DIB 20 JAN 2025

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB)
Block: 880,061
DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 20Jan25
Precedence: Routine (RR)
Controls: Public Release 
QQQQ
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BLUF: Hamas Frees 3 Hostages, Israel 90 / Columbia Violence Kills 80 / Biden Pardons Fauci, Milley, Jan 6th Committee / Trump Inauguration Today Sure to Be Spectacle / Trump EOs Lined Up / Bitcoin USD Price Surges / Memecoins Draw Ire / UK CBDC Sandbox Launches / Stocks Up Too / Treasury Goes After Chinese Hackers / TikTok Deal Between Trump and Xi / Crypto Ball in DC Feels Strange / 

Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $106,887, 37.96 oz Gold, .24 Median US House 
24hr Hi: $109,114 / Lo: $99,471
Vol: $112B (Up 100%)
Mkt Cap: $2.1T (Up 2%)
HashRate: 772 EH/s 
Avg Fee Rate: 12 sats/vBtye (Up 100%) 
Nodes: 21,346

---Reports---  
-International Events-
1. Hamas frees hostages, Israel releases Palestinian prisoners on day one of ceasefire: The Israel Prison Service announced the release of 90 Palestinian prisoners early Monday in exchange for three Israeli hostages released earlier today. (GroundNews)

2. More than 80 people killed in Colombia as truce between rebel groups collapses: Violence between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) has rapidly escalated in the lawless region bordering Venezuela since Thursday, forcing at least 5,000 people to flee their homes. The current clashes are the among the worst Colombia has seen since its first leftist president Gustavo Petro took office in 2022 with a promise to bring “total peace” to the warring nation. (TheGuardian)

-US Events-
1. Biden Pardons Fauci, Milley, and Jan. 6 Committee: President Joe Biden has issued preemptive pardons for key figures including Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark A. Milley, members of the January 6th Select Committee, and associated police officers. These actions are perceived as protective measures against possible future legal challenges under a different administration, rather than an acknowledgment of wrongdoing. The pardons were announced in Biden's final hours in office. (Various, X) (AC-This is a first and sure to be challenged in court.)

2. Trump’s inauguration will be first attended by foreign leaders: For the first time in U.S. history, a president-elect will welcome foreign leaders for one of the most American political traditions — the peaceful transfer of power. Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and conservative world leaders such as Argentine President Javier Milei and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni to the inauguration. Xi sent his vice president as his representative. (AP)

3. Donald Trump plans blitz of executive orders for first days in White House: Donald Trump and his top advisers are finalising about 100 executive actions that he will sign in his first days in office beginning on Monday. The first measures by Trump are set to include curbing immigration, increasing tariffs and deregulating sectors ranging from energy to cryptocurrencies. (FT)

-Regulatory and Legal- 
1. Bitcoin Surges Ahead of Trump’s Inauguration in Anticipation of Crypto-Friendly Policies: The price of bitcoin surged to over $109,000 early Monday, just hours ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, as a pumped up cryptocurrency industry bets he’ll take action soon after returning to the White House. (Time)

-Central Bank Digital Currencies/World Currencies-
1. Trump Coin Sparks Fury As Industry Grapples With Pump-And-Dump Dread: At the stroke of 8 p.m., Trump set social media ablaze with a bold announcement on Truth Social stating he launched his very own memecoin, dubbed $TRUMP. In the hours after launching, $TRUMP coin reached a market cap of $13.6 billion, with its fully diluted valuation soaring to roughly $67.6 billion. Then, at 3:05 PM ET on January 19, 2025, less than 48 hours after launch, the coin began a steep decline. British bitcoiner and podcast host Peter McCormack, founder of What Bitcoin Did, sharply criticized the move: "Trump coin is embarrassing. It is the opposite of what you voted for." (Forbes)

2. UK’s CBDC advances with creation of sandbox-like laboratory: The Bank of England (BoE) announced the creation of a ‘Digital Pound Lab’ to enable “hands-on experimentation,” as part of its ongoing preparation for a potential central bank digital currency (CBDC). (CoinGeek)

-Institutional Concerns-
NSTR

-Economic Indicators-
1. US Equities Rise, Led by Tech: Stocks in the US closed sharply higher on Friday, fueled by a tech sector rebound and significant gains across major indices. The S&P 500 rose 1%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 advanced 1.6%, the Dow Jones climbed 0.8%, or 334 points. Big tech stocks led the rally, with Tesla jumping 3%, Nvidia gaining 3.1% and Microsoft rising 1%. (TradingEconomics)

-Security Incidents and Concerns- 
1. US sanctions hacker and company allegedly behind Treasury and telecom breaches: The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Yin Kecheng — “a Shanghai-based cyber actor” allegedly involved in the attack on the Treasury Department — as well as Chinese cybersecurity firm Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology. (TheRecord)

-Technology and Science-
1. TikTok Restores Services in U.S. After Trump Says He Will Issue Executive Order Delaying Ban: In a post on X, TikTok issued a statement revealing that “in agreement” with their service providers, they were “in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.” (Breitbart)

-Bitcoin Community- 
1. Inside the first Crypto Ball: Snoop, the Treasury Secretary—and a $70 billion memecoin surprise from Trump: Tickets for the gala ranged from $2,500 to $1 million, with two separate tiered VIP rooms, including a balcony overlooking the crowd, leading several attendees to whisper that it felt “like the ‘Hunger Games.'” The new political royalty rubbed shoulders with their counterparts in the crypto sector, including Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong, Gemini cofounders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, and MicroStrategy cofounder Michael Saylor. (Fortune)

-Bitcoin Sentiment-
1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 76/100 (Up 1 pt)
  
Analyst Comments (AC): If you ever have the feeling that seismic shifts are upon us all at the same time, you're not alone. Stay grounded in truth, humility and stay the course. Look for actual opportunities to nudge things towards decentralization and personal responsibility. Help your neighbors, friends and family along the same path and be a source of strength and wisdom.

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Analyst: BV2A
END REPORT
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*NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report