DIB 25 OCT 2024

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)
Block: 867,289
DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 25Oct24
Precedence: Routine (RR)
Controls: Public Release
QQQQ
__________________________
BLUF: NK Soldiers In Russia Spark Speculation / IDF Airstrikes in Beirut Kill Press Members / US To Evacuate Haiti Embassy / US Astronauts Finally Returned to Earth / Pennsylvania House Passes Bitcoin Bill / MSFT Shareholders Vote on BTC Holdings / NK Hackers Target Crypto Game / Saylor Backpedals a Bit / Solo Miner Hits Reward

Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $68,088, 24.96 oz Gold, .16 Median US House
24hr Hi: $68,798 / Lo: $67,177
Vol: $31B (Down 9%)
Mkt Cap: $1.35T (Up 1%)
HashRate: 732 EH/s
Avg Fee Rate: 23 sats/vBtye (Up 214%)
Nodes: 19,399

—Reports—
-International Events-
1. Kim Jong Un sending soldiers to Russia complicates Putin’s BRICS summit: The North Korean forces are a small number so far, at least 3,000 the U.S. says, compared with the hundreds of thousands the West estimates have been killed in Ukraine on both sides. But it may allow Russia to reorganize and push forward, and if it works North Korea can send more. It has a million strong army. The war is effectively widening to include Asia. Which other leaders might decide to send their forces into the battlefield? (NBC)

2. Israel strikes Beirut suburbs, members of press team killed in Hasbaya hit: According to the report, the strike targeted the hotel where the press team stayed. The report came after Israel hit Beruit suburbs with airstrikes during the late hours of Thursday night. Israel has conducted strikes in the Beirut area throughout the week. The IDF struck several weapons storage and manufacturing facilities belonging to Hezbollah near the Beirut suburb of Dahieh. (JPost)

3. US to evacuate 20 embassy staff from Haiti following car attack and intensifying gang violence: Violence is intensifying in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, this week, which saw a United Nations helicopter hit by gunfire and two gangs apparently target US embassy vehicles. A security source told CNN on Tuesday that two armored vehicles belonging to the US Embassy in Haiti were fired upon by the criminal groups “400 Mawozo” and “Chen Mechan.” No injuries were reported, but the US vehicles are believed to have been intentionally targeted. (CNN)

-US Events-
1. Police identify suspect arrested in 3 attacks on DNC offices in Arizona: Jeffrey Michael Kelly, 60, was also arrested for allegedly hanging suspicious bags of white power from political signs lined with razor blades in the nearby village of Ahwatukee, according to the Tempe Police Department. Kelly is charged with several felonies, including committing an act of terrorism, unlawful discharge of a firearm and shooting at a non-residential structure. He is also charged with criminal damage, a misdemeanor. ( CBS)

2. 4 astronauts return to Earth after being delayed by Boeing’s capsule trouble and Hurricane Milton: A SpaceX capsule carrying the crew parachuted before dawn into the Gulf of Mexico just off the Florida coast after undocking from the International Space Station mid-week. The three Americans and one Russian should have been back two months ago. But their homecoming was stalled by problems with Boeing’s new Starliner astronaut capsule, which came back empty in September because of safety concerns. Then Hurricane Milton interfered, followed by another two weeks of high wind and rough seas. (AP)

-Regulatory and Legal-
1. Bitcoin Bill Clears Major Hurdle in Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan bill that protects the rights of residents to self-custody bitcoin and use it as a payment method, while establishing tax guidelines for bitcoin transactions. The Bitcoin Rights bill, which passed 176-26, now moves to the state Senate, amid growing interest in digital assets as states take regulatory action. (BitcoinCom)

-Central Bank Digital Currencies/World Currencies-
NSTR

-Institutional Concerns-
1. Microsoft’s Shareholders to Vote on BTC Investment as Board Members Advise Against: Microsoft’s upcoming shareholders meeting on December 9 will include a vote on the proposal “Assessment of investing in Bitcoin,” with the board advising against it. The filing also mentions that Microsoft’s management already carefully considers this topic, and the company currently accepts Bitcoin from customers for online purchases. (Decrypt)

-Economic Indicators-
1. US 10-Year Yield Rebounds on Low Claims: The yield on the 10-year US Treasury note trimmed its earlier decline to hover above the 4.23% mark on Thursday, not far from the three-month high of 4.25% from yesterday’s close as strong economic data added to growing bets that the Fed’s cutting cycle will be less aggressive than expected. Unemployment claims in the US declined sharply late in October to underscore a resilient labor market, and an increase in the S&P PMI extended the robust momentum of the private economic activity. (TradingEconomics)

-Security Incidents and Concerns-
1. Lazarus Group Unleashes Blockchain Game To Exploit Chrome And Steal Crypto: North Korean hackers used the fake game to steal more than $3 billion in cryptocurrency — an operation the group successfully conducted within a six-year period, from 2016 to 2022. The heist is the adverse consequence of Google’s failure to patch a vulnerability in the Chrome browser. (Bitcoinist)

-Technology and Science-
NSTR

-Bitcoin Community-
1. Michael Saylor Backpedals On Controversial Bitcoin Statement After Backlash: n a recent interview with journalist Madison Reidy, Michael Saylor, CEO of MicroStrategy, ignited significant controversy within the Bitcoin community over his remarks on custody and regulation. Addressing concerns about the risks of large amounts of BTC being held by third-party custodians and major institutions, Saylor argued against self-custody and downplayed fears of increased seizure or confiscation. The backlash from the BTC community was swift and intense, as Bitcoinist reported. Even Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin labeled Saylor’s statement as “batshit insane,” reflecting the strong disapproval from prominent figures in the crypto space. Via X, he clarified: “I support self-custody for those willing & able, the right to self-custody for all, and freedom to choose the form of custody & custodian for individuals & institutions globally. #Bitcoin benefits from all forms of investment by all types of entities, and should welcome everyone.” (Bitcoinist) (AC-Not an entirely convincing rebuttal, but the industry and plebs show some success in projecting some of their power.)

2. Individual Bitcoin Miner Wins Big With $222K Reward: Despite the increasing difficulty of mining Bitcoin, a solo miner recently earned 3.329 Bitcoin, valued at $222,438, yesterday by processing a block containing 3,285 transactions. (Decrypt)

-Bitcoin Sentiment-
1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 71/100 (Down 2 pts)

Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR

Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r
____________________
Analyst: BV2A
END REPORT
NNNN
*NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report