issue 253 - week of 8-15-25
curating the good stuff for the casual bitcoin enthusiast each week
Listen below for an succinct overview in podcast format of all items contained in this issue of the newsletter.
news
I used Google NotebookLM and Gemini to summarize the information in this week’s news links:
✨ The Bitcoin market is experiencing a robust bull run, with prices soaring past $124,000 in August 2025, driven by a combination of post-halving supply constraints, growing institutional adoption, clearer regulations, and widespread investor acceptance. Projections suggest Bitcoin could reach $150,000 by year-end, with some optimistic forecasts eyeing $200,000 by December 2025 and even $1 million by 2030. However, diminishing returns are evident, with price increases dropping from 60,000% in the first cycle to 2,000% in the third, while cycle lengths are extending, potentially peaking around late 2025 or early 2026. The rise of "Bitcoin Treasury Companies" (BTCs) like Bitcoin Standard Treasury Co. is revolutionizing capital flows, channeling traditional finance into Bitcoin through innovative share issuance and acquisitions, positioning these firms as key players in global markets.
📈 Several tailwinds are fueling this growth. The April 2024 halving reduced Bitcoin's new supply, amplifying scarcity as demand surges from corporations, financial institutions, and even governments, with over 14% of Bitcoin’s 21 million cap held by ETFs, public companies, and countries. Regulatory clarity, such as the SEC’s approval of spot Bitcoin ETPs and the E.U.’s MiCA framework, has bolstered institutional confidence, while U.S. policies, including a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Bitcoin’s inclusion in 401(k)s, signal strong governmental support. Bitcoin is increasingly seen as a superior asset, challenging traditional bonds and the 60/40 portfolio model, with BTCs and platforms like Bitcoin-backed lending bridging Wall Street and the crypto ecosystem, offering liquidity and yield without selling assets.
🔒 Despite this optimism, challenges persist, including government overreach, privacy concerns, and Bitcoin’s inherent volatility, though proponents view the latter as a positive trait of an appreciating asset. Bitcoin’s security and decentralization remain robust, with market-driven fees and difficulty adjustments ensuring network resilience. Bitcoin Treasury Companies are decentralizing ownership by making Bitcoin accessible through traditional investment vehicles, countering centralization fears. The narrative of Bitcoin as "freedom money" endures, supported by privacy-enhancing tools, with proponents believing unstoppable fiscal deficits and currency debasement will drive hyperbitcoinization—potentially achieving global adoption within our lifetime, positioning Bitcoin as the cornerstone of a new monetary era.
Bitcoin Soars Past $124k, a New All-Time High. 4 Tailwinds Behind the Momentum.
Summary: This article discusses the recent surge in Bitcoin's price. The article highlights four key factors or "tailwinds" driving this momentum. The first is the post-halving scarcity, which has reduced the supply of new bitcoins entering the market. The second factor is the increasing accumulation by long-term holders such as corporations and financial institutions. The third tailwind is improved regulatory clarity, with the U.S. SEC approving spot Bitcoin ETFs. Finally, the article notes that Bitcoin is now widely accepted across the investor spectrum, from retail investors to large institutions, ensuring continuous demand.
Link: https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/08/16/bitcoin-soars-past-123k-a-new-all-time-high-4-tail/
Bitcoin has “greater than 50% chance” of $150K before bear hits: Exec.
Summary: According to an article from Cointelegraph, a crypto executive from Canary Capital believes there is a greater than 50% chance that Bitcoin will reach a price of $140,000 to $150,000 this year. He predicts that this surge, driven by institutional inflows from Bitcoin ETFs and treasury firms, will be followed by a bear market in 2026. This forecast is based on his concerns about the current macroeconomic outlook. The article also notes that not all experts agree, with figures like Michael Saylor and Matt Hougan predicting that the bull market will continue for the foreseeable future.
Link: https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-price-forecast-2025-bear-market-dooms-crypto-executive
Ivy League Schools Betting Big On Bitcoin? Harvard Reveals Nearly $117M Bitcoin ETF Position, Brown Doubles Holdings
Summary: According to multiple sources, Harvard University's endowment has disclosed a significant investment in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) ETF. The university's holding of over $116 million in the Bitcoin ETF reportedly surpasses its stakes in major tech companies like Google and Nvidia. Another Ivy League school, Brown University, has also increased its Bitcoin ETF holdings to over $13 million. These investments, along with others by institutions, are being seen as a sign of growing institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies. The move indicates a shift among traditional, conservative asset managers toward regulated digital asset products.
Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ivy-league-schools-betting-big-163102258.html
Crypto group backed by Trump sons hunts for bitcoin companies in Asia.
Summary: A cryptocurrency company, American Bitcoin, founded by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, is reportedly looking to acquire companies in Asia, according to a Financial Times report. The company's goal is to expand its Bitcoin holdings and create a Bitcoin accumulation platform similar to the model used by Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy. The firm has raised $200 million to accelerate its mining operations and treasury growth, and is currently evaluating opportunities in Japan and Hong Kong. American Bitcoin went public through a merger with Nasdaq-listed Gryphon Digital Mining. While no binding deals have been made, this move signals a clear intent to expand its global footprint.
Link: https://www.ft.com/content/61abe931-390c-499a-951f-d0e95672fb0b
How Jack Dorsey’s Block Inc Is Reinventing Finance With Bitcoin.
Summary: Jack Dorsey's company, Block Inc. (formerly Square), is aiming to reinvent the financial system by making Bitcoin a central part of its various services. The company's Cash App has become a significant source of Bitcoin revenue and is working to integrate the Lightning Network for faster transactions. Additionally, Block's point-of-sale system, Square, now allows merchants to accept Bitcoin payments. The company has also launched Bitkey, a hardware wallet designed to simplify Bitcoin self-custody. Block's long-term vision is to provide a comprehensive "Bitcoin banking suite" for small businesses, making Bitcoin treasury tools accessible to a broader audience.
Link: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/jack-dorseys-block-inc-is-reinventing-finance-bitcoin
Adam Back’s $2.1B Bitcoin Treasury Play Set to Challenge MARA in BTC Holdings.
Summary: According to reports, Bitcoin pioneer Adam Back's company, Bitcoin Standard Treasury (BSTR), is preparing to go public on Nasdaq after merging with Cantor Equity Partners. The company currently holds over 30,000 BTC and aims to increase its holdings to more than 50,000 BTC. If successful, this move would position BSTR as the second-largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, challenging MARA Holdings. The strategy is to emulate the model of Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy by using the acquired company as a vehicle for building a large Bitcoin treasury.
Link: https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/08/16/adam-back-s-usd2-1b-bitcoin-treasury-play-set-to-challenge-mara-in-btc-holdings
Strategy Acquires 155 BTC and Now Holds 628,946 BTC.
Summary: Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, announced the purchase of an additional 155 Bitcoin for approximately $18 million. This acquisition, made at an average price of $116,401 per Bitcoin, brings the company's total holdings to 628,946 BTC. The company's cumulative investment is now about $46.09 billion, with an average price of $73,288 per coin. This latest buy marks the fifth anniversary of Strategy's Bitcoin treasury strategy and reinforces its position as the world's largest corporate holder of Bitcoin.
Link: https://www.strategy.com/press/strategy-acquires-155-btc-and-now-holds-628946-btc_08-11-2025
US Treasury’s Bessent backpedals: Bitcoin buying still possible.
Summary: Following an initial drop in Bitcoin's market cap, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clarified that the department is still exploring "budget-neutral" ways to acquire more Bitcoin for its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. This initiative aligns with President Trump's goal of making the U.S. a "Bitcoin superpower." While the Treasury has been exploring these strategies for five months, the first purchases will be made from Bitcoin forfeited in criminal cases. Despite the slow progress on the acquisition side, Bessent confirmed that the US would no longer sell its existing Bitcoin holdings.
Link: https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-treasury-still-exploring-budget-neutral-bitcoin-buys-secretary-says
media
Colin Talks Crypto. Bitcoin Cycle Chart - Top Price Model Shows $200k in December 2025.
Summary: This video discusses a Bitcoin cycle chart by an X user named the_JDK99, which analyzes the duration of past cycles to predict the next market top. The analysis shows that each Bitcoin cycle has been approximately four months longer than the previous one, leading to a projected peak around December 22nd, 2025. Based on this timeline, the potential price target for Bitcoin is estimated to be around $200,000. The presenter also notes that while cycles are extending, the percentage gains are diminishing with each cycle. The video emphasizes that this is just one of many metrics and advises against relying on a single chart to predict the market.
Podcast. Nakamoto Nation: WHY BITCOIN IS HITTING $1M BY 2030 w/ DAVID BAILEY,
Summary: This video is a discussion between David Bailey, the founder and CEO of BTC Inc., and the host, Carlos Gaviria. They discuss how they became interested in Bitcoin and the importance of a permissionless, decentralized asset. The speakers define hyperbitcoinization as the 100% adoption of Bitcoin, where it is used for all financial transactions globally. The discussion highlights Nakamoto's strategy to accelerate hyperbitcoinization by creating Bitcoin treasury companies in over 80 capital markets. Finally, David Bailey predicts a Bitcoin price of over $1 million by 2030, believing the current cycle is a "super cycle" due to institutional and government buyers.
Podcast. Galaxy Brains: Nothing Stops This Train with Lyn Alden.
Summary: This video is an episode of the podcast "Galaxy Brains," hosted by Alex Thorne. It features two guests: Bimnet Abibbe from Galaxy Trading and Lynn Alden from Lyn Alden Investment Strategies. Bimnet discusses the current state of the crypto market, including the significant rise of Ethereum and Solana. Lynn provides her insights on the broader macro and policy landscape, explaining her thesis that Bitcoin acts as a "global liquidity barometer." The episode concludes with a discussion about the strategic implications of stablecoins and the idea of a strategic Bitcoin reserve for the US government.
Podcast. The Investor’s Podcast: Bitcoin's Evolution with Traditional Finance w/ Jon Melton (BTC247).
Summary: In a video interview, Jon Melton discusses his career shift from Morgan Stanley's currency markets to the Bitcoin space. He recounts how a presentation from Ted Rogers convinced him that Bitcoin was the "best money" and led him to join a Bitcoin custody company. Melton also highlights the crucial role of Wences Casares and Silvergate Bank in bringing credibility and infrastructure to the early Bitcoin market. He further explains the "no rehypothecation" borrowing model used by his current company, Unchained, which prioritizes transparency and security. The video concludes with a discussion on how government interest in stablecoins, like the proposed Genius Act, is potentially linked to a need to find more buyers for U.S. treasuries.
Podcast. Coin Stories: Lessons from a Decade in Crypto: Mike Novogratz on Galaxy, Bitcoin's $1M Roadmap, Crypto Communities.
Summary: This video is an interview with Mike Novogratz, the founder and CEO of Galaxy. He discusses his career journey, from working at Goldman Sachs and Fortress to founding his own company in the crypto space. Novogratz shares how he was introduced to Bitcoin in 2013 and his vision for Galaxy as an institutional broker-dealer. He also explains his view that Bitcoin acts as "digital gold" and is a "global liquidity barometer." The interview concludes with his forecast for the crypto market.
Podcast. The Jack Mallers Show: From Bonds to Bitcoin: The Rules of Money Are Changing (EP 77).
Summary: This episode of the Jack Mallers Show, titled "From Bonds to Bitcoin: The Rules of Money Are Changing," argues that the traditional financial system is in trouble, citing the poor performance of bonds and the problems with the 60/40 portfolio. The speaker presents Bitcoin as a solution to these issues, highlighting Harvard University's investment in the cryptocurrency and recent government actions. The host also provides updates on his companies, Strike and 21, announcing new features for Strike like support for the Australian dollar and expanded Bitcoin-backed loans. The episode concludes with the host sharing personal reflections on the decline of his hometown, Chicago, which he attributes to poor monetary policy.
Podcast. The Bitcoin Matrix: Is This The Future Of Bitcoin?
Summary: This video is an episode of The Bitcoin Matrix Podcast featuring Bitcoin advocate Jesse Myers. The discussion centers on the concept of Bitcoin treasury companies, which are public companies that hold a significant amount of Bitcoin as a treasury asset. The episode traces the emergence of these companies to Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy and discusses the idea of "accretive dilution," where a company issues new shares to buy more Bitcoin. It also posits that a leading Bitcoin treasury company will emerge in each major global market. The video concludes by predicting that over the next 20 years, these companies could accumulate a substantial portion of all Bitcoin, making them some of the most valuable in the world.
Podcast. What Bitcoin Did: The War on Bitcoin Privacy | Calle.
Summary: This video is a discussion between the host, Danny, and a guest, Calle, about privacy in the digital world and its connection to Bitcoin. The conversation starts by discussing recent events that suggest a crackdown on privacy, such as legal issues for developers of privacy-enhancing tools. Calle emphasizes that privacy is a human right and essential for democracy to function. He explains the history of digital cash, including David Chaum's eCash, and how he is building a modern eCash system on top of the Bitcoin protocol. The conversation also touches on Bithat Messenger, a mesh network messenger application for proximity communication. Finally, Calle asserts that Bitcoin's core properties—decentralization, censorship resistance, and permissionlessness—ensure it remains "freedom money."
tweets
(Substack blocking direct Twitter links at the moment)
https://x.com/CarpeNoctom/status/1954574931439550642
https://x.com/tboydsto/status/1954532747390685639
https://x.com/BitcoinPierre/status/1954712471228555553
https://x.com/_checkonchain/status/1954719006117843418
https://x.com/Dennis_Porter_/status/1954778252024918079
https://x.com/GertvanLagen/status/1954849116304863430
https://x.com/TechCharts/status/1954763898956968109
https://x.com/FrankAFetter/status/1954936950181519538
https://x.com/GertvanLagen/status/1954961208412438989
https://x.com/CryptoCon_/status/1954999391720497533
https://x.com/caprioleio/status/1955134030753698003
https://x.com/woonomic/status/1955244449795133443
https://x.com/simpleminingio/status/1955438811842027905
https://x.com/caprioleio/status/1955539088599376045
https://x.com/saylor/status/1955579991053492562
https://x.com/adam3us/status/1955618007230623863
https://x.com/Vivek4real_/status/1955738208987439302
https://x.com/zerohedge/status/1955799130804011493
https://x.com/100trillionUSD/status/1955938403674960228
https://x.com/Swan/status/1955678699766022278
https://x.com/jack/status/1956006538042093993
https://x.com/SecScottBessent/status/1956080030137626887
https://x.com/SenLummis/status/1956095326210941204
https://x.com/Printer_Gobrrr/status/1955898411489656902
https://x.com/FrankAFetter/status/1956498583416397832
https://x.com/BitcoinPierre/status/1956151795287515230
https://x.com/ColinTCrypto/status/1956779369508077936
https://x.com/FrankAFetter/status/1956877930375549289
If you think we’ve missed something important, please send it to us and we’ll be sure to add it to next week’s newsletter… And please share!
