Weekly Newsletter - When Governments Censor The Internet Fights Back
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2025: The Year Bitcoin Goes Institutional—And Why You Need to Be Ready
Everyone Thought Favorable Tax Policies Were Irrelevant for Bitcoin—Until History Proved Otherwise.
Everyone Thought Layer 2 Was the Solution for Bitcoin Tokens—Until Runes Exposed the Flaws.
While minimum wage stayed at $7.25, Elon Musk’s wealth surged from $2 billion to $447 billion. How? Not hustle—inflation
Everyone Thought It Was a Risk to Trust Investors With Self-Custody—Now, It Could Redefine Bitcoin’s Future
Everyone Thought Bitcoin Was Just a Bubble—Now, It’s Reshaping the Financial World
When Governments Censor, the Internet Fights Back: The Bold Plan to Expand Tor’s Freedom Network.
Federal Agencies Are Finally Doing What Everyone Said Was Impossible
Switch to Signal? A Counterintuitive Move That Could Save National Security
Apple vs. Meta: A Battle Over Your Privacy and the Future of Digital Platforms
A 77% Bet on the Future: Will the Magnificent 7 Join Bitcoin?
2025: The Year Bitcoin Goes Institutional—And Why You Need to Be Ready
Everyone thought Bitcoin was just a trend in 2024—until it wasn’t. The year of institutional Bitcoin was just the start. In 2025, the real game begins.
In 2024, Bitcoin established itself as an asset that couldn’t be ignored. ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) and institutional buying opened the floodgates for massive capital flows. But despite the monumental progress, many still questioned if Bitcoin could evolve from a speculative asset to a true store of value.
The real challenge? Most people viewed Bitcoin through the lens of retail traders, influenced by social media hype and speculative cycles. But behind the scenes, Wall Street saw the untapped potential—and they were ready to move in a big way.
2025 is poised to be the year that institutional Bitcoin truly takes flight.
The launch of Bitcoin ETFs was just the opening act. What’s coming next is far bigger. Wall Street has noticed the demand for structured Bitcoin products, and they’re preparing to flood the market with offerings that institutional clients want. The game plan?
Lending Products: MicroStrategy has already proven the demand for structured products that offer varying levels of Bitcoin exposure. Banks are watching closely—and when the rules shift, they’ll rush to offer Bitcoin-backed lending services, creating new, attractive ways for institutions to profit from holding Bitcoin without selling it.
Strategic Bitcoin Reserves: The U.S. government itself might soon start buying Bitcoin, further legitimizing it and cementing its status as a must-have asset. If a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve is created by the end of January, it will change everything.
MicroStrategy has demonstrated the overwhelming demand for Bitcoin-based financial products, proving that holding Bitcoin is not just a speculative move but a smart, long-term strategy.
Wall Street’s involvement is growing. With Bitcoin-backed financial products in the pipeline, this market could see trillions in new capital flow in by 2025, accelerating adoption.
The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve might trigger unprecedented demand, potentially forcing Bitcoin’s price to be revalued dramatically. This isn’t the same market we saw with retail-driven price swings—it’s a more sophisticated, institutional-backed ecosystem.
The writing is on the wall. Bitcoin is no longer a niche investment—it’s a global asset class poised for exponential growth. Don’t wait for the next cycle to reap the rewards. The big players are coming in, and with government backing, the next wave of institutional adoption will likely be the catalyst for Bitcoin’s transformation into a mainstream asset.
You saw the potential before. Now’s the time to be bullish, stay optimistic, and capitalize on the opportunity while the market is still early.
#Bitcoin #Cryptocurrency #InstitutionalAdoption #ETF #Blockchain #DigitalAssets
Everyone Thought Favorable Tax Policies Were Irrelevant for Bitcoin—Until History Proved Otherwise
“What if I told you Bitcoin adoption depends less on technology—and more on taxes?”
At first glance, the idea might seem counterintuitive. Bitcoin, after all, is about decentralization, innovation, and financial sovereignty. But just like the internet thrived under supportive policies, Bitcoin’s future could hinge on a single tax reform: the capital gains tax.
In the early 1990s, the internet wasn’t inevitable. Governments played a pivotal role in its growth by creating tax-friendly environments for online businesses. In the U.S., these policies encouraged entrepreneurs to innovate, attracting investment and spurring adoption.
Bitcoin faces a similar turning point today. While nations debate Bitcoin reserves and blockchain integration, the capital gains tax remains a silent roadblock:
Every Bitcoin transaction is a taxable event, creating complexity for daily use.
The burden of tracking small purchases (think coffee!) discourages adoption as a currency.
Capital gains taxes stifle capital formation, reducing reinvestment incentives for entrepreneurs and investors.
Meanwhile, countries like Singapore and Dubai—where there’s no capital gains tax—showcase the transformative power of such policies.
Imagine if Bitcoin transactions were exempt from capital gains taxes:
Everyday Use: Bitcoin could finally serve as peer-to-peer cash without triggering accounting nightmares.
Economic Activity: Investors and businesses would reinvest gains more freely, fueling growth.
Competitive Edge: The U.S. would lead in Bitcoin adoption, attracting global talent and investment.
In his first term, Trump floated capital gains tax reform but left rates at 23.8%, a significant barrier inherited from prior administrations. His second term—or any forward-thinking leader—has the opportunity to unlock Bitcoin’s potential through tax relief.
Historical precedents suggest that bold tax reforms could reshape Bitcoin’s trajectory:
Singapore & Dubai: Rapid economic growth fueled by investor-friendly tax policies.
Internet Boom: A low-tax environment allowed online businesses to thrive, laying the foundation for the digital economy.
Bitcoin Potential: A reduced or eliminated capital gains tax could revolutionize its use as both a store of value and a currency.
A strategic Bitcoin reserve sounds exciting—but it mainly benefits the state. Real change comes when policy empowers people.
Tax relief on Bitcoin transactions wouldn’t just accelerate adoption; it would redefine how we integrate revolutionary technologies into daily life.
It’s time to ask: Are we building barriers—or breaking them down?
#Bitcoin #TaxReform #EconomicGrowth #Innovation #Leadership
Everyone Thought Layer 2 Was the Solution for Bitcoin Tokens—Until Runes Exposed the Flaws
Tokens that can’t trade fast? No liquidity? Hours of waiting for trades to confirm? Sounds like a non-starter.
But what if this is exactly what Bitcoin Runes had to go through to lead us toward stronger Layer 2 adoption?
Bitcoin Runes was introduced as a groundbreaking innovation—a way to etch tokens on Bitcoin’s blockchain. The promise? A decentralized and immutable token system on the world’s most secure blockchain.
Yet, early adopters faced significant hurdles:
Token creation was slow and clunky, requiring up to six confirmations.
Real-time trading was impossible, killing momentum for meme tokens or high-volatility assets.
New tokens had no initial liquidity, forcing creators to bootstrap every time.
Orderbooks were easily stalled, leading to frustrating experiences for traders.
The design sparked debate: Was Bitcoin inherently too slow for tokens, or could this friction drive innovation on Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions?
While Runes exposed challenges, it also served as a catalyst. Builders began exploring how Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions like Stacks or Lightning could overcome these barriers:
Real-Time Trading: Implementing L2 decentralized exchanges (DEXs) with instant settlement using Bitcoin-backed tokens like sBTC.
AMMs for Liquidity: Allowing automatic market-making to bootstrap liquidity for new tokens without orderbook dependencies.
Creator Incentives: Enabling fair reward systems for token creators without relying on premines or early mints.
Bitcoin's strength lies in security, but agility is where Layer 2 shines.
The conversation shifted:
Developers doubled down on Bitcoin Layer 2 scaling, leveraging the learnings from Runes’ shortcomings.
The Bitcoin ecosystem grew more modular, with projects focused on bridging Runes to DeFi and NFTs.
Early adopters saw a clear path toward usability without sacrificing Bitcoin’s core principles.
Sometimes, failure is the best teacher.
Bitcoin Runes wasn’t perfect, but it sparked essential conversations. It challenged assumptions about what Bitcoin could and couldn’t do. And it laid the groundwork for the next wave of Bitcoin Layer 2 adoption.
In business and in tech, friction creates breakthroughs.
Are you using challenges to sharpen your strategy—or letting them slow you down?
#Bitcoin #Layer2 #Runes #DeFi #CryptoInnovation
While minimum wage stayed at $7.25, Elon Musk’s wealth surged from $2 billion to $447 billion. How? Not hustle—inflation
Over the last decade, federal deficit spending has ballooned, injecting trillions of dollars into the economy. This has driven inflation not just in consumer prices but in asset values—stocks, real estate, and commodities.
The result? The wealthy, who hold most of their wealth in assets, have seen exponential growth. Meanwhile, wages for the average worker have barely budged, leading to an ever-widening wealth gap.
This phenomenon isn’t about individual success stories. It’s systemic, fueled by policy decisions that favor asset holders over wage earners.
While many leaders have criticized this disparity, few have suggested actionable solutions. Yet, a bold and counterintuitive idea has been floated by some economists and thought leaders:
Fiscal responsibility in Washington to reduce inflationary deficit spending.
Monetary reforms to ensure that liquidity injections benefit the broader economy, not just asset markets.
Incentivizing businesses to share wealth through profit-sharing models or minimum wage adjustments tied to inflation.
These ideas face political resistance but could level the playing field in a way that rewards effort over ownership.
While the discussion around these solutions continues, here’s the stark reality of the past decade:
Elon Musk: From $2B in 2012 to $447B in 2024 (+22,250%).
Jeff Bezos: From $18B in 2012 to $249B in 2024 (+1,283%).
Mark Zuckerberg: From $44B in 2012 to $224B in 2024 (+409%).
Minimum wage: Stuck at $7.25 since 2009.
The wealth gap is a feature, not a bug, of current fiscal and monetary policy.
Wealth isn’t just about innovation or hard work—it’s deeply tied to how the system is structured. If we want to see real change, it starts with rethinking fiscal and monetary policies.
The question is: Do we have the courage to challenge a system that rewards wealth over work?
#Leadership #WealthGap #Inflation #Innovation #EconomicPolicy
Everyone Thought It Was a Risk to Trust Investors With Self-Custody—Now, It Could Redefine Bitcoin’s Future
“Why would institutional investors want the hassle of self-custody?” they said. But what if a Spot Bitcoin ETF allowed just that? In a move that bridges Wall Street with Bitcoin’s decentralized ethos, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce is hinting at a bold shift that could change the game for crypto investing.
For years, Bitcoin ETFs have faced skepticism and regulatory hurdles. Critics argued that they undermined Bitcoin’s core principle: self-sovereignty. The idea of traditional finance controlling a decentralized asset felt contradictory.
However, institutions wanted Bitcoin exposure—without the complexities of direct ownership. ETFs emerged as a convenient gateway, but they came with a catch: no self-custody. Investors were locked into the financial system, far from Bitcoin’s ethos of individual control.
In a bold and counterintuitive move, the proposed feature for Spot Bitcoin ETFs starting in 2025 could allow in-kind redemptions. Investors might soon have the ability to withdraw their Bitcoin from ETFs into private wallets.
This isn’t just a tweak; it’s a seismic shift. By empowering investors with self-custody:
It aligns institutional finance with Bitcoin’s decentralized philosophy.
Bridges the gap between Wall Street and Bitcoin’s core advocates.
Sets a precedent for greater trust in digital asset ownership.
While the feature hasn’t launched yet, the implications are profound:
ETFs with self-custody options could see massive adoption, attracting both institutions and retail investors.
Bitcoin’s network effect grows as more holders move coins off centralized platforms.
It normalizes the concept of self-sovereignty in mainstream finance.
Consider this: a future where trillions in ETF investments could flow into Bitcoin while staying true to its ethos.
True innovation embraces risk. This potential shift isn’t just about ETFs—it’s about redefining trust, ownership, and access in the digital age. The message for businesses? Sometimes, bold decisions aren’t about control—they’re about empowering your customers.
What bold risk are you willing to take for alignment and growth? 🚀
#Bitcoin #Innovation #Finance #Leadership
Everyone Thought Bitcoin Was Just a Bubble—Now, It’s Reshaping the Financial World
When Bitcoin first hit the headlines, it was dismissed as a "passing fad." Banks laughed. Economists scoffed. And every price dip was declared its funeral. Yet, here we are today, and Bitcoin isn’t just surviving—it’s transforming how we think about money, ownership, and value.
In 2013, when Bitcoin’s price dropped from $260 to $50, most people panicked. Critics called it “digital fool’s gold.” The idea of trusting an entirely decentralized system, without government backing, seemed absurd.
The problem? People were trying to measure Bitcoin by traditional metrics, overlooking its revolutionary design:
A fixed supply of 21 million coins.
Open-source technology anyone could audit.
Borderless, censorship-resistant transactions.
Bitcoin’s true believers made a counterintuitive bet: they ignored the skeptics and focused on education. Instead of hyping short-term gains, advocates explained the fundamentals:
Dips are temporary, but supply is limited.
Bitcoin is designed for long-term holding (at least 4 years).
Its value comes from its network effect, security, and decentralization.
Bitcoin’s resilience wasn’t about chasing speculative profits—it was about creating a global reserve asset that operates beyond traditional financial systems.
Fast forward to today, and here’s what that vision has achieved:
$2 trillion market cap despite 10+ “funerals.”
Adoption by Fortune 500 companies like Tesla and MicroStrategy.
Countries like El Salvador making it legal tender.
Institutional investors shifting billions into Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation.
Every dip? A buying opportunity for those who truly understood its fundamentals.
Bitcoin teaches a timeless business lesson: Vision trumps volatility. Revolutionary ideas often seem irrational at first, but those who educate themselves—and focus on long-term potential—can ride out the storms to redefine industries.
What bold idea are you betting on today? 🚀
#Bitcoin #Innovation #LongTermThinking #FinancialFreedom
When Governments Censor, the Internet Fights Back: The Bold Plan to Expand Tor’s Freedom Network
Imagine being cut off from the internet—not because of a technical glitch, but because of deliberate censorship. Now imagine your response is to double down on freedom and fight back with a global network of volunteers. That’s exactly what the Tor Project is doing. Read more..
Right now, millions of people living in heavily censored regions like Russia face an internet that’s locked, filtered, and controlled. Tor, a project long at the forefront of privacy and censorship resistance, has been hit hard. Traditional tools like obfs4 bridges and Snowflake proxies are being blocked, leaving users vulnerable and disconnected.
This isn’t just a technical problem—it’s a fight for basic human rights.
Instead of waiting for new tools to be developed, Tor made a bold call: deploy 200 new WebTunnel bridges by the end of the year.
Why WebTunnel bridges? Because they act as decentralized lifelines, enabling users to bypass censorship without relying on traditional (and now vulnerable) circumvention methods. This solution requires a global effort—volunteers setting up and maintaining these bridges—but it’s faster, more scalable, and community-driven.
This decision isn’t without risks: building an open and distributed network of volunteers could expose the system to new threats. But Tor is betting on community resilience over centralized control.
Current Bridges: 143 operational WebTunnel bridges already helping users in censored regions.
Goal: Increase to 343 by year-end, providing wider coverage and greater reliability.
Impact: Each bridge represents freedom for hundreds, if not thousands, of users to access the unrestricted internet.
This decentralized approach strengthens the privacy ecosystem and creates a network that’s far harder for censors to dismantle.
When traditional methods fail, bold solutions emerge. Tor’s decision to leverage community power over waiting for a “perfect” technical fix reminds us that innovation often lies in action, not perfection.
In business and in life, sometimes the best response isn’t to wait—it’s to mobilize.
#DigitalFreedom #Innovation #PrivacyTech #TorProject #CensorshipResistance
Federal Agencies Are Finally Doing What Everyone Said Was Impossible
Imagine running some of the most critical systems in the U.S. government—and suddenly being told to overhaul your cloud environments with strict security standards. Many thought it couldn’t be done. But with CISA’s Binding Operational Directive (BOD 25-01), it’s no longer optional. Read more..
Cloud misconfigurations have been a top cybersecurity risk for years, exploited in incidents ranging from major breaches to ransomware attacks. Despite billions spent on securing federal systems, vulnerabilities persisted, leaving the Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) exposed.
The challenge? A fragmented approach to cloud security meant inconsistent practices, missed vulnerabilities, and delayed responses.
Enter BOD 25-01, CISA’s game-changing directive that aims to unify and enforce security across federal agencies’ cloud systems.
Here’s the bold move: CISA isn’t just asking agencies to improve their cloud security—they’re mandating it, complete with clear guidelines and aggressive timelines.
What’s different this time?
Secure Baselines: CISA’s Secure Cloud Business Applications (SCuBA) framework starts with Microsoft 365 and will expand to platforms like Google Workspace. These baselines are tailored to mitigate the most common cloud risks.
Automation First: Agencies must deploy CISA’s automated tools, such as ScubaGear for Microsoft 365 audits, ensuring misconfigurations are identified in real-time.
Centralized Monitoring: By integrating with CISA’s monitoring infrastructure, agencies will move from reactive to proactive defense.
While it’s early days, the potential impact is significant:
Reduced Breach Incidents: Stronger cloud configurations lower the risk of exploitation.
Improved Accountability: Automated tools mean fewer manual errors and faster remediation.
Scalable Expansion: Once baselines extend to platforms like Google Workspace, the directive could cover nearly all federal cloud systems.
CISA’s directive is a reminder that bold mandates can drive transformation. The lesson for businesses? Waiting for a breach to force action is a losing strategy. Proactively adopting secure practices—especially for cloud environments—can mean the difference between resilience and catastrophe.
If the federal government can unify its approach, what’s stopping your organization?
#Cybersecurity #CloudSecurity #Leadership #Innovation #Resilience
Switch to Signal? A Counterintuitive Move That Could Save National Security
Imagine this: A government cybersecurity agency urging top officials to ditch traditional communication channels and switch to apps like Signal. At first glance, it seems extreme, even unnecessary. But here’s why it might be one of the most strategic recommendations yet. Read more..
In late October, the cybersecurity world was rocked by revelations of widespread telecom breaches across dozens of countries, including eight U.S. carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon. These breaches, orchestrated by Salt Typhoon (a Chinese state-backed group), reportedly granted attackers months of unauthorized access to sensitive systems.
The implications were staggering:
Government officials, political figures, and everyday citizens were vulnerable to eavesdropping.
Encrypted communication networks became a necessity, not a luxury.
The challenge? Traditional telecom systems, even with heightened security measures, were proving insufficient in the face of advanced persistent threats (APTs).
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) made a bold and counterintuitive call: urging high-ranking officials to adopt end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like Signal.
Why this approach?
Bypass Telecom Vulnerabilities: Apps like Signal operate over the internet, sidestepping compromised telecom infrastructures.
Enhanced Encryption: Unlike standard SMS or calls, these apps use encryption that even the app developers can’t decrypt.
Universal Accessibility: Encrypted apps are free and can be implemented immediately without additional infrastructure investment.
It was a pivot from relying on securing traditional networks to focusing on securing individual communications—a strategy that might have seemed radical but was pragmatic in addressing the current threat landscape.
While this guidance is targeted at high-risk individuals, its benefits are universal:
Improved Security: End-to-end encryption protects against interception, even if the telecom provider is compromised.
Rapid Deployment: No need for costly or time-consuming infrastructure overhauls.
Public Awareness: Encourages broader adoption of secure communication practices.
This shift also signals a larger trend: the decentralization of cybersecurity responsibility from providers to users.
In cybersecurity, trust isn’t given—it’s earned, and traditional systems are under siege. By embracing apps like Signal, leaders are demonstrating that adaptation beats tradition.
The lesson? Sometimes, the boldest move is letting go of what’s familiar to embrace what works.
Are you ready to rethink how your organization approaches communication security? Let’s discuss.
#Cybersecurity #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #SignalApp #EncryptedMessaging
Apple vs. Meta: A Battle Over Your Privacy and the Future of Digital Platforms
It’s not often that tech giants like Apple and Meta clash in public—especially not over something as high-stakes as your privacy. But here we are: Apple has gone on the offensive, accusing Meta of wanting too much access to user data under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The battle? Interoperability vs. Privacy.
Apple, known for its strict privacy policies, is facing growing pressure in Europe under the DMA, which forces companies like Apple and Meta to allow interoperability with rivals. While this sounds like a win for consumers, Apple has raised alarm over what could be too much access to private data, particularly from Meta’s suite of apps—Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and others.
This doesn’t just impact Apple's bottom line; it’s a direct challenge to how the company defines its relationship with users—one rooted in privacy. Meta, meanwhile, argues that these new interoperability rules are crucial for innovation and competition.
Apple’s bold (and seemingly extreme) stance on blocking Meta’s requests is about more than just protecting its ecosystem. It’s about setting a line in the sand for what it believes constitutes responsible data management. Here’s why:
Protecting User Privacy: Apple claims Meta’s demands would allow the company to see everything on users’ devices, from messages and phone calls to photos and passwords.
Defending the Walled Garden: Apple’s strict privacy controls are a core part of its brand. Allowing competitors to access so much user data could threaten not just privacy but the user experience that sets Apple apart.
Stalling the DMA’s Impact: By calling out Meta’s demands, Apple might be stalling broader regulatory compliance, buying time to adapt—or to sway regulators in its favor.
What could come of this fierce standoff?
Stronger Privacy Standards: Apple’s resistance could force the industry to rethink how user data is shared, keeping privacy at the forefront.
Long-Term Brand Loyalty: Apple’s vocal stance on privacy might strengthen its brand loyalty among users who prioritize data security.
Regulatory Pushback: If the European regulators side with Apple, we could see more lenient interoperability rules—or even a revision of the DMA itself.
Apple and Meta’s feud is a stark reminder that privacy and competition don’t always align. But as businesses, we must ask ourselves: where do we draw the line between openness and safeguarding what matters most to our users?
In the digital age, the balance between innovation and privacy isn’t just important; it’s everything.
#TechNews #DigitalPrivacy #Innovation #BusinessStrategy #Interoperability #DataSecurity
A 77% Bet on the Future: Will the Magnificent 7 Join Bitcoin?
“Imagine the world’s biggest tech companies making a collective $1 trillion decision—and Michael Saylor says it’s time.”
Prediction markets now suggest there’s a 77% chance that at least one of the Magnificent 7 (Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Meta, Nvidia, or Tesla) will buy Bitcoin by 2025.
This is up from just 49% last year. What changed?
In 2020, MicroStrategy shocked the business world by allocating its corporate treasury to Bitcoin, with CEO Michael Saylor proclaiming it “a superior store of value.” At the time, critics said it was reckless.
Fast forward to 2024, and MicroStrategy's bet has paid off, with its Bitcoin holdings appreciating significantly and bolstering its market cap. Now, Saylor is calling on tech giants like Microsoft and others to join the movement.
What makes this idea bold? Companies like Microsoft and Apple are built on cash reserves and traditional investments—Bitcoin’s volatility presents a stark contrast to their usual low-risk treasury management strategies.
But the logic is compelling:
Inflation Hedge: Tech giants sit on hundreds of billions in cash reserves, which lose purchasing power over time. Bitcoin offers a hedge.
Alignment with Innovation: Bitcoin, as the foundation of Web3 and decentralized finance, aligns with the forward-thinking ethos of these companies.
Network Effects: Early adopters could gain influence in Bitcoin’s financial ecosystem, much like early stakes in the internet shaped today’s digital landscape.
Prediction markets like @Kalshi are signaling growing confidence that the Magnificent 7 will see Bitcoin not as a risk—but as a strategic advantage.
What would it look like if even one company joined?
Microsoft: A $100 billion Bitcoin allocation could set the standard for corporate treasuries.
Tesla (Again): Elon Musk’s re-entry would amplify Bitcoin’s mainstream credibility.
Apple: Bitcoin integration into Apple Pay could revolutionize retail adoption.
Each step accelerates Bitcoin’s journey toward becoming a global reserve asset.
Bold decisions define eras. Just as Apple bet on the iPhone and Tesla on EVs, a Magnificent 7 company adopting Bitcoin would signal a seismic shift in corporate strategy.
Prediction markets are betting on it. Are you?
What’s your 2025 Bitcoin target? Let’s hear your bold predictions below!
#Bitcoin #TechLeadership #Innovation #Web3 #CorporateStrategy