Episode 1127 of Bitcoin And . . . is LIVE!
Today's Articles:
https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-loses-108k-14-year-old-btc-sparks-satoshi-rumors
https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/bitcoin-at-uatx-a-new-era-of-intellectual-sovereignty
https://atlas21.com/lummis-introduces-new-tax-relief-bill-for-bitcoin/
https://lightning.news/trump-claims-bitcoin-eases-us-dollar-pressure/
On Independence Day, Bitcoin took a short dip below $108,000 after a set of 14-year-old coins moved for the first time in over a decade. The media erupted in speculation, claiming it could be Satoshi, pushing the usual mix of clickbait headlines and copycat FUD. But the coins didn’t move to exchanges, and nothing about the movement indicated intent to sell. I remind you that this pattern repeats every year. Whales move coins, the market flinches, retail dumps, and someone else picks up the slack. There’s no mystery here. It’s bait for the anxious and a test for the patient.
Amid the noise, the University of Austin, Texas (UATX) continues to build a meaningful Bitcoin presence. With a cold-stored endowment held in multisig via Unchained Capital and a curriculum that includes Lightning, mining, and macroeconomic theory, UATX is charting a different path. Guest lectures from figures like Pierre Rochard and field trips to Riot's mining operation in Rockdale show their commitment to applied sovereignty. Unlike fiat-funded universities, UATX is setting an example for how education, entrepreneurship, and Bitcoin can coexist under one roof. Their motto—“The fearless pursuit of truth”—feels increasingly rare in modern academia.
In another sign of shifting tides, Donald Trump addressed the press and claimed Bitcoin relieves pressure on the U.S. dollar. His administration continues to signal support for digital assets, including its recent order establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve. While critics questioned his grasp of economic nuance, the statement marked a public break from dollar maximalism. Trump’s framing of Bitcoin as a pressure valve—rather than a threat—signals a new phase. Whether that pressure relief is real or rhetorical remains to be seen, but politically, the gloves are off.
Meanwhile, China is scrambling to stay relevant. JD.com and Ant Group proposed yuan-backed stablecoins for international use, hoping to catch up with U.S. dollar-based stablecoins. But the move comes too late. China’s 2021 Bitcoin mining ban sent innovation and intellectual momentum overseas. While U.S.-aligned firms like Tether gobbled up energy assets and partnerships, China stifled its own lead. The digital yuan may continue to grow domestically, but its global reach will remain weak compared to assets built atop open infrastructure.
Finally, Senator Cynthia Lummis reintroduced digital asset tax relief legislation. The proposed $300 exemption cap, with a $5,000 yearly limit, was paired with a provision to defer mining tax burdens until sale. The ideas sound helpful on the surface, but the real tell came with the automatic inflation adjustment clause. It quietly assumes inflation will never slow down. That clause says more about the rot in our fiscal system than the bill itself. For a sovereign stacker, the real play remains the same: buy Bitcoin, hold your keys, and ignore the froth.
Be careful out there and don't burn down the woodshed.
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