#BTC

El Salvador and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have reached an agreement on a $1.4 billion loan package to support the country’s reform agenda.

Bitcoin mining remains highly lucrative, with profitability on the rise, as noted in JPMorgan’s latest report. The network’s hash rate, an indicator of overall computational power for BTC mining, has grown by 5% since November 2024, pointing to increasing interest and competition in the sector.

December 16 saw Michael Saylor announce yet another BTC acquisition for MicroStrategy. Six weeks of consistent buying seem to validate Schiff’s pointed critiques.

A Texas man was sentenced to two years in prison for filing inaccurate tax returns between 2017 and 2019. He reportedly omitted $3.7 million in income from Bitcoin transactions.

Bitcoin mining heavyweight Riot Platforms has revealed its intention to issue $500 million in convertible notes, with the proceeds largely going toward purchasing Bitcoin.

Amazon’s shareholders proposed that the company allocate 5% of its reserves to Bitcoin. The request submitted by the National Center for Public Policy Research suggests addressing this at the 2025 shareholder meeting.

On December 6, Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas revealed that U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have surpassed Satoshi Nakamoto’s BTC reserve, now holding over 1.1 million coins.

Bitcoin Did It. On Wednesday, Bitcoin hit the long-awaited $100,000 milestone for the first time.

Andre Dragosch, director and head of research Europe at Bitwise warns that Bitcoin could face further declines in the coming weeks due to U.S. Federal Reserve policies. Despite this, he sees the price drop as a prime opportunity to accumulate BTC, citing its scarcity.

Ilya Lichtenstein, known for the theft of 120,000 BTC from Bitfinex, has made his first public statement since pleading guilty last year. Previously sentenced to five years for money laundering, his partner Heather Morgan received 18 months.

On December 17, the Bitcoin Policy Institute announced the completion of a draft executive order proposing the inclusion of Bitcoin as part of the United States’ strategic reserve assets. The order could take effect immediately upon being signed by President Donald Trump on his first day in office.

Anticipated rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve are met with the growing challenge of inflation, leaving uncertainty about the regulator’s next monetary policy moves. This is shaping market trends, particularly in crypto.

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon has stated that the company might explore BTC and ETH spot trading if regulatory conditions in the U.S. improve.

On December 5, 2024, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced the appointment of former PayPal COO David Sacks as the White House "White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." This move signals a major shift in U.S. policy on cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence.