The creator of Telegram is facing pressure from state structures due to issues related to internet and communications, censorship, and cryptocurrencies.
Let's break down why tension is being felt on each of these fronts.
🛜 Internet and Communications
For decades, intelligence agencies have been accustomed to controlling phones, the internet, and cellular communications worldwide.
Questions have been raised about Telegram's Secret Chats, where encryption keys are stored by users.
In some ways, the system is similar to Signal Messenger, which has 40 million MAUs,
Since 2016, Signal has operated legally in the U.S., while Telegram has been around for 11 years despite criticism from NGOs.
Question: Could it be about more than just encryption?
With over 900 million users, Telegram can extract vast amounts of data even from metadata, contact lists, and GPS.
Unlike Facebook and other major platforms, Telegram does not always provide information upon court order, raising further questions.
Censorship in social networks is on the rise. For instance, in the EU and Ireland, there's ongoing discussion about banning Twitter due to excessive freedom of speech.
In China, Iran, Korea, and Turkmenistan, many platforms have long been banned.
In the U.S., debates are ongoing about increasing moderation. The trend is concerning:
The founder of Telegram believed he could manage without an excessive compliance team, unlike YouTube (20,000 moderators) and Facebook (15,000 moderators).
But judging by global trends, the control over censorship is only growing.
Global authorities are increasingly tightening control measures over cryptocurrencies:
Fighting on three fronts is a serious challenge for a company already facing financial difficulties.
Telegram stands at a crossroads. The future will show whether the platform can withstand the pressure from global forces or if it will have to find new paths.
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Last week, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held the World Robotics Conference, showcasing the latest advancements in robotics.
These developments raise questions about China's role in the global arms race, particularly in the context of AI and robotics.
Chinese humanoid robots are rapidly catching up with global competitors thanks to AI integration, opening up possibilities for their use in military operations.
The People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) is already demonstrating weaponized drones and quadrupedal AI robots capable of autonomous firing.
China is actively subsidizing robotics development.
In 2023, over $1.4 billion was allocated to support the industry.
In 2022, China installed more than 50% of all industrial robots globally, becoming the world leader in this field.
In 2016, a Chinese company acquired the German robot manufacturer Kuka, raising concerns about intellectual property theft and technology transfer.
This enhances China's position in the global arms race.
Chinese companies continue to advance mobile robots.
LimX Dynamics recently unveiled a bipedal robot capable of navigating complex terrain and adapting to attacks.
These innovations could be used for reconnaissance, military operations, or crowd control.
The CCP promotes robots as "human-friendly," but Chinese concepts of human rights often align with regime interests.
This raises concerns that China might use robots for authoritarian purposes, including population control and expanding its influence abroad.
Experts warn about the risks associated with exporting Chinese robots, which could be hacked and used to cause harm.
The U.S. is already taking steps to counter this threat.
Congressman Vern Buchanan has proposed an amendment requiring the Pentagon to report annually on threats from Chinese military technologies, including AI robots.
China is rapidly moving towards leadership in military robotics, raising serious concerns about global security.
The international community needs to assess the risks and develop strategies to mitigate threats associated with China's AI robotics development.
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A new grant program has been launched, offering monthly support to projects for growth and monetization through the AdsGram.ai platform.
To participate:
Key conditions:
— Register on AdsGram.ai
— Spend the following amounts on AdsGram.ai:
For grants in the L — XXL categories, SDK integration into your app is required.
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Kamala Harris' proposal for a $5 trillion tax increase — the largest in American history — is already raising numerous questions and concerns, especially among those investing in cryptocurrencies and tech companies.
Let's break down how this could impact the crypto world and the economy as a whole.
Harris proposes raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, making American companies less competitive on the global stage.
For crypto companies, already struggling to survive, this means additional costs and potentially decreased investor interest.
More than a million small businesses in the U.S. are registered as corporations, and this tax hike will affect them just as much as giants like Google or Apple.
The result? Lower wages, higher prices, and possibly a capital flight abroad.
Harris also plans to raise capital gains taxes to match personal income tax rates.
This could double the tax rate on investment income, creating a barrier to investing in cryptocurrencies and other assets.
Many investors are already dealing with inflation taxes, and higher taxes will only make things more difficult.
Expect asset prices, including crypto, to drop if this plan is implemented.
One of the most controversial aspects of Harris' plan is taxing unrealized gains, meaning profits that have not yet been realized.
This could mean that investors are taxed on expected profits, even if the market drops and the profits never materialize.
For crypto investors and small business owners, this could become a nightmare: paying taxes year after year on profits that don’t actually exist.
Harris plans to let the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 expire, leading to a significant tax increase for small businesses.
The expiration of this law could be the final blow for those hoping to survive in the current unstable economy.
Increased tax pressure, especially in terms of corporate and investment taxes, could severely hinder the development of crypto projects and investments in this sector.
These tax proposals have sparked heated debates on social media, with many concerned about their potential impact on both the U.S. economy and the cryptocurrency market.
These changes pose significant risks to the economy and financial stability in both the U.S. and the cryptocurrency world.
Will we face a "tax Armageddon"? Time will tell.
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Senator Cynthia Lummis has proposed a bill to create a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR), which could be a historic step for the country.
Let's break down the key objectives of the Bitcoin reserve.
Bitcoin will become part of the US strategic reserve, alongside oil and gold, strengthening the country's position in the face of global economic instability.
Including Bitcoin in the strategic reserves will boost the position of the US dollar as a global reserve currency.
Bitcoin will be used as a hedge against economic uncertainty, inflation, and instability.
The bill proposes acquiring 1 million BTC over 5 years, purchasing up to 200,000 BTC annually.
At the current market price of Bitcoin, this amounts to $57 billion.
This quantity of BTC represents 5% of the total supply, comparable to the US share of global gold reserves (4% of the world's gold supply, or 8,133 tonnes).
Currently, the US government already holds 203,239 BTC (around 1% of total supply) through the US Marshals Service, which seized them in various operations.
The Lummis bill suggests reclassifying these Bitcoins as a strategic reserve and carefully purchasing the remaining 4% on the open market to avoid significant market fluctuations.
The acquired BTC will be stored in a geographically distributed, multi-signature cold storage system, managed by the US Department of Treasury.
The bill proposes using unrealized gains from revaluing the Federal Reserve's gold certificates to finance the purchase of Bitcoin.
Currently, the Federal Reserve holds gold certificates valued at $11 billion based on the official US government price of $42.22 per ounce, set in 1973.
However, today’s market price of gold is approximately $2,400 per ounce, creating a value gap of over $600 billion.
Revaluing the gold certificates at today’s price would unlock these unrealized gains to purchase BTC without involving taxpayer funds.
The Treasury would not need to sell any hard assets like gold.
Minimum holding period: 20 years — during this time, no Bitcoin can be sold or used, except for the repayment of federal debt.
After the minimum holding period, Bitcoin sales will be limited to 10% of the reserve every 2 years.
Today’s global financial system is based on trust in the US dollar.
However, the rising US national debt undermines that trust.
The introduction of the SBR could help reduce risk, as by 2051, capital gains from the reserve are projected to cover half of the US national debt.
Historically, nations have fought to control strategic resources like gold and oil.
Since the SBR bill was announced in July 2024, China and Russia have already taken steps to include Bitcoin in their financial reserves.
For example, a Russian law allowing cryptocurrencies in international trade will take effect in September.
Estimates suggest that the introduction of Bitcoin into government reserves could increase its market cap by $1 trillion, leading to a price of $110,237 per Bitcoin.
Key figures are as follows:
Successful implementation of the SBR could extend the dominance of the US dollar and accelerate Bitcoin's integration as a global strategic asset.
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When it comes to the crypto market, market makers play a key role in ensuring liquidity and price stability.
One of the major players in this field is DWF Labs, which has invested in 470 projects over 16 months, attracting both interest and criticism.
Market makers are financial entities that provide liquidity to the market by offering buy and sell prices for crypto assets.
They play a crucial role in stabilizing prices and supporting new tokens, especially during their launch on the market.
Without market makers, the market would become less liquid, causing sharp price fluctuations and making it harder to execute large orders.
DWF Labs is a market maker that has quickly established itself, providing liquidity to crypto projects while being involved in multi-million-dollar deals.
DWF Labs entered the crypto scene in 2022.
At the time, the market was hit hard by the collapse of FTX and major market makers like Alameda Research.
Their rapid rise and involvement in hundreds of projects in a short period stirred up the industry.
At the Token 2049 conference in September 2023, companies like GSR and Wintermute openly criticized DWF Labs.
GSR even stated that DWF "lacks real market competence."
In response, DWF co-founder Andrei Grachev called his competitors "old antiques," accusing them of a lack of innovation.
But it’s not just about words; it's about strategies.
DWF Labs positions itself as "Web3 venture capital and a market maker."
However, many of their deals involve buying project tokens at discounted rates rather than traditional venture investments.
For example, their "investment" of $15 million in Synthetix (SNX) tokens was quickly moved to exchanges, sparking criticism over possible market manipulation.
Walter Teng, VP of Digital Assets at Fundstrat, noted that such activities could lead to conflicts of interest: acting as both a market maker and investor, DWF may influence asset prices in its favor.
DWF Labs funds its "investments" from the profits of high-frequency trading across more than 40 exchanges.
However, most of their assets are stored on centralized exchanges (CEX), raising concerns about whether these assets will be sold.
DWF Labs has invested in over 470 projects in 16 months, which has sparked a lot of controversy.
The conflict of interest between being a venture investor and a market maker raises doubts about their market strategies.
Large investments, like $15 million in Synthetix, prompt questions about the transparency of their intentions.
Despite active criticism, Grachev acknowledges that the company needs to be more transparent and explain its strategy better.
Despite the criticism, DWF Labs continues to play a vital role in providing liquidity to hundreds of projects.
Their deals combine venture capital, market-making, and strategic partnerships, raising questions about transparency.
However, with major players like FTX and Alameda exiting the market, DWF remains one of the key players.
DWF Labs is actively blurring the line between traditional venture investments and market-making.
Their deals, often labeled as "investments," are complex financial instruments that include not only token purchases but also market liquidity support, marketing services, and assistance with exchange listings.
However, the question of where the line is drawn between investments and market-making in the crypto industry remains unanswered.
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Recently, The Wall Street Journal published yet another "exposé" aimed at Tether, the issuer of USDT, one of the most popular stablecoins in the crypto market.
Here are the key claims made in the article:
But let’s take a closer look at what’s true and what may just be an attempt to paint cryptocurrency in a negative light.
Tether actively fights against illegal activities by freezing suspicious accounts.
In 2023, the company blocked $225 million linked to human trafficking and froze $800,000 in an effort to disrupt criminal financial flows.
Moreover, actual statistics challenge many of the key claims in the article.
According to 2023 data, less than 0.6% of all illicit funds globally are transacted through cryptocurrency, with the majority still being laundered through traditional banks and cash.
Among cryptocurrencies, bitcoin (BTC) is the most commonly used for suspicious transactions, accounting for 40% of such activity.
Meanwhile, USDT, which has been under significant regulatory scrutiny, is involved in
At the same time, Tether is posting record financial results.
Its $6.2 billion in profit surpasses the earnings of BlackRock, one of the world's largest investment firms, which earned $5.5 billion.
It seems major financial players are unhappy with the growing popularity of cryptocurrency.
These "exposés" are likely just part of an ongoing effort to tarnish the reputation of digital assets and keep traditional financial systems afloat.
The numbers speak for themselves: Tether continues to grow and secure a leading position in the global economy, despite all the attacks in the media.
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Forwarded from Crypto TV
▫️Lost Dogs (#WOOF) – today
▫️Catizen (#CATI) – September 20th
▫️Hamster Kombat (#HMSTR) – September 26th
▫️Cats (#CATS) – end of September (date TBA)
▫️Major of Telegram (#MAJOR) – October 1st
▫️TON Station (#SOON) – October 6th
▫️MemeFi (#MEMEFI) – October 9th
▫️X Empire (#EMPIRE) – October 15th
▫️Tapswap (#TAPS) – mid of October (date TBA)
▫️PocketFi (#SWITCH) – Q4 of 2024 (date TBA)
▫️Blum (#BLUM) – Q4 of 2024 (date TBA)
Save it not to lose! Any of the projects might become your life-changer.
📺Crypto TV
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Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s leading investment banks, shows that the future of gold is directly tied to current expectations for the U.S. economy.
Let’s break down the key takeaways from their forecast.
The economy is moving toward a soft landing: the labor market is recovering.
GDP is holding at 2.5%, and many key indicators remain strong.
According to Goldman Sachs: there’s only a
Three Fed rate cuts are expected by year-end.
Interestingly, these Fed actions will support gold prices.
Gold has already risen over 20%, setting a record of $2,500 per ounce.
The forecast for early next year? $2,700.
Gold is becoming the top asset for hedging risks.
Considering geopolitical tensions, potential sanctions, and the growing U.S. debt — gold is emerging as the asset that will shield against future turbulence.
Goldman Sachs is clear: gold is the best bet for the near term.
Risk is rising, the economy is slowing, and gold is breaking records.
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