Tag: Bitcoin

AI vs Crypto Crime? Trump’s Commerce Pick Drops a Bold Take

Summary: Howard Lutnick, chief executive officer of Cantor Fitzgerald and Donald Trump’s pick for US Commerce Secretary, made one bold claim from his Senate hearing AI is going to squash all crime on blockchains. He dismissed concerns about stablecoins fueling crime, saying bad actors will always find a way-just like criminals on iPhones doesn’t make Apple responsible.

Lutnick, whose firm holds a convertible bond in Tether, faced tough crypto-related questions from lawmakers. Pressed about criminals using Tether, he defended the stablecoin, saying that Tether follows strict KYC rules. He also pointed out that traditional finance isn’t blamed when criminals use cash.

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He added that, in fact, the transparency of blockchain makes illegal activity easier to track compared to dollars or euros, which are untraceable physical assets. Law enforcement agencies, he said, already leverage blockchain data to hunt down criminals.

Lutnick called for greater oversight, adding that stablecoins should be audited, but he did not budge from his assertion that AI will eventually eradicate blockchain crime. His comments come as the use of AI in financial security is becoming increasingly prevalent and debate over crypto regulations heats up.

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Nayib Bukele Calls Out ‘Karma’ as Anti-Bitcoin US Senator Faces Corruption Charges

Former US senator Menendez gets 11 years for bribery after criticizing El Salvador’s Bitcoin move, calling it a corruption tool.

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele threw some shade at former US senator Robert Menendez after he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for bribery charges. Menendez, who once criticized El Salvador’s move to adopt Bitcoin, calling it a potential “door to corruption,” was hit with the hefty sentence after a court found him guilty of taking bribes to help businessmen with ties to Egypt and Qatar.

The case against Menendez got pretty wild, with federal prosecutors uncovering gold bars and hundreds of thousands in cash hidden in his home—$100,000 in gold and $480,000 in cash, to be exact. The 70-year-old Democrat, known for his anti-crypto stance, was vocal about his opposition to Bitcoin, even calling it a tool for criminals. He had also campaigned against El Salvador’s decision to make Bitcoin a legal tender, fearing it would fuel corruption and money laundering.

Now, Menendez is planning to appeal the sentence, but his history with crypto and his legal troubles make him look like a hypocrite to some. Meanwhile, Bukele and his supporters see it as a win for the crypto movement and a lesson in how Bitcoin is not the corrupt force Menendez once claimed it was.

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Is Bitcoin About to Tank Below $100K? All Eyes on the Fed

Summary: Bitcoin investors are on edge as the Federal Reserve gears up for its next big policy move. With talks of whether QT (quantitative tightening) will finally come to an end, crypto traders are closely watching Jerome Powell’s next words, as they could determine if BTC keeps climbing or takes a major dive.

The crypto community is split—42% of traders polled by analyst Benjamin Cowen think QT is done, while 58% believe it’s here to stay. Bitcoin has been chilling above $100K, but technical indicators aren’t looking too hot. The RSI is showing weakness, and TD Sequential just flashed a sell signal, hinting that BTC could dip to around $96K.

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Another issue? Bitcoin is struggling to break past $103,400, and the price chart is forming a bearish flag—typically a bad sign. The upcoming FOMC meeting is crucial. If the Fed softens up and hints at rate cuts, BTC might rocket past $110K. But if Powell takes a hawkish stance, we could see panic selling push Bitcoin below six figures for the first time in weeks.

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Illinois Proposes Bitcoin Strategy for State Reserve Holdings

Illinois eyes a Bitcoin reserve to drive financial security; if passed, the bill may trigger other states to adopt BTC strategies.



On January 29, Illinois led the way in treating Bitcoin like a major financial asset through the Bitcoin Strategic Bill. State Rep. John Cabello is advocating for a Bitcoin reserve fund run by the Illinois State Treasurer. The state reportedly became the first U.S. state to make the official decision to hold BTC in its financial strategy.

The bill allows Illinois to receive Bitcoin donations from both residents and government entities. The state will hold the Bitcoin for at least five years before deciding whether to sell or transfer it. Strict rules will ensure fund security, and regular updates will keep the public informed. If passed, the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act takes effect immediately.

The move also comes as interest in Bitcoin as a hedge for financial crises continues to mount. Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis is now forcing discussions on a national Bitcoin reserve, saying that BTC has the potential to ward off both economic depression and inflation. The asset is used to insulate against market instability by major institutions.

With Illinois taking the lead, it’s quite probable that other states and organizations might follow. A decision on this bill will outline whether Bitcoin is to become a serious financial tool for government reserves.

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Nvidia Tanks, Bitcoin Still Banks: Analysts Stay Bullish Amid $600B Stock Wipeout

Summary: The collapse of Nvidia’s stock shaved $600 billion off the U.S. markets, causing a stir in both the tech and crypto sectors. Yet analysts are still vibing with Bitcoin, betting on its long-term potential even as the storm rages on.

The tech world has just been hit with some heavy reality after Nvidia’s stock nosedived 17% to witness the jaw-dropping loss of a whopping $600 billion in the U.S. markets. Why? For a new AI tech thrown by DeepSeek into the scene to throw Nvidia shade off its dominance. BTC also slipped below $100K and altcoins nose-dived following it.

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Even the AI crypto sector wasn’t safe, dropping by 12%. But here’s the plot twist: analysts aren’t sweating it. Arthur Hayes, BitMEX boss, predicted this shift, saying investors would ditch U.S. stocks for decentralized assets like Bitcoin.

Markus Thielen from 10x Research is backing BTC to make a comeback. He argues Bitcoin vibes more with global liquidity than tech drama. With $38 trillion in global liquidity floating around, he’s confident BTC can hit $130K–$190K this cycle. The return of ETF inflows after the Fed hinted at possible rate cuts has analysts saying, “It’s Bitcoin’s time to shine.”

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Bottom line? While Nvidia struggles, Bitcoin’s got the staying power to thrive. Don’t count it out just yet.

Arizona’s Bold Bet: Bitcoin Reserve Act Advances in State Senate

Summary: The state of Arizona is all set to delve deep into the crypto-powered future! The Arizona Senate Finance Committee, in a vote of 5-2, gives its nod to the “Arizona Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act” or SB1025. When fully passed, this position is going to enable Arizona to invest up to 10% of its public funds in Bitcoin and other digital assets, making it the first US. state to integrate Bitcoin into its financial strategy.

Arizona just made a bold move in the crypto space. The Senate Finance Committee has passed SB1025, nicknamed the “Arizona Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act.” This bill, co-sponsored by Senator Wendy Rogers and Representative Jeff Weninger, aims to let the state allocate up to 10% of its public funds—including treasury and retirement reserves—into Bitcoin.

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Next, the bill will go before the Senate Rules Committee where it will be perfected, then head to the full Senate. Then, off it goes to the Arizona House of Representatives for further debate and possible approval.

When signed into law, Arizona would officially be the first US state to bring Bitcoin into its financial system. It would provide for the basic storage of the cryptocurrency so everything remains tight and responsible.

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Dennis Porter, CEO of the Satoshi Action Fund, says Arizona’s move isn’t isolated—eleven other states are exploring similar ideas. This aligns with the federal government’s recent crypto-friendly policies, including the Senate’s confirmation of Bitcoin supporter Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary. Arizona seems ready to lead the charge in blending crypto and state finance!

MicroStrategy Just Dropped $1.1B on BTC—Now Holds 471,107 Coins

Summary: MicroStrategy has just gone large, adding an additional 10,107 BTC to a collection worth a cool 1.1 billion dollars on average, bought at $105,596 per coin. Altogether, it brings the company’s stash to a total of 471,107 BTC at the time of this writing. Now holding $30.4 billion worth of Bitcoin on their books, the company is doubling down on believing in BTC after the crypto turbulence.

MicroStrategy isn’t just stacking sats; they’re going all in. The company added another 10,107 BTC to its reserves this week, spending a cool $1.1 billion. They financed this monster buy by selling over 2.7 million shares, bringing their total Bitcoin holdings to 471,107 coins, worth $30.4 billion. The average price? $64,511 per coin.

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And this isn’t their first big move this month. Earlier in January, they bought 24,707 BTC, pushing their monthly total to 34,814 BTC. CEO Michael Saylor’s strategy? HODL through the ups and downs and keep proving Bitcoin is king.

The timing’s bold, though. The crypto market’s been rough, with Bitcoin leading a 5.37% drop in global market cap, now sitting at $3.42 trillion. Buzz around China’s AI-powered DeepSeek app has pulled some investor attention away, but MicroStrategy seems unfazed.

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Long story short: MicroStrategy’s playing the long game, betting big on BTC as the ultimate digital gold.

MicroStrategy Faces Potential Billion-Dollar Bitcoin Tax Dilemma

MicroStrategy might owe billions in taxes on unrealized Bitcoin gains due to new CAMT rules, risking its long-term hodl strategy.



MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin obsession might backfire big time, thanks to new tax rules under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (CAMT) slaps a 15% tax on financial income, even if no Bitcoin is sold. Since the company’s Bitcoin stash is worth over $18 billion, their tax bill could hit $4 billion if the IRS doesn’t cut them some slack.

Here’s the deal: unlike regular Bitcoin hodlers who only pay taxes when they sell, MicroStrategy could be taxed on paper profits. While the IRS excludes unrealized stock gains from CAMT, they haven’t done the same for Bitcoin yet. MicroStrategy’s pushing for Bitcoin to be treated like stocks, but it’s a toss-up whether the IRS will budge.

Making it worse, new accounting rules mean MicroStrategy has to report Bitcoin’s market value, which pumps up earnings—and taxes. If they can’t get an exemption, they might have to sell Bitcoin, which totally kills their hodl-and-chill vibe.

Still, with IRS rules up in the air, MicroStrategy is stuck waiting. The Bitcoin tax saga shows just how dicey it can be to pay taxes on super-volatile assets. One wrong move, and the company’s future could be shaky.

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Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht Walks Free After Trump Pardon

Summary: On January 21 of this year, former US President Donald Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the infamous Silk Road, for his alleged ‘ridiculous’ life imprisonment. He was set free on that night after serving 12 years in prison. Elon Musk tweeted, “Honored to witness this historic moment.”.

Ulbricht is the founder of Silk Road back in 2011; he was arrested in 2013 for operating the dark web platform responsible for facilitating drug transactions, weapon sales, and other criminal activities using Bitcoin. His sentencing of 40 years plus two life terms has long been debated by members of the crypto community. The activist Amir Taaki and the venture capitalist Tim Draper also voiced support for freeing him from prison.

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Trump’s pardon came after lobbying from Ulbricht’s mother and support from the Libertarian Movement; thus, it was a strategic move to win over the crypto community, which sees Ulbricht as a Bitcoin pioneer. Trump announced the pardon via Truth Social, stating the sentence was “crazy.

Ulbricht’s presence in Bitcoin was undeniable. Whatever the controversial activities he did, certainly he was the pioneer who showed Bitcoin’s potential and capability beyond what the traditional system can offer. This release brought about mixed feelings as debates on justice, freedom, and crypto’s position toward the future did.

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Rumble Dives Into Bitcoin with $20M Crypto Plan

Rumble, the Tether-backed, Nasdaq-listed video-sharing app, just made its first-ever Bitcoin buy. CEO Chris Pavlovski dropped the news on Friday, January 17, confirming that the company officially kicked off its $20M Bitcoin investment strategy.

While Pavlovski didn’t spill the exact amount of Bitcoin they snagged, he made it clear this is just the beginning. The goal? Strengthen Rumble’s reserves with the OG crypto. Pavlovski called Bitcoin a boss move against inflation and pointed to its growing fanbase in the corporate world as a reason to stack sats.

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Rumble is now part of a bigger trend, joining companies like MicroStrategy and Marathon Digital in using Bitcoin to beef up their treasuries. For investors, it’s giving “Bitcoin ETF vibes” but with added spice.

With 67 million active monthly users, Rumble is carving out its own space as a YouTube alternative, thanks to its chill content moderation rules. And last December, Tether dropped a massive $775M investment into the platform, fueling its glow-up.

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Oh, and Rumble’s crypto flex doesn’t stop here. It also teamed up with El Salvador on cloud services, doubling down on its blockchain bromance.

This move? Peak “we’re in our Bitcoin era” energy.

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