Bitcoin ETFs Outpace December Mining

CRYPTO
Bitcoin ETFs Outpace December Mining

Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. accumulated 51,500 BTC in December 2024, nearly three times the 13,850 coins mined during the month, according to data from Apollo and Blockchain.com. This surge in ETF demand, driven by spot markets, came as Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $108,135 on Dec. 17, per CoinGecko.

With ETF inflows 272% higher than mined supply, a supply-demand imbalance is evident. Jesse Myers, Onramp Bitcoin co-founder, attributed the momentum to Donald Trump’s November election victory, which accelerated market activity. Crypto researcher Vivek warned of a "supply shock" as exchange balances hit new lows.

Major miners also reported December production: MARA Holdings led with 9,457 BTC, while Riot, Cleanspark, Core Scientific, and others contributed smaller amounts. Meanwhile, Bitcoin ETFs continued strong inflows into January, with nearly $1 billion added by Jan. 6, signaling sustained investor appetite.

TECH
Nvidia Unveils Next-Gen AI Revolution

At CES 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled the next-gen RTX Blackwell GPUs and introduced "Cosmos," a foundation model aimed at advancing robotics and autonomous vehicles. Huang declared the rise of “Agentic AI,” predicting it will create a multi-trillion-dollar industry by transforming how people work. Unlike generative AI, Agentic AI operates as intelligent digital assistants, revolutionizing workflows across industries.

Key announcements included the RTX 5070 GPU, offering RTX 4090-level performance at $549, and Project Digits, a personal AI supercomputer powered by the Grace Blackwell Superchip, enabling researchers to prototype and deploy AI models from their desktops.

Huang also highlighted a partnership with Toyota to integrate Nvidia’s AI into autonomous vehicle development. Demonstrating robots powered by Nvidia’s AI, he emphasized the growing impact of AI in real-world applications.

“The age of AI Agentics is here,” Huang said, positioning Nvidia at the forefront of this transformative era.

FINANCE
Markets React to Tariff Rumors

President-elect Donald Trump dismissed a Washington Post report claiming his team might scale back his universal tariff plan, calling it “fake news” on Truth Social. The Post suggested Trump’s aides were exploring tariffs on critical imports instead of the broad 10%-20% duties he promised, with China singled out at 60%.

Tariffs were central to Trump’s campaign, where he branded himself “tariff man” and praised tariffs as a tool to “MAKE AMERICA WEALTHY AGAIN.” Despite his denial, financial markets interpreted the report as a signal of a less aggressive tariff policy. The U.S. Dollar Index dropped 0.6%, while Treasury yields rose.

Sources indicated potential tariffs could target steel, medical supplies, and energy materials vital to national security. Economists warn tariffs could fuel inflation, but some argue they might boost U.S. wages and employment. Trump continues to assert tariffs' economic benefits, maintaining their prominence in his policy agenda.

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.