Good morning, everybody. It’s your Daily Crypto News. I’m Matt. Yes, we “fell back” and yes, it’s still dumb—but let’s get to the news.
Good morning, everybody. It’s your Daily Crypto News. I’m Matt — and yes, we “fell back” this weekend, which is still one of the dumbest ideas ever invented. But this isn’t a daylight savings rant (even though it deserves one). Let’s get into the crypto news.
Bitcoin Trader Kidnapped in Lahore
“They abducted a businessman and demanded 50 million before reducing it to 4 million.”
A Crime Control Department inspector in Lahore, along with a constable and two accomplices, kidnapped a local Bitcoin trader for ransom. The group initially demanded Rs50 million (~$180,000) before settling for just Rs4 million (~$14,000). They targeted the victim for his crypto trading, seizing his electronics to destroy evidence before police later uncovered their involvement — an embarrassment for local authorities.
My Take: Who kidnaps someone and negotiates down to $14K? Total amateur hour. But the bigger point is about security — flaunting crypto wealth is dangerous. That’s why some Bitcoin holders are moving funds into ETFs: you lose sovereignty but gain safety. No one’s kidnapping you for your ETF shares.
Trump Defends CZ Pardon on 60 Minutes
“Trump called CZ a respected entrepreneur targeted by a Biden witch hunt.
In his first 60 Minutes interview in five years, President Donald Trump defended his pardon of Binance founder CZ Zhao, calling him “a respected entrepreneur” and denying any links between Binance’s $2 billion purchase of his family firm’s stablecoin and government dealings. He pledged to “make crypto great for America.” Democrats, meanwhile, are calling for a congressional probe into potential financial ties to the Trump administration.
My Take: The optics are awful, regardless of politics. BNB’s rally shows investors can separate business from politics, but the pardon itself fuels an already toxic relationship between Washington and crypto. Expect this saga to drag well into 2026.
Australia’s Operation Ironside Expands
“An encrypted app, physically run by law enforcement, captured 19 million criminal messages.”
Australia’s Operation Ironside entered a new phase after the High Court ruled that AN0M messages — collected through a government-run “encrypted” app — are admissible in court. Authorities arrested 55 suspects and filed 800 new charges, seizing about $38 million in crypto-linked assets. Europol says crypto laundering is becoming more complex even as public trust erodes.
My Take: It’s a tough one. Running a fake encrypted app feels like entrapment, but crime is still crime. It’s the same moral gray area as an undercover cop sting — the method feels wrong even if the results are right.
MEXC Freezes $3 Million Trader Account
“Imagine you have $3 million and suddenly: ‘Sorry, we got your money.’”
Crypto exchange MEXC apologized after freezing a trader’s $3 million account for months, claiming “internal mismanagement due to rapid growth.” The trader, known as White Whale, was falsely accused of rule violations and had to launch a viral campaign to get his funds released. Despite repayments, users still report withdrawal delays and poor transparency.
My Take: “Growing fast” is not a defense when someone’s life savings are locked up. If an exchange can’t provide customer service and clear accountability, it doesn’t deserve trust — or deposits. This “oopsie” culture is what kills user confidence in centralized platforms.
Macro Outlook and Holiday Warning
“Come Christmas… we’re going to see a con for the economy.”
Crypto markets fell over the weekend following U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson’s comments that high interest rates are slowing growth. Jobs data is due later this week. Matt predicts that Christmas spending numbers will reveal the real story — a consumer slowdown that could snowball into Q1.
My Take: If the holiday data shows weak spending, we’ll see headlines flipping bearish by January. Expect the tone to shift once mainstream outlets catch up — after the damage is already done.
Listener Questions
Bernice: She noted an interesting pattern: 2015 ATL → 2017 ATH = 1,064 days 2017 ATH → 2018 ATL = 364 days 2018 ATL → 2021 ATH = 1,064 days 2021 ATH → 2022 ATL = 364 days 2022 ATL → 2025 ATH = 1,064 days
My Take: Not exact, but close enough to raise eyebrows. These aren’t perfect cycles, but they rhyme. The timing difference is only weeks, not months — so it’s worth watching, even if it’s not a coded algorithm.
“They bet on something stupid and got a stupid result.”
My Take: I disagree. When insiders can manipulate a prediction market outcome, it’s no longer a market — it’s a loophole. Armstrong exposed how easily these systems can be gamed. If oracles aren’t truly independent, the bets are broken from the start.
Crypto Prices (as of 8:45 a.m. ET)
Bitcoin: $107,833 (–2.3%) — Market Cap: $2.1T
Ethereum: $3,714 (–3.9%) — Market Cap: $450B
XRP: $2.41 (–4.5%)
BNB: $1,017 (–6.2%)
Solana: $175 (–4.8%)
Tron: $0.291 (–1.3%)
Dogecoin: $0.174 (–5.6%)
Cardano: $0.576 (–5.1%)
Total Market Cap: $3.6T (–2.75%)
Summary
A corrupt kidnapping scheme exposes the dangers of flaunting crypto wealth. Trump’s CZ pardon blurs politics and markets, Operation Ironside raises privacy questions, and MEXC’s “apology” highlights an ongoing customer trust crisis. Markets remain shaky, and holiday data could tip sentiment heading into 2026. The 1,064-day Bitcoin cycle theory is intriguing — but don’t build your portfolio around numerology.
Happy HODLing, Everyone.References & Affiliates
🍔 Steak ’n Shake’s Bitcoin Burger Comes With Actual BTC Thanks to Fold 💬 XRP Founder David Schwartz Defends Ripple’s Crypto Utility 💵 Tether and Tron Under TRM Labs Financial Scrutiny 🎯 Coinbase CEO Garners Praise and Pushback After Prediction Market Shoutouts 🚔 Police Officer Arrested for Orchestrating Businessman’s Kidnapping in Pakistan
Self-Custody Crypto Roth IRA: athenic.xyz Use Code DCN for $30 off: DCN
This content is not financial, legal, or tax advice. It reflects personal opinions for educational and entertainment purposes only. I am not a financial advisor or expert, and I do not guarantee any specific outcome. Always do your own research before making any investment or financial decisions.
