This Week in Bitcoin

Bitcoin at $100K has summoned the FUD swarm — from quantum computer panic to 'national security threat' hot takes. I’m calling out the bad logic, breaking down every attack, and arming you with the facts. Affiliate LINKS: * 🇺🇸 Buy Sats on River [https://river.com/signup?r=3CT4V56E] - The best way to stack in the US * 🇨🇦 The Bitcoin Well [https://bitcoinwell.com/referral/chrislas] - An amazing automatic self-custody Bitcoin platform * ⚡ The Bitcoin Company [https://app.thebitcoincompany.com/signup?ref=JUPITER] - Spending your Bitcoin Via Lightning * 🏦 Fold Card [https://use.foldapp.com/r/XNHPXTFC] - Pay bills Stack Sats * 💵 SALT Lending [https://borrower.saltlending.com/register?referralCode=GkPQdbqWG]- Get access to your BTC Value w/out Selling LINKS: * Bitcoin has now become MSNBC's new obsession.  [https://x.com/pledditor/status/1866803778571342128?t=E9EIlRX-vHxbQ8g23lQU3A] * River: Bitcoin Ownership Distribution [https://x.com/River/status/1831374555530830304] * Top Organizations Disclosing Donations to Fairshake PAC, 2024 • OpenSecrets [https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2024?cmte=Fairshake+PAC&tab=donors] * Ripple founder has given more than $11.8 million to Harris campaign [https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/21/ripple-founder-has-given-more-than-11point8-million-to-harris-campaign.html] * Kamala Harris turns to Coinbase for crypto campaign donations, CFO reveals [https://www.htx.com/feed/community/6132206/] * Since January, $227 billion of Bitcoin has been activated by long term holders, dwarfing the ETF flows by a multiple. [https://x.com/txmctrades/status/1863660343504843127] * Tucker Carlson on X: "Roger Ver is facing life in prison for revealing how the US government worked secretly to subvert cryptocurrency and prevent economic freedom. [https://x.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1866543923939729870] * 06: Debunking Big Blocker Alternative History [https://www.thisweekinbitcoin.show/episodepage/06-debunking-big-blocker-alternative-history] * Google shocks the world with new a chip that could vanquish Nvidia and Bitcoin - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbKyVuvQ7OU] * Gloria Zhao on Bitcoin Core Devs, Network Security Threats and Will There Be A "Block Size" War II? - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmCTDRH_WVM] * Bitcoin News on X: "Satoshi’s thoughts on handling a “massive breakthrough attack,” such as quantum computing rendering SHA-256 encryption ineffective in protecting the Bitcoin network. [https://x.com/BitcoinNewsCom/status/1866591802221822271]https://t.co/GBnZ3UpeXN" [https://t.co/GBnZ3UpeXN"] / X [https://x.com/BitcoinNewsCom/status/1866591802221822271] * MicroStrategy’s $26 Billion Bitcoin Cache Is Larger Than IBM, Nike Cash Holdings - Bloomberg [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-16/microstrategy-s-26-billion-bitcoin-cache-is-larger-than-ibm-nike-cash-holdings] * Amazon shareholders have submitted a request for the $2.3 Trillion company to explore adding Bitcoin to its treasury. [https://x.com/Dennis_Porter_/status/1865838523741581635] * Is It 'Crazy' for the US to Have a Bitcoin Reserve? - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYKRpK7Q2LY&si=2LxIJUJwtibvbGJS] * Senate Republicans propose Bitcoin national reserve - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3cRv42xT1k] * Behind Bitcoin’s Rally Is a Simple Fact: Supplies Are Limited - WSJ [https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/bitcoin-supply-limit-crypto-value-29e068b4] * Hawaii local news covers Bitcoin adoption in the state with cameos - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et0o6OZyL7U&si=J-rUpNH2ksw0JiBE] * The National Center for Public Policy Research has submitted the attached shareholder proposal for consideration at the 2025 annual shareholder meeting.  [https://x.com/timkotzman/status/1865832907597807992?t=E9EIlRX-vHxbQ8g23lQU3A] * China discovers world's largest gold mine - Egypt Independent [https://www.egyptindependent.com/china-discovers-worlds-largest-gold-mine/] * El Salvador’s Gold Reserves Worth $3 Billion: President Bukele Highlights Economic Potential. – El Salvador in English [https://elsalvadorinenglish.com/2024/11/27/el-salvadors-gold-reserves-worth-3-billion-president-bukele-highlights-economic-potential/] * CPI inflation November 2024: Annual inflation rate accelerates to 2.7% in November, as expected [https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/11/cpi-inflation-november-2024-annual-inflation-rate-accelerates-to-2point7percent-in-november-as-expected.html] * Russia: MP proposes a strategic Bitcoin reserve [https://atlas21.com/russia-mp-proposes-a-strategic-bitcoin-reserve/] * WabiSabi Vulnerability Allows Malicious Coordinators to Deanonymize Coinjoin Users [https://www.nobsbitcoin.com/wabisabi-vulnerability-allows-malicious-coordinators-to-deanonymize-coinjoin-users/] * MicroStrategy Poised to Join Nasdaq-100 Index [https://www.coindesk.com/news-analysis/2024/12/02/microstrategy-looks-poised-to-join-influential-nasdaq-100-index-here-s-what-that-means-for-the-stock?ref=tftc.io/] * Eric Balchunas on X: "$MSTR is likely to be added to $QQQ on 12/23 (w/ announcement coming 12/13). Moderna likely to get boot [https://x.com/EricBalchunas/status/1866595936983716168] * Alex Thorn on X: "🚨 “SELL THE PAST, BUY THE FUTURE”  [https://x.com/intangiblecoins/status/1866100432734400840] Crypto Illicit Transaction Volume * Illicit transactions constituted only 0.34% of the total on-chain transaction volume for 2023 * The total value received by illicit cryptocurrency addresses dropped to $24.2 billion in 2023 Breakdown of Illicit Activities * Transactions involving sanctioned entities accounted for $14.9 billion, representing 61.5% of all illicit transaction volume analyzed. * Crypto scams and hacking revenue both decreased significantly, with total illicit revenue down 29.2% and 54.3%, respectively. Stablecoin Usage * Stablecoins accounted for the majority of criminal transactions for the second consecutive year, aligning with the recent increase in stablecoin share of all crypto activity. Citations: * Crypto crime in 2023 exceeded $24 billion: Chainalysis [https://www.mariblock.com/crypto-crime-2023-exceeded-24-billion-chainalysis/] * US Financial Secrecy Fuels Illicit Financial Flows from Environmental Crimes, New Report Finds [https://thefactcoalition.org/us-financial-secrecy-fuels-illicit-financial-flows-from-environmental-crimes-new-report-finds/] * Illicit cryptocurrency transactions global 2023 | Statista [https://proxy.parisjc.edu:8293/statistics/1410685/illicit-crypto-transactions-worldwide/] * New report: The 2023 Illicit Crypto Economy | TRM Insights [https://www.trmlabs.com/post/new-report-the-2023-illicit-crypto-economy] * Efforts to track illicit financial flows need scaling up – UNCTAD SDG Pulse 2024 [https://sdgpulse.unctad.org/illicit-financial-flows/] * 2024 Crypto Crime Trends from Chainalysis [https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/2024-crypto-crime-report-introduction/] * The IMF and the Fight Against Illicit Financial Flows [https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2023/Fight-against-illicit-financial-flows] * An In-Depth Look at Crypto-Crime in 2023 Part 1 | Trend Micro (US) [https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/24/g/crypto-crime-2024-report-part-i.html] * African Strategies to Combat Illicit Financial Flows | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace [https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/11/illicit-financial-flows-africa-tax?lang=en] * The Illicit Crypto Economy Report [https://www.trmlabs.com/the-illicit-crypto-economy-report] * Illicit Financial Flows | UNCTAD [https://unctad.org/statistics/illicit-financial-flows] * Illicit crypto addresses received at least $24.2 billion in 2023 - report | Reuters [https://www.reuters.com/technology/illicit-crypto-addresses-received-least-242-bln-2023-report-2024-01-18/] * Balancing privacy and public interest in the fight against illicit financial flows: Lessons from an European Case Study - ScienceDirect [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949791424000459] Cash Illicit Transaction Volume * According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime  * the estimated amount of money laundered globally in one year is 2-5% of global GDP  * or $800 billion - $2 trillion in current US dollars. * The US Treasury estimates that about $300 billion is laundered annually in the United States alone, much of it through cash transactions. Music * 5-Watt Rock • Theo Katzman [https://wavlake.com/track/19de5d71-4a1b-4db0-aee1-1de9661b33da] * Be the Wheel | 5-Watt Rock | Podcastindex.org [https://podcastindex.org/podcast/7114678?episode=30604410643]

Bitcoin: The Unlikely Ally of the Dollar System. What if Bitcoin pumps don’t kill the dollar but make it stronger? How stablecoins and T-bills could entrench the dollar’s dominance, Saylor’s Bitcoin pitch to Microsoft, and why ETF fears are overblown. Affiliate LINKS: * 🇺🇸 Buy Sats on River [https://river.com/signup?r=3CT4V56E] - The best way to stack in the US * 🇨🇦 The Bitcoin Well [https://bitcoinwell.com/referral/chrislas] - An amazing automatic self-custody Bitcoin platform * ⚡ The Bitcoin Company [https://app.thebitcoincompany.com/signup?ref=JUPITER] - Spending your Bitcoin Via Lightning * 🏦 Fold Card [https://use.foldapp.com/r/XNHPXTFC] - Pay bills Stack Sats * 💵 SALT Lending [https://borrower.saltlending.com/register?referralCode=GkPQdbqWG]- Get access to your BTC Value w/out Selling LINKS: * Finally my chart got attention. And now I feel is it too late for this fractal now that everyone knows about it [https://x.com/MrVandelayArt/status/1863545210955006442] * Crypto Market, Gold Could Rise if World Seeks Dollar Alternatives Amid Trump Tariffs [https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-120324/card/crypto-market-gold-could-rise-if-world-seeks-dollar-alternatives-amid-trump-tariffs-SAkJxGnL7ro2Yjfb8pDU] Trump pushes for global dollar dominance, but also embraces bitcoin [https://www.axios.com/2024/12/03/trump-dollar-bitcoin-tariffs-brics] * Tom Lee Predicts S&P 500 To Reach 6,300, Bitcoin To Break $100K By Year-End, Says Trump's Tariffs Can Be Effective 'Negotiating Tools'  [https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42281825/tom-lee-predicts-sp-500-to-hit-6300-bitcoin-to-surpass-100k-by-year-end-says-trump-carrying-a-big-stick-can-be-effective] * US dollar and bitcoin advance spurred by Trump tariff expectations | Reuters [https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/dollar-soars-with-bitcoin-trump-trade-ramps-up-euro-yuan-battered-2024-11-12/] * How painful will Trump’s tariffs be for American businesses? [https://www.economist.com/business/2024/12/03/how-painful-will-trumps-tariffs-be-for-american-businesses] * Luke Gromen: Bitcoin as "The New Oil," Trump's Tariffs, and the Death of the Dollar-Centric System - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIxS-bjTu5A] * Digital Assets and the Treasury Market presentation [https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/221/TBACCharge2Q42024.pdf] * Saylor Buys 15,400 BTC [https://xcancel.com/saylor/status/1863569873713955156] * Microsoft Bitcoin Strategy - A Presentation by Michael Saylor - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH2t6VOdgkE] * James Lavish says Bitcoin is “0.2% right now, at 1% of the total global assets, Bitcoin's a $9 Trillion asset and worth about $450,000, at 3% is worth $1.3 Million per BTC” [https://x.com/SimplyBitcoinTV/status/1863630055596777757] Energy: * The Potential Relationship between Biomass, Biorefineries, and Bitcoin [https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/18/7919] * Renewable energy and cryptocurrency: A dual approach to economic viability and environmental sustainability: Heliyon [https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(24)15796-9] * Can bitcoin mining empower energy transition and fuel sustainable development goals in the US? - ScienceDirect [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652624002464] * Bhutan's national Bitcoin holdings reach one-third of its GDP, could Bitcoin become the new favorite reserve asset for countries worldwide? - ChainCatcher [https://www.chaincatcher.com/en/article/2151842] Updates: * BlackRock’s spot ETF surpasses 500,000 bitcoin in assets under management  [https://www.theblock.co/post/329190/blackrock-ibit-spot-bitcoin-etf-500000-btc] * Officials are halting Bitmain units at U.S. ports, industry firms report - Blockspace Media [https://blockspace.media/insight/officials-are-halting-bitmain-units-at-u-s-ports-industry-firms-report/] * Introducing Alby Benefits [https://blog.getalby.com/introducing-alby-benefits/] * Alby Go v1.7.2 Update. [https://github.com/getAlby/go] Music * Bitcoin all Time High by HEKS [https://podcastindex.org/podcast/7123185]

Inflation is back—what it means for Bitcoin. Why the media is wrong about who's selling BTC, and I make the case that Bitcoin loans beat selling your sats every time. Affiliate LINKS: * 🇺🇸 Buy Sats on River [https://river.com/signup?r=3CT4V56E] - The best way to stack in the US * 🇨🇦 The Bitcoin Well [https://bitcoinwell.com/referral/chrislas] - An amazing automatic self-custody Bitcoin platform * ⚡ The Bitcoin Company [https://app.thebitcoincompany.com/signup?ref=JUPITER] - Spending your Bitcoin Via Lightning * 🏦 Fold Card [https://use.foldapp.com/r/XNHPXTFC] - Pay bills Stack Sats * 💵 SALT Lending [https://borrower.saltlending.com/register?referralCode=GkPQdbqWG]- Get access to your BTC Value w/out Selling LINKS: * Huge $15 Trillion Bitcoin Price Bet Helps Stem Sudden Crypto Sell-Off [https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/11/27/sudden-panic-sparks-200-billion-bitcoin-and-crypto-price-crash/] * MicroStrategy spends $5.4 billion buying another 55,000 bitcoins, shares slide [https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microstrategy-spends-54-billion-buying-another-55000-bitcoins-shares-slide-165131332.html] * Why Bitcoin's undiscovered potential could push it to $500,000 - TheStreet Crypto: Bitcoin and cryptocurrency news, advice, analysis and more [https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/markets/why-bitcoins-undiscovered-potential-could-push-it-to-500000] * Bitcoin (BTC) Bounces Off Lows, Rekindles $100,000 Milestone Optimism - Bloomberg [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-27/bitcoin-btc-bounces-off-lows-rekindles-100-000-milestone-optimism] * Bitcoin bounces back above $96,000 as investors eye $100,000 milestone [https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/27/crypto-market-today.html] * Bitcoin Tops $70K for First Time in More Than Four Months [https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2024/10/28/bitcoin-tops-70k-for-first-time-in-more-than-four-months] * PCE inflation October 2024 [https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/27/pce-inflation-october-2024.html] * #2234 - Marc Andreessen [https://episodes.fm/360084272/episode/YTAzY2YzMjYtYWJhOC0xMWVmLTkzODYtNTczNDc5ODk0NTg4] * Trump admin eyes CFTC to lead digital asset regulation | Fox Business [https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/trump-admin-eyes-cftc-lead-digital-asset-regulation] * Important update for Swan clients  [https://x.com/SwanBitcoin/status/1861566511011221754] * awesome-liquid-network | A curated list of Liquid Network resources, libraries, tools and applications [https://liquidnetwork.wiki/] * Casa’s CEO catches a scammer posing as Coinbase support in the act, getting them to spill everything. 👀 [https://x.com/BitcoinNewsCom/status/1859365672653840582]https://t.co/t2 [https://t.co/t2] * Bitcoin is up 450% since Justin Trudeau said anyone who bought Bitcoin “would have lost more than half their life savings.” [https://x.com/SimplyBitcoinTV/status/1861058477944099019] MUSIC: * Be the Wheel • Theo Katzman [https://wavlake.com/album/6f724ceb-0688-40d5-a93f-4d0b6ec1c797]

MicroStrategy has become the most traded stock in the US - What does it mean for Bitcoin? Plus, how the new Bitcoin ETF options could reshape the market, and why Bitcoiners should prepare for shitcoins to stick around. Affiliate LINKS: * 🇺🇸 Buy Sats on River [https://river.com/signup?r=3CT4V56E] - The best way to stack in the US * 🇨🇦 The Bitcoin Well [https://bitcoinwell.com/referral/chrislas] - An amazing automatic self-custody Bitcoin platform * ⚡ The Bitcoin Company [https://app.thebitcoincompany.com/signup?ref=JUPITER] - Spending your Bitcoin Via Lightning * 🏦 Fold Card [https://use.foldapp.com/r/XNHPXTFC] - Pay bills Stack Sats * 💵 SALT Lending [https://borrower.saltlending.com/register?referralCode=GkPQdbqWG]- Get access to your BTC Value w/out Selling LINKS: * "Businesses are buying BTC faster than ever" [https://x.com/River/status/1858554387213209753] * $1.9b is unheard of for Day One [https://x.com/EricBalchunas/status/1858994117617086840] * Bitcoin Reserve Bill - S.4912 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): BITCOIN Act of 2024 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress [https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4912/all-info] * BlackRock Says Trump Win Brings 'Optimism' for a Bitcoin Reserve [https://watcher.guru/news/blackrock-says-trump-win-brings-optimism-for-a-bitcoin-reserve] * VanEck Backs Donald Trump’s Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Plan [https://thecryptobasic.com/2024/11/20/vaneck-backs-donald-trumps-strategic-bitcoin-reserve-plan/] * Trump Bitcoin Report Card [https://github.com/crrdlx/trump-bitcoin-report-card] * Bitcoin in 21 Minutes | River [https://river.com/learn/bitcoin-in-21-minutes/] * Trump Team Mulls Creating First-Ever White House Crypto Role [https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/trump-team-mulls-creating-first-ever-white-house-crypto-role] * Trump taps billionaire crypto booster Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary [https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-expected-tap-billionaire-crypto-180351037.html?guccounter=1] * The crypto industry plowed tens of millions into the election. Now, it’s looking for a return on that investment | CNN Politics [https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/17/politics/crypto-industry-donald-trump-reelection/index.html] * Embrace Alby Hub - phasing out Alby’s shared wallet | Alby User Guide [https://guides.getalby.com/user-guide/alby-account-and-browser-extension/alby-account/faqs-alby-account/embrace-alby-hub-phasing-out-albys-shared-wallet] * Supercut: "If people knew how the monetary system actually worked [https://x.com/bitcoin_teddy/status/1857161411018833946?t=E9EIlRX-vHxbQ8g23lQU3A] Music * Slight Curiosity By Circle the Earth [https://podcastindex.org/podcast/7088565?episode=30037089740]

From Election Day drama to Market mania: Unpacking the recent surge in Bitcoin and stocks. Is this a hype cycle or something more? Let's follow the money and find out. Affiliate LINKS: * 🇺🇸 Buy Sats on River [https://river.com/signup?r=3CT4V56E] - The best way to stack in the US * 🇨🇦 The Bitcoin Well [https://bitcoinwell.com/referral/chrislas] - An amazing automatic self-custody Bitcoin platform * ⚡ The Bitcoin Company [https://app.thebitcoincompany.com/signup?ref=JUPITER] - Spending your Bitcoin Via Lightning * 🏦 Fold Card [https://use.foldapp.com/r/XNHPXTFC] - Pay bills Stack Sats * 💵 SALT Lending [https://borrower.saltlending.com/register?referralCode=GkPQdbqWG]- Get access to your BTC Value w/out Selling LINKS: * "Assets in the US spot bitcoin ETFs are now up to $84b [https://x.com/EricBalchunas/status/1856013871116320902] * Bitcoin mania taking over the stock market too as Coinbase and Microstrategy are both in Top 5 most traded stocks today [https://x.com/EricBalchunas/status/1856011991493537929] * Investing Bitcoin in Retirement Accounts  [https://river.com/learn/investing-bitcoin-retirement-accounts/] * Adopting Bitcoin - High-signal Bitcoin conference for builders [https://www.adoptingbitcoin.org/] * New release: ZEUSv0.9.2 [https://blog.zeusln.com/new-release-zeus-v0-9-2/] * RoboSats Release v0.7.2-alpha  [https://github.com/RoboSats/robosats/releases/tag/v0.7.2-alpha] * Fountain app v1.1.6 [https://blog.fountain.fm/p/1-1-6] * Exciting news for Canadians! You can now buy bitcoin directly on the Lightning Network from your Bitcoin Well account! [https://x.com/TheBitcoinWell/status/1853505692759642119] * Goodstein: Bitcoin could become the next strategic reserve asset. - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgVhW7LR1z0] MUSIC * Tip Toe by Jack Holliday [https://podcastindex.org/podcast/6917119?episode=22904515494]