DIB 4 JUN 2024

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)

Block: 846,486

DTG/ICOD: 0800EST 4Jun24

Precedence: Routine (RR)

Controls: Public Release

QQQQ

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BLUF: IDF Say 4 Hostages Killed / EU Swings Right / South African ANC Lost Majority Held Since 1990s / Hunter Trial Begins / New EO on Limiting Asylum on Border / Fauci in Congressional Hot Seat / Binance’s CZ Enters Prison for 4 Months / Saylor Settles With Tax Officials / Epoch Time CFO Arrested for Laundering / ISM Data Drops Unexpectedly /

Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $69,134, 29.62 oz Gold, .16 Median US House

24hr Hi: $68,564 / Lo: $70,230

Vol: $29B (Up 17%)

Mkt Cap: $1.36T (Even)

HashRate: 620 EH/s

Avg Fee Rate: 26 sats/vBtye (Down Up 18%)

Nodes: 18,937

—Reports—

-International Events-

1. Israel announces the deaths of four hostages in Hamas captivity: IDF promises to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Chaim Peri, 79, Amiram Cooper, 84, Yoram Metzger, 80, and Nadav Popplewell, 51. “We estimate that the four were killed together, in the Khan Younis area, several months ago, while being held by Hamas terrorists and while IDF forces were operating in Khan Younis,” the IDF said. (TimesofIsrael)

2. Europeans may be about to elect their most right-wing parliament in history: Europeans head to the polls this week in closely watched elections that threaten to shake the bloc’s traditionally mainstream political landscape. “We are seeing a rise in populist sentiment both in Europe and globally, which might result in the most right-wing European Parliament in history,” Tim Adams, president and CEO of the Institute of International Finance. (CNBC)

3. South Africa’s president won’t resign despite ANC losing majority for first time: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for unity after his African National Congress party failed to win a majority, marking a new era for Africa’s most advanced economy. The ANC is still the largest party, having won 40.2 percent of votes, but the 159 seats it secured are well short of the 200 required for a majority in the 400-seat National Assembly. In the previous parliament it had 230 seats. (Politico)

-US Events-

1. Joe Biden’s worries grow as Hunter Biden’s trial begins: Hunter Biden faces three criminal counts for allegedly buying a gun while in the throes of addiction to crack cocaine and lying on an official form about it. The charges were brought by the president’s own Justice Department, and the trial is taking place in his family’s hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. (Politico)

2. Biden prepares an order that would shut down asylum if a daily average of 2,500 migrants arrive: The White House is telling lawmakers that President Joe Biden is preparing to sign off on an executive order that would shut down asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border once the average number of daily encounters hits 2,500 between ports of entry, with the border reopening only once that number declines to 1,500, according to several people familiar with the discussions. The impact of the 2,500 figure means that the executive order could go into immediate effect, because daily figures are higher than that now. (AP)

3. Anthony Fauci defends his Covid response, distances himself from adviser accused of misconduct: Fauci sought to refute allegations from Republicans on the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic that he tried to suppress the theory that a lab accident in Wuhan, China, caused the pandemic. (Politico)

-Regulatory and Legal-

1. Former Binance CEO CZ Begins 4-Month Prison Sentence in California: Lompoc II, the California prison where CZ will serve his sentence, is a low-security facility. At a net worth of $36.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Zhao is believed to be the richest person to ever go to prison in the U.S. (CoinDesk)

2. Billionaire Bitcoin Advocate Michael Saylor Agrees to $40 Million Settlement in Tax Evasion Case: The lawsuit also implicated Saylor’s company, Microstrategy, alleging that it assisted him in evading taxes by submitting fraudulent tax forms between 2005 and 2020. The report indicates that Saylor evaded over $25 million in income taxes by falsely claiming residency in either Virginia or Florida, where income tax rates are lower. Despite agreeing to the settlement, Saylor maintains his innocence, asserting that Florida remains his primary residence. (BitcoinCom)

3. Epoch Times CFO Bill Guan is charged in alleged $67 million global money laundering scheme: The finance chief of conservative global news outlet The Epoch Times was arrested and charged with leading a yearslong scheme to launder at least $67 million in illicit funds. The alleged scheme by Weidong Guan and others involved cryptocurrency, prepaid debit cards, fraudulently obtained unemployment insurance benefits and stolen personal identification information, according to federal prosecutors. (CNBC)

-Institutional Concerns-

NSTR

-Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)-

1. BIS Plans Instant Cross-Border Payments Using Wholesale CBDC Settlement: In a move to improve traditional cross-border payments, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has announced the launch of Project Rialto. This project aims to enhance instant cross-border payments by integrating a modular foreign exchange (FX) component with settlement in wholesale central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). (BitcoinCom)

-Economic Indicators-

1. ISM Manufacturing PMI Below Forecasts: The ISM Manufacturing PMI unexpectedly edged lower to 48.7 in May 2024 from 49.2 in April, below forecasts of 49.6. The reading showed another contraction for the manufacturing activity as demand was soft again, output was stable, and inputs stayed accommodative. (TradingEconomics) (AC-Both stocks prices and bond yields dropped on the news)

-Security Incidents and Concerns-

1. Chinese Crypto Trader Loses $1 Million From Binance After Chrome Plugin Exploit: The Binance user learned that the crypto heist was possible due to a malicious Google Chrome Extension. According to the victim’s investigation, the Aggr Chrome plugin stole all his web browsing and cookie data. With this information, the hacker hijacked his active Binance session without needing the password or go through 2FA. (Bitcoinist)

-Technology-

1. The Goal for China’s Chip Giant: Cut Out the U.S.: It is a part of a broader campaign to eradicate American technology in China, dubbed “Delete A” or “Decouple From A,” which has accelerated in recent years as the world’s two biggest economies intensify their battle to dominate in next-generation technology.

-Bitcoin Community-

NSTR

-Bitcoin Sentiment-

1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 73/100 (Even)

Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR

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Analyst: BV2A

END REPORT

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*NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report