money laundering infrastructure in East Asia and Southeast Asia.(CoinDesk)

-Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)-

1. Morgan Stanley warns of Bitcoin, CBDC threat to US Dollar: In a recent investment note, Andrew Peel, the head of digital assets at Morgan Stanley, highlighted the potential threat that Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) pose to the dominance of the U.S. dollar in global finance.(Cryptopolitan)

-Institutional Concerns-

1. X payments secures Utah license in digital banking push: X Payments LLC, part of Elon Musk’s tech empire, has secured a Money Transmitter License from Utah, marking a major step in its U.S. expansion. The company’s successful license acquisition in Utah follows previous denials, reflecting Musk’s persistent approach and compliance with regulatory standards. Despite having licenses in several states, X Payments has yet to activate its payment gateway, indicating careful preparation for a seamless launch.(Cryptopolitan)

-Economic Indicators-

1. Deflation Worries Deepen in China: With domestic demand weak, fears are growing that China will try to export its way out of trouble, raising trade tensions (WSJ)

-Technological Updates-

NSTR

-Security Incidents and Concerns-

1. Trend Micro reveals new malware targeting crypto wallets on Windows: Firm Trend Micro recently uncovered a previously unknown malware strain, which was exploiting a now-patched security flaw in Microsoft Windows. Phemedrone Stealer focuses on web browsers and extracts data from crypto wallets, along with information from messaging apps like Telegram, Steam, and Discord. Additionally, the malware goes beyond data theft by capturing screenshots and collecting system information, including details about hardware, location, and operating systems, say cybersecurity experts. (Cryptonews)

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