DIB 20 MAR 2024

Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)

Block: 835,535

DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 20Mar24

Precedence: Routine (RR)

Controls: Public Release

QQQQ

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BLUF: IDF Kills Hamas #3 Commander / China Reacts to SECState Remarks Over Philippines / SCOTUS Rules in Favor of TX Immigration Law, Lower Judge Issues New Stay / Binance Legal Issues in Nigeria Continue / FOMC Remarks Maybe Today / Platform X Hacks Increasing / BTC Off Almost 15% From Highs

Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $63,331, 29.31 oz Gold, .15 Median US House

24hr Hi: $65,757/ Lo: $60,807

Vol: $64B (Down 5%)

Mkt Cap: $1.24T (Even)

HashRate: 753 EH/s

Avg Fees: 10,120 sats/tx (Up 10%)

Nodes: 18,265

—Reports—

-International Events-

1. Israel Has Killed a Top Hamas Commander in Gaza: Airstrike killing Marwan Issa, the No. 3 official in the enclave, isn’t seen as a decisive blow. (WSJ)

2. Council to govern Haiti, prepare for foreign forces and elections, is almost complete: More than a week after being tasked by an international coalition to name a presidential transition council that will create a new government in Haiti and plan for elections, all but one of the panel members have been named. Eight names were to be forwarded to Haiti’s outgoing prime minister, Ariel Henry, a member of the Caribbean Community bloc known as CARICOM told the Miami Herald. Henry has said he will step down once the council is officially installed. (MiamiHerald)

3. China blasts US declaration of ‘ironclad’ alliance with Philippines: SECState Blinken promised on Tuesday during a trip to Manila that Washington retains an “ironclad” commitment to defend the Philippines. Beijing promptly responded to the US official’s statement, insisting that the US has “no right” to interfere in the South China Sea, where Beijing and Manila have competing territorial claims. (AlJazerra)

-US Events-

1. Supreme Court Lifts Stay on Texas Law that Gives Police Powers to Arrest Migrants at Border: A divided Supreme Court has lifted a stay on a Texas law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally while a legal battle over immigration authority plays out. (Breitbart) (AC- A late-night order from a 5th Circuit Judge has again halted the law, even after the SCOTUS ruling. (AP))

-Regulatory and Legal-

1. Court Orders Binance to Hand Over ‘Comprehensive’ User Data to Nigerian Authorities: A Nigerian high court has ordered Binance to provide the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with comprehensive data relating to all Nigerian traders on its platform. The EFCC alleges it has discovered instances of price discovery, confirmation, and market manipulation on the Binance platform. (BitcoinCom)

-Institutional Concerns-

1. Japan’s Trillion Dollar Pension Fund Considers Bitcoin For Diversification: On March 19, GPIF unveiled plans to devise new long-term investment policies aimed at adapting to the rapid technological changes and shifts within traditional finance. GPIF’s holdings amount to approximately $1.54 trillion as of December 2023. (Forbes)

-Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)-

1. Russia Introduces Bill to Apply Money Laundering Controls to Digital Ruble Transactions: Lawmakers in Russia introduced a bill that would extend money laundering controls to digital ruble transactions. The proposal establishes different responsibilities for platform participants and the Central Bank of Russia, which is appointed as the main AML entity of the system. (BitcoinCom)

-Economic Indicators-

1. Treasury Yields Edge Lower Ahead of Fed: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note fell to 4.28% on Wednesday, retreating from November-highs of 4.34% touched early in the week, with traders eagerly waiting the FOMC decision later in the day. Traders are currently assigning a nearly 64% chance the first rate reduction will occur in June while the odds for July stand at 79%. (TradingEconomics)

-Technological Updates-

NSTR

-Security Incidents and Concerns-

1. Trezor X Account Hacked, Shills Fake Crypto: Fraudulent messages from Trezor’s official account promoted a non-existent “$TRZR” token presale on the Solana network, deceiving users into sending funds to a specific Solana wallet and directing them to malicious links designed to drain their wallets. (CCN)

2. India’s PM Modi Latest Victim Of Twitter Cryptocurrency Hack: Twitter disclosed Thursday that the account of Indian Prime Minister Nardendra Modi’s personal website on the social media platform was hacked, and tweets pertaining to cryptocurrency donations were sent out, Reuters reported Thursday. (Benzinga)

-Bitcoin Community-

1. Bitcoin Boom In Argentina: Why More People Are Choosing Crypto Over Dollars: With inflation persistently gnawing at the value of the peso, Argentines are increasingly turning to Bitcoin as a shield against the eroding purchasing power of their currency. This trend marks a potential turning point, potentially shaking the long-held tradition of exchanging pesos for US dollars as a hedge against inflation. (Bitcoinist)

-Bitcoin Sentiment-

1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 74/100 (Down 5 pts)

Analyst Comments (AC): Hacks on the platform X (Twitter) have increased significantly. The hacks have been using false accounts or have been the official accounts taken over by mobile phone sim swaps. Many high-profile people (like the Indian PM reported today) have been targeted but the analyst has also noticed almost every Bitcoin influencer has also been targeted, most often with false accounts. Work to protect your social media accounts and use more secure systems (like NOSTR) for legitimate interactions with friends and family. Consider instituting sim swap defenses such as using authenticator apps and stricter policies with your cell carriers.