Saturday, February 1, 2025

Factors that will increase Pepe’s price.

If you’re hoping for a moon event, here are some factors that could trigger it. If anyone has any more insight, it would be appreciated. Also correct me if I’m wrong.

  1. A massive burn in the trillions to create scarcity. Maybe developers will do this one day if they don’t care about losing money. Burns will happen overtime with every transaction from what I heard, but its effects could take years to be noticeable. They might do burn events like they have done before.

  2. Increased buyers and whales. This might slowly grow overtime or it might end up fading. Increasing the buyers will probably only happen through worldwide adoption, if Pepe became extremely popular and millions or billions of people buy Pepe. Pepe would need a lot of marketing to make Pepe that popular enough. Still the supply would need to be significantly reduced by a lot if Pepe wants the chance to moon to $1.

  3. BTC and ETH hit a million dollars. When bitcoin goes up, altcoins follow and when ethereum goes up Pepe follows, from what I noticed. So if these coins go way up, then Pepe might go way up. Some people already predict that a million dollars might happen within a decade or so.

There is hope and potential. Markets can be unpredictable because people can be unpredictable. One day a bunch of rich and poor people throughout the world might just decide to buy Pepe because of its low price and potential to moon. Or a bunch of whales might dump and the meme trend might fade causing many to sell and crash the prices. You never know. Until then, just HODL.


LCX Monthly Round-Up: January 2025

https://preview.redd.it/ujapd1tidlge1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=179aedb6fd6b6118288f6502f0fd9f0efd184421

Hi LCX Community,

January has been an eventful month at LCX. We introduced new token listings, platform updates, exclusive VIP benefits, and major trading competitions. Here is everything you need to know.

New Token Listings

This month, more than 25 new tokens were listed on LCX Exchange, including:

JTO, SUPER, OL, POPCAT, IO, G, XYO, AEVO, and many more.

Explore new trading opportunities and diversify your portfolio.

Key Updates

Lower Fees on LCX Exchange

  • Trading fees reduced to 0.3 percent for takers and 0.15 percent for makers.
  • Withdrawal fees lowered by up to 80 percent.
  • On-ramp and off-ramp fees reduced significantly.

Bitcoin Hits All-Time High
Market activity surged as Bitcoin reached a new record high, driving significant trading volume.

New Design for LCX Exchange
A redesigned trading interface offers a more user-friendly and efficient experience.

LCX at Davos 2025
LCX engaged with global leaders and high-net-worth individuals, representing the regulated crypto sector.

Carbon Footprint Transparency
LCX became the first European exchange to provide real-time blockchain carbon footprint data, setting a new standard in transparency and ESG compliance.

LCX VIP Program Launched
A new VIP program rewards active traders with exclusive benefits, priority support, and premium services. Check if you qualify for VIP status.

Ongoing Promotions and Trading Competitions

Trade MDEX to Win Your Share
Trade $500+ on MDEX/EUR pair to win a Mystery Box up to 50,000 MDEX. Limited to 200 winners on a first-come, first-served basis.

MasterDEX Mania
Compete for a share of 60,000 MDEX, valued at approximately 12,000 dollars. Trade at least 1,000 dollars on the MDEX/EUR pair to qualify for the leaderboard.

Trump Trading Competition
Prize pool of 187,500 TRUMP tokens, valued at approximately 7,500 dollars. Trade at least 1,000 dollars on TRUMP/EUR to participate.

These competitions are ending soon.

VISIT LCX

Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities next month.

Best wishes,
Team LCX


Friday, January 31, 2025

Uranus Goes Direct : Beginning of External Shifts

๐—จ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜‚๐˜€ ๐—š๐—ผ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐——๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐˜ : ๐—•๐—ฒ๐—ด๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—˜๐˜…๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ฆ๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ณ๐˜๐˜€

๐—ข๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜„

Uranus goes direct at 23ยบ16’ Taurus walking forward on the degrees it last walked on 15 May 2024 and we rewrite the chapter initiated in May 2024 after knowing our values, our likes dislikes, our true self a little bit better. Its not the first time Uranus the planet of sudden changes & liberation walked these degrees but its the last time for next 84 odd years that it would visit us again on this very degree making it significant for us to see through a change which started probably in August 2023 with a clear break or sudden development in May 2024 and now we walk forward on that shift with our eyes open instead of it being just an inner unease of wanting to change things or shake things up. The inner restless is given physical form in way of acting on what we wish to shift tangibly.

๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—–๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ฒ

๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด (๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ, ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ, ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ด ๐˜ง๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ, ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ค๐˜ฌ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต, ๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ค๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, ๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ข๐˜ญ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜บ, ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฉ๐˜บ๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ญ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ด);

๐˜๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต ๐˜Š๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด (๐˜“๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ/๐˜”๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ, ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ ๐˜ค๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ, ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ ๐˜ท๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ท๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ, ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ ๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ด, ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต๐˜ด); ๐˜Œ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ (๐˜๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ - ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ค ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ท๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜บ, ๐˜ค๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฑ๐˜ด, ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ, ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ค ๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ, ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ญ, ๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ณ๐˜บ)

๐˜‰๐˜ฐ๐˜ฅ๐˜บ ๐˜—๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ด ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ง๐˜ญ๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ : ๐˜Œ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ด, ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ฌ, ๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ, ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜บ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ฅ, ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ข๐˜ต, ๐˜ท๐˜ฐ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฆ. ๐˜๐˜ต๐˜ด ๐˜ฃ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ & ๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ-๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฎ๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ด

๐Ÿ“– ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ ๐—™๐˜‚๐—น๐—น ๐—”๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—น๐—ฒ :

https://astrology-with-charu.medium.com/uranus-goes-direct-beginning-of-external-shifts-e62c7a75e91a

๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ง๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ ๐˜€๐—ผ ๐—ณ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ

Uranus is idealistic like any revolutionary so the first model of life it reveals to us is always more idealistic - I spoke of it in May reading referenced below. This ideal seeded in May 2024 went through the revision of walking back as this planet went retro on 1 Sept 2024. This started a process of questioning our own need for change, the ideals we wish to achieve by separating or divorcing from our past identity (See : Themes of change referenced above). In Greek mythology Uranus archetype tried to stop delivery of his own children which were deemed to be weird or demonic or too imperfect for his idealistic vision. Gaia the mother who wanted the children irrespective of their imperfections got them to trick Uranus to be born. First physical manifestation of our ideals, our imagination is never what we expect or as perfect as we thought it would be. Nothing shows this clearly to us than the Sun Uranus opposition of Nov 2024 did.

But Uranus has a separative aspect thats why it’s linked with earthquakes & divorces or sudden changes - there is a breaking away from the past and once that crack comes nothing looks same again. If you are going through the midlife aspect of Uranus opposite Uranus (mid 40s) - you know this concept of being in between two lives which this aspect brings very much to life - one the life you have already lived and other the life you thought you would never live. This midlife crisis like feeling even though more predominant in mid 40s is felt by all during these oppositions esp if your personal planets (23ยบ-27ยบ Aquarius, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio) are being aspected. There is a collective angst of unlived life & slight disappointment in current moment not reflecting our ideals which was most of Nov/Dec’24. Uranus in Taurus causes anxiety as we are experiencing fracture in most stable, consistent & valuable part of our life (See : By Sign Themes). The weird children of Uranus - first real manifestation of our ideals - look more jarringly odd in Taurus cause they do not fit our traditions, our old values & our old world that we have lived. Uranus swallowed his children cause he thought they would be his undoing. We refuse to accept the unsatisfactory present that Uranus transit usually throws in our face. Capricorn season grounded this madness with 13 Jan’25 trine. Uranus going direct now which helps us incorporate what we want in the life we want to live in the life we are currently living. It’s not perfect but it’s not the past as well.

More importantly is the realisation that unknowingly you have tapped into a reservoir of genius within you - Uranus helps you split from the norm so you can discover your unique gifts, your gems - the untapped high frequency part of you that traditions and old life was burdened with. The deformed children of Uranus that he wanted to swallow so they do not become his undoing become the Titans of tomorrow. Your unrest with status quo was very much required for that genius to show up. The two year process of Uranus aspects to your planets yields creative genius of a life time that you would tap into for a very long time as a part of your personality suppressed has been set free.

๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜€ ๐—”๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ : ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜

23ยบ degree of Taurus implies natural skills which need to be reformed over time to make them socially available to be used. Or anything of value to us in money, love, skills, beauty, food that needs to be refined to create the requisite worldly results.

“A jewellery shop filled with valuable gems” - there are two parts to anything valuable - one is the natural talent - the gem itself which appears through the natural process of existence and the other is refinement of those gems which makes them more valuable in the worldly sense and also makes them available to be enjoyed by others. An experience, a person, an event or a series of them during the transit of Uranus from this degree since May 2024 brings the last set of embellishment or refinement of our a very lengthy probably life long process of cultivating our natural talents. This last step makes our talents, skills, our gems socially available to be enjoyed in physically world and be benefited from.

We are now in the last two years of Uranus in Taurus transit which initiated in May 2018. Since its initiation we have observed changes in global events in form of change in financial markets, money, whats our currency, whats valuable in markets, whats of value whats no more of value, structure of Earth, environment, food. Innovation in these areas of our collective lives has accelerated since then. In our individual capacity it has liberated us or may be shaken us to wake up to reality of what we value, what we love, how we value our selves and what our natural valuable talents are. Taurus deals with matter of hearts but it requires grounding, consistency - it wants the wild whirlwinds we have been experiencing since 2018 to have a long lasting outcome. That’s what this degree deals with. Making your gems available to the jewellery shop.

We are moving from stage of finding what distinguishes ourselves from the collective to the stage of “conformation” and I know conformation in Uranus is like trying to regulate bitcoin and then people finding shitcoins to wild into. The more you try to conform to norms your wild streak - the more you might find another outlet to go wilder so you do this in the way that you are still free to be you. There needs to be air to breathe as you try to land this, ground this. Otherwise it would soon start looking like the 9-5 you hated or the relationship that was stifling or the mundane source of income you know what I mean. And it doesn’t just apply to work, it applied to love, food, anything you value which you are striving to, itching to evolve out of - an element of progressive needs to be living breathing alive as you try to ground your madness.

This conflict between wanting to be progressive, wanting to do whats true to you yet wanting to have consistent, lucrative, socially acceptable outcome or being everything for everyone would be key conflict of Feb 2024 as Uranus in Taurus conflicts with Mercury and Sun in Aquarius specifically around 10/11 Feb. Second half of Feb will dominate us trying to find this middle ground as full moon in Leo on 12 Feb fully embeds this conflict. Its not just the conflict of what you love to do or who you love (Leo) and what’s socially acceptable or where the world is moving to or what socially is required of you to do as your duty (Aquarius) ; There is also an inner conflict caused by us trying to hold onto our old values, your old self imagine and your old self worth concept which we surely need to evolve out of. But from this very conflict comes real long lasting change. Real long lasting tangible outward change is exactly what Uranus going direct brings.

We have been in process of bringing changes behind the scene or within ourselves since Uranus the planet of sudden changes and evolution to our true madness or our true self went retrograde on 1 Sept 2024. I wouldn’t say outer changes were halted but the freedom was more achieved in trying to change our own inner self before the outer changes can be seen. Now is the time for the outer changes to reflect the inner truth we have found in ourselves since Sept and that helps us relive the timelines since May 2024 very differently, in more authenticity and in more freedom without our own inner self holding us back from doing what’s required to change things to realign frequency. Uranus makes us vibrate at a different frequency so the people, places, sources of income, love partners which or who do not vibrate at the new frequency we are at - they are left behind. In Taurus - a fixed sign - our tendency is to hold on as long as we can and we do till it becomes jarringly clear that we ourselves have changed so we cannot really enjoy or value or desire the same food, the same values, the same sources of income and the same love partners. It’s a shift in our external values and external sources of value which happens once we have changed our inner self. This externalisation of inner change is the process of next 6 months whereby timeline till mid May 2025 will be about rewriting old stories - meaning we will handle old matters in new ways. And from 17 May 2025 onwards we write new stories, new elements of change. We would have fully evolved out of an old experience by then - which could be an old source of income, old partner, old set of food we liked, old value system or old skills that produced value for us and we would be looking to write a new chapter coming from a place of who we are in the now, the new frequency.

๐—•๐˜† ๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ป ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐—ฆ๐˜‚๐—ฑ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐—–๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ฒ๐˜€, ๐—š๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐˜‚๐˜€ & ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜ (Read Rising, Sun, Moon in order of relevance)

♈️ #Aries : Sources of income, diet, nutrition, assets, self worth, valuable skills ♉️ #Taurus : External identity, a new self, career & physical body changes ♊️ #Gemini : Our Psychological & spiritual life, mental health, secrets, our hidden patterns ♋️ #Cancer : Social Network, friends, social goals, gains from business or investments ♌️ #Leo : Career, leadership, father/paternal/authority figure, your official tittle at work or home ♍️ #Virgo : Higher Knowledge, faith, religion, foreign culture, travel, life path, legal proceedings ♎️ #Libra : Resources from others, power, sex, desires, toxin detox, deep transformation ♏️ #Scorpio : Committed relationships/contracts, clients, consulting, foreign residence, legal matters ♐️ #Sagittarius : Daily routines, health, healing, pets, self mastery, lucrative useful work, discipline ♑️ #Capricorn : Fun, hobbies, self expression/natural talents, love, passion, children, self respect ♒️ #Aquarius : Place of living, family structure, comfort zone, inner peace, home business, parents ♓️ #Pisces : Communication, commercial & creative skills, ideas, marketing, words, voice, thinking


Bitwise CIO believes Bitcoin’s traditional 4-year cycle is over

๐Ÿšจ Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan has stirred the pot by casting doubt on Bitcoin’s historical four-year cycle, hinting that some recent political maneuvers in Washington might keep the crypto party going strong until 2026 and beyond.

In a letter to clients, Hougan reminisced about Bitcoin’s usual pattern of three booming years followed by a dramatic pullback. He first spotted this trend back in mid-2022, and, boy, did his crystal ball shine brightly when he predicted the market rebound for 2023 and 2024.

Typically, 2025 looks to be another blockbuster year for Bitcoin. But hold on, things might be a bit different in 2026. Hougan argues that it’s the economic currents, not just Bitcoin’s halving events, that actually fuel the hype train. Major market shifts often commence with a big bang, luring in new investors and building momentum.

We’ve seen the historical rollercoaster of speculative excess leading to corrections with frightening events like the Mt. Gox meltdown back in 2014 and the SEC’s crackdown on ICOs in 2018.

The ruckus this time? The Grayscale victory against the SEC last March has been the spark for the current market cycle, coining it as the “Mainstream Cycle”. This ruling opened the doors for Bitcoin ETFs that made their grand entrance in January 2024, attracting a significant amount of institutional cash flow.

Since that pivotal ruling, Bitcoin’s value has skyrocketed from $22,218 to over $102,000. And we can’t ignore the impact of recent executive orders concerning digital assets, which seem to have added another layer of excitement. These actions declare the expansion of the digital asset ecosystem as a national priority and hint at a potential national crypto stockpile.

Hougan anticipates that ETF flows and corporate treasure hunts for $BTC could catapult its price beyond $200,000 in 2025. Although there’s an uptick in market leverage thanks to debt-laden $BTC purchases, it looks like institutional support and regulatory backing could soften the blow of any harsh corrections that once typified the space.

He also believes that while speculation-driven hiccups might still occur, any downturn would likely be milder than in previous cycles, thanks to the maturation of the cryptocurrency landscape. With institutions hopping on board, there’s a long-term optimism despite the approaching waves of volatility.

In a nutshell, traditional market cycles may soon be a relic of the past as crypto steps into a new era marked by broad institutional integration and sustained interest from investors.

Bitcoin #CryptoTrends #InstitutionalAdoption

⚠️ Disclaimer: This analysis is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice.


Today's Top #3: How Will Markets React as $10B in Crypto Options Expire Today?

tldr; Around $10 billion in crypto options are set to expire today, including 80,000 Bitcoin options contracts valued at $8.36 billion and 600,000 Ethereum contracts worth $1.95 billion. Despite the large expiry, such events rarely impact spot markets, which have remained stable this week. The Bitcoin options have a put/call ratio of 0.68, indicating more long positions. Open interest is highest at the $120,000 strike price. Analysts suggest February may see better crypto price action than January.

*This summary is auto generated by a bot and not meant to replace reading the original article. As always, DYOR.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/1ie8sw8/how_will_markets_react_as_10b_in_crypto_options/


Thursday, January 30, 2025

(just re-posting NOT mine) - Trump Pardons Creator of Silk Road Drug Marketplace

According to The New York Times. Trump fulfilled his day one promise and pardoned Ross.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/technology/trump-ross-ulbricht-silk-road.html

President Trump on Tuesday granted a pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road drug marketplace and a cult hero in the cryptocurrency and libertarian worlds.

In doing so, Mr. Trump fulfilled a promise that he made repeatedly on the campaign trail as he courted political contributions from the crypto industry, which spent more than $100 million to influence the outcome of the election. A Bitcoin pioneer, Mr. Ulbricht, 40, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2015, after he was convicted on charges that included distributing narcotics on the internet.

“I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbright to let her know,” Mr. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, misspelling Mr. Ulbricht’s name and making a reference to federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. “The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me.”

In its nearly three years of existence, Silk Road, which operated in a shady corner of the internet known as the dark web, became an international drug marketplace, facilitating more than 1.5 million transactions, including sales of heroin, cocaine and other illicit substances. (The site generated over $200 million in revenue, according to authorities.) In court, prosecutors claimed that Mr. Ulbricht had also solicited the murders of people whom he considered threats — but acknowledged there was no evidence that the killings took place.

Despite his crimes, Mr. Ulbricht has remained popular with crypto enthusiasts because Silk Road was one of the first venues where people used Bitcoin to buy and sell goods. For years, his supporters have argued that his sentence was overly punitive and adopted the slogan “Free Ross” online and at industry gatherings.

“It’s hard to argue that Ross Ulbricht wasn’t the most successful and influential entrepreneur of the early Bitcoin era,” said Pete Rizzo, an editor at the news publication Bitcoin Magazine. “This is the industry banding together and saying, ‘We’re going to reclaim our own.’”

Mr. Ulbrich’s pardon was eagerly anticipated by crypto enthusiasts. On Monday, after Mr. Trump granted clemency to nearly 1,600 people charged in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, Elon Musk, one of the president’s biggest supporters, responded to a concerned post on X, writing that “Ross will be freed too.”

Mr. Ulbricht, who grew up in Austin, Texas, was arrested in 2013, after the F.B.I. tracked him down at a library in San Francisco. At his sentencing in Federal District Court in Manhattan two years later, a judge called Mr. Ulbricht “the kingpin of a worldwide digital drug-trafficking enterprise” and said that his actions were “terribly destructive to our social fabric.”

At least six deaths were attributable to drugs bought on Silk Road, prosecutors said. Addressing the court, the father of one of the people who died said that “all Ross Ulbricht cared about was his growing pile of Bitcoins.”

But the life sentence struck many observers as harsh. In 2017, the federal appeals court for the Second Circuit, in affirming Mr. Ulbricht’s conviction, acknowledged the severe nature of the punishment.

“Although we might not have imposed the same sentence ourselves in the first instance,” the court said, “on the facts of this case a life sentence was within the range of permissible decisions that the district court could have reached.”

Mr. Ulbricht has been serving his sentence at a federal prison in Tucson, Ariz. Supporters in the crypto industry, in calling for his release, have noted that he was convicted of a nonviolent crime and was never tried on prosecutors’ most explosive allegation that he paid to have people killed. At a Bitcoin conference in Miami in 2021, Mr. Ulbricht’s supporters played a recording of him speaking from prison.

“I had so many big dreams for Bitcoin,” he said.

Last year, Mr. Trump embraced Mr. Ulbricht’s cause on the campaign trail, first in a speech at a libertarian event and later at an annual Bitcoin conference in Nashville. He doubled down on social media, posting the hashtag #FreeRossDayOne on Truth Social, the site he owns.

After the election, a message from Mr. Ulbricht posted on X said he had “immense gratitude to everyone who voted for President Trump on my behalf.”

“I can finally see the light of freedom at the end of the tunnel,” the post said.

Benjamin Weiser contributed reporting.


The Daily Market Flux - Your Complete Market Rundown (01/30/2025)

Top Stories ๐ŸŽฏ

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American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL)

Performance Overview

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Deadly Midair Collision Near D.C. Airport Claims Over 60 Lives, Worst U.S. Air Disaster in Decades

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Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)

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Comcast Corporation (CMCSA)

Performance Overview

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International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

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IBM Stock Skyrockets to Record High on AI-Driven Earnings Beat, Analysts Raise Price Targets

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Other News

๐ŸŒ Macro Events

  • ๐Ÿ“‰ ECB Cuts Rates Again – The European Central Bank (ECB) lowered interest rates by 25bps, its fifth cut since last summer, aiming to boost Eurozone growth. Inflation is expected to hover around 2%, and President Lagarde expressed cautious optimism.
  • ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ U.S. Economy Slows in Q4 – GDP growth slowed to 2.3% in Q4 2024 from 3.1% in Q3, missing forecasts. However, strong consumer spending (up 4.2%) kept growth steady. Jobless claims fell, signaling a strong labor market, while investment and private inventories dragged on GDP.
  • ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ Mixed European Economic Data – French GDP shrank by 0.1% in Q4, while consumer spending grew. Spanish inflation hit 3% YoY, and German import prices rose slightly above expectations. This highlights varied economic trends across Europe.
  • ๐Ÿ›‘ Eurozone Stagnates, Germany Contracts – The Eurozone GDP was flat in Q4, with Germany contracting by 0.2%. Italy’s economy also stalled, and unemployment unexpectedly rose to 6.2%. The overall economic picture remains challenging.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ ECB Forecasts Inflation to Reach 2% Target – The ECB maintains restrictive policy, expecting inflation to return to 2% in 2024. Wage growth is slowing, and financing conditions remain tight.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ U.S. Jobless Claims Fall – Weekly jobless claims dropped to 207,000, indicating a strong labor market, with continuing claims also lower than expected.

๐Ÿฅ Healthcare Events

  • ๐Ÿ“‰ Pharma Sees Mixed Results – Teva stock dropped due to weak 2025 guidance, while Thermo Fisher soared on strong results. Valneva’s vaccine deal boosted its stock, while Cidara Therapeutics saw rising short interest. Cognizant enhanced clinical trial alliances, and Cigna missed Q4 estimates due to higher medical costs.
  • ⚖️ RFK Jr. Faces Tough HHS Hearing – Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s HHS nominee, faced intense questioning over his vaccine stance and opposition to gender-affirming care, highlighting potential shifts in healthcare policy.
  • ๐Ÿง  Neuroscience Breakthroughs – Several companies reported promising trial results in neurology. Jupiter Neurosciences advanced a Parkinson’s treatment, while Alterity and Cognition showed positive results for multiple system atrophy and dementia, respectively.

๐Ÿ’ฐ Earnings Events

  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ Intel Beats Q4 Estimates but Faces Challenges – Intel exceeded Q4 EPS and revenue expectations but reported a 7% YoY revenue decline and a net loss of $100M. The company received $1.1B in CHIPS Act grants but issued weak Q1 2025 guidance. Stock rose 2% amid CEO transition uncertainties.
  • ๐Ÿ“Š Mixed Market Reactions to Big Tech Earnings – The S&P 500 and NASDAQ opened higher as investors focused on earnings from Tesla, NVIDIA, Amazon, and Microsoft. Some stocks, including BFH and KGS, saw double-digit drops, while traders explored ETFs and options trading strategies.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฆ UPS Beats Q4 Earnings, Sets Conservative 2025 Outlook – UPS posted strong Q4 EPS ($2.75 vs. $2.53 expected) but slightly missed revenue expectations. The company plans $1B in share repurchases and $3.5B in capital expenditures for 2025, forecasting revenue below analyst estimates.
  • ๐Ÿš€ Northrop Grumman Surpasses EPS, Misses Revenue – The defense giant beat Q4 EPS estimates ($6.39) but reported lower-than-expected revenue ($10.69B). Its 2025 revenue and EPS forecasts came in slightly below expectations.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ Caterpillar Stock Drops on Revenue Miss – Caterpillar's Q4 revenue fell short, reflecting weak equipment demand, leading to a decline in stock price.
  • ๐Ÿ“ก Comcast’s Mixed Results – The company posted strong earnings but continued to lose subscribers, raising concerns about long-term growth.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ Shell Increases Shareholder Returns Despite Profit Drop – Shell’s Q4 profit fell 39% due to lower oil prices but announced a $3.5B share buyback and a 4% dividend increase.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ Deutsche Bank’s Q4 Profits Plunge – The bank reported a significant drop in Q4 profit due to legal costs and abandoned its 2025 cost target.
  • ๐Ÿš€ IBM Stock Hits Record High on AI-Driven Earnings – IBM shares jumped 13-14% after an AI-fueled earnings beat, marking its best trading day since 2000.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ Mobileye Shares Plunge on Weak Q4 Results – Mobileye missed revenue and EPS estimates, with a disappointing 2025 outlook, causing shares to drop pre-market.
  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ Mastercard Beats Q4 Estimates, Guides for Strong 2025 – Mastercard posted strong EPS and revenue growth, with increased transaction volumes and a positive Q1 2025 outlook.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ Southwest Airlines Revenue Record Overshadowed by Weak Guidance – Southwest reported record Q4 revenue but issued a cautious Q1 outlook, causing its stock to decline.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ Tractor Supply, Sherwin-Williams, and Schneider National Report Mixed Results – All three companies saw earnings volatility, with earnings beats overshadowed by revenue misses and cautious forward guidance.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ H&M Stock Falls Despite Profit Beat – The fast-fashion retailer’s Q4 profit exceeded expectations, but sales missed forecasts, leading to a 5% stock drop.
  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ Cavco Industries Surpasses Q3 Earnings Forecast – Strong Q3 results led to a stock price increase, signaling positive investor sentiment.

๐ŸŒ Geopolitics Events

  • ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Trump Plans 25% Tariff on Canada & Mexico – Trump announced a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports, citing fentanyl concerns. Markets reacted sharply, with stocks dropping before rebounding and the U.S. dollar strengthening. Businesses are rushing to ship goods before the tariffs take effect.
  • ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ Netanyahu Halts Palestinian Prisoner Release – Israel suspended the release of Palestinian prisoners amid a chaotic hostage exchange with Hamas, increasing tensions in Gaza.
  • ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ Trump Announces New China Tariffs – Trump signaled an escalation in U.S.-China trade tensions, stating China would "end up paying" for the tariffs.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ U.S. Exits Global Climate Regulatory Group – The Trump administration withdrew from a global financial climate oversight group while considering restructuring the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
  • ๐Ÿ›ข️ Trump's Oil Tariff Decision Sparks Market Volatility – Trump linked potential oil tariffs on Canada and Mexico to oil prices, briefly spiking WTI futures before prices stabilized.
  • ๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ช Trump Proposes Deporting Venezuelan Gangs to El Salvador – Trump's immigration proposal aims to send Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador's prisons, sparking debate.
  • ✈️ Trump Criticizes Air Traffic Control Systems – Trump claimed U.S. air traffic control infrastructure was "improperly built," raising aviation safety concerns.

๐Ÿก Real Estate Events

  • ๐Ÿ“‰ U.S. Pending Home Sales Drop 5.5% – December saw an unexpected 5.5% decline in pending home sales, breaking a four-month growth streak. High mortgage rates were blamed, with the West experiencing the largest monthly drop and the Midwest leading in annual declines.
  • ๐Ÿก UK Housing Market Surprises with Strong December – UK mortgage approvals and lending exceeded forecasts, indicating resilient housing demand despite economic uncertainty. Consumer credit growth remained steady.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ U.S. 30-Year Mortgage Rates Edge Down to 6.95% – Freddie Mac reported a slight dip in mortgage rates from 6.96% to 6.95%, signaling relative stability in the housing market.

๐Ÿข Corporate Actions Events

  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Shell Announces $3.5B Buyback Despite Profit Drop – Shell’s Q4 profit fell to $3.66B due to weaker refining and LNG margins, but the company announced a $3.5B share buyback and expects lower capital expenditure in 2025.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ Walgreens Suspends Dividend, Stock Drops – Walgreens halted its quarterly dividend to prioritize debt reduction, leading to a stock decline. This move aligns with its restructuring efforts amid financial and legal challenges.
  • ๐Ÿ’ถ Sanofi Launches €5B Buyback, Shifts Strategy – Sanofi introduced a €5B share buyback while pivoting its focus from consumer health to high-growth pharmaceuticals, particularly its RSV vaccine, aiming for stronger profit growth in 2025.

₿ Crypto Events

  • ๐Ÿšซ ECB Rejects Bitcoin as Reserve Asset – ECB President Lagarde dismissed Bitcoin as an EU reserve asset, reinforcing the central bank's anti-crypto stance while announcing a 25bps rate cut. The Czech finance minister echoed similar opposition.
  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ Grayscale Introduces Bitcoin Miners ETF – Grayscale launched an ETF (MNRS) focused on Bitcoin mining companies, expanding crypto investment options.
  • ๐Ÿš€ Bitcoin Surges Past $106K – Bitcoin’s price surpassed $106,000, fueling optimism in the crypto market. The rally followed weaker-than-expected U.S. GDP data, strengthening Bitcoin’s bullish case.
  • ๐Ÿ›‘ Bankman-Fried’s Parents Seek Trump Pardon – The parents of Sam Bankman-Fried are reportedly exploring a potential presidential pardon for their son, the disgraced FTX co-founder.
  • ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ Czech Central Bank Considers Bitcoin Reserves – The Czech National Bank approved a proposal to explore Bitcoin as a foreign reserve asset, signaling growing institutional interest in digital currencies.
  • ⚡ Tether Expands USDT to Bitcoin’s Lightning Network – Tether is integrating its USDT stablecoin onto the Bitcoin blockchain and Lightning Network, promising faster and cheaper transactions.
  • ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ป El Salvador Adjusts Bitcoin Law to Satisfy IMF – El Salvador amended its Bitcoin legislation to reduce state involvement while maintaining Bitcoin’s status as legal tender, aiming to align with IMF recommendations.
  • ๐Ÿ›️ Illinois Proposes State Bitcoin Reserve – Illinois lawmakers introduced a bill (HB1844) advocating for a state-run Bitcoin reserve with a five-year holding strategy to position BTC as a treasury asset.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฐ Michael Saylor’s Forbes Cover Fuels Market Speculation – MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor appeared on Forbes as "The Bitcoin Alchemist," sparking debate over potential market trends, with some drawing parallels to past crypto downturns.

๐Ÿ›ข️ Oil and Gas Events

  • ๐Ÿค Baker Hughes Secures Major LNG Deal – Baker Hughes signed a significant agreement with Venture Global LNG to provide gas technology and liquefaction systems for upcoming projects.
  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ Oil Prices Rise Amid Geopolitical Risks – WTI crude settled at $72.73, with oil markets reacting to a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Ust-Luga port and Iraq’s Rumaila oil field fire. European natural gas prices are volatile due to inventory depletion, while Nigeria faces LNG export delays.
  • ⚖️ Europe Debates Russian Gas Imports as Oil Industry Faces Volatility – Europe considers restarting Russian gas imports as part of a Ukraine peace deal. Meanwhile, Russia may expand gasoline exports, and global refining growth continues, with Saudi Arabia leading the sector through 2030.
  • ๐Ÿ“‰ U.S. Natural Gas Storage Drops More Than Expected – U.S. natural gas inventories fell by 321B cubic feet, exceeding expectations, signaling increased demand or supply constraints.
  • ⚖️ UK Court Blocks North Sea Oil Projects – A Scottish court ruled approvals for Shell’s Jackdaw and Equinor’s Rosebank projects unlawful, forcing a review of these major offshore developments.

⚒️ Metals Events

  • ๐Ÿ† Gold Hits Record High of $2,790 Per Ounce – Spot gold surged past $2,790, breaking its previous all-time high from October. The rally continues as investors closely watch the precious metals market.

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