📈 Fed Speculation Boosts BTC

First time reading? I’m Jordan, and this is The Bitcoin Minimalist. Every Tuesday & Thursday, we scour 100s of sources to bring you need-to-know Bitcoin insights.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

📈 Bitcoin surged 7%, reaching $65,000, following hints of a Federal Reserve rate cut. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s endorsement of Donald Trump also contributed to the rise, fueling optimism about Bitcoin policies. Powell suggested rate cuts could soon occur, adding to investor confidence.

🇺🇸 Trump's push for USA-based Bitcoin mining challenges China's dominance, targeting Bitmain, which controls 90% of the mining hardware market. U.S. firms like Core Scientific and Marathon Digital are now seeking alternative suppliers, such as Block Inc. and Auradine, amid rising anti-China sentiment.

💻 AMOS malware now targets Mac users by cloning popular wallet apps like Ledger Live, posing a major security risk. Distributed through Google Ads, it mimics legitimate software like Loom and Figma to steal funds. Cybersecurity experts warn it may soon clone other crypto wallets as well.

💰 Semler Scientific has acquired 83 Bitcoin for $5 million, raising its total holdings to 1,012 BTC. The medical tech firm ranks 17th among public companies with Bitcoin, emphasizing its confidence in the Bitcoin as a store of value over gold.

🗣️ President Nayib Bukele promotes El Salvador as a "free speech haven" amid global concerns. This follows the recent arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France. Bukele emphasized the country's safety, lack of censorship, and Bitcoin adoption, positioning El Salvador as a unique destination for free speech and economic innovation.

IN THE LOOP

• Thai authorities raided a Bitcoin mine stealing electricity, a growing issue in Southeast Asia.

• Bitcoin miner Rhodium filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas with up to $100 million in debt.

• Bitcoin inflows hit $543 million last week after hints of an interest rate cut.

• Hong Kong's Bitcoin ETFs now hold HK$2 billion ($272M) in assets.

• A judge ruled the SEC’s lawsuit against Kraken will proceed to trial.

• The founder of Telegram, which is popular among Bitcoin users, was arrested in France.

POLL

THURSDAY’S POLL RESULTS

Which do you believe has more of an impact on Bitcoin's price?

ETFs - 58.3%

Exchanges - 20.8%

Futures - 20.8%

ETFs - “It seams the ETFs are more accessible to either retirement accounts or people who just don't know or understand Bitcoin.” - Aiden

ETFs - “It comes down to broader retail acceptance with FA's / RIA's and the idea of a 3-5% allocation.” - Chris

Futures - “Certain actors are using futures to manipulate the spot price -- takes time to understand for normies, one needs to look at silver / gold etc.” - Matt

VIDEO

Rekt Capital lays out his Bitcoin market cycle theory, which claims Bitcoin works in 3 cycles:

• Bear

• Accumulation

• Bull

CHARTS & DATA

Bitcoin Bull Markets - The red line above shows Bitcoin’s performance since breaking the previous cycle ATH. Compared to previous cycles, Bitcoin has been going up at a slower rate since breaking the previous cycle all-time high.

Days since Halving - This Bitcoin halving cycle (red line), Bitcoin performed better than any other 4-year cycle before the halving. However, since the halving, it has been increasing slower than every other cycle besides the 2020 cycle.

Bitcoin Market Cycles - A look at Bitbo’s market cycles chart, which attempts to pinpoint Bitcoin cycles using blockchain data.

Bitcoin Fear & Greed - Bitcoin Fear & Greed is creeping back up, and now stands at 48 after being in the fear zone just 3 weeks ago.

MORE FROM OUR COMPANY

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Bitbo Store: Shirts, hats, hoodies, mugs, and other merch for Bitcoiners.

Halving Clock: Track the countdown to the Bitcoin halving with our Bitcoin halving clock.