Greetings Bitcoiner,

Welcome to Issue #368 of Bitcoin Breakdown, where it’s OPSEC Wednesday special, followed by the latest Quick Bits snippets.

But first, today’s Top Stories:

• 🛠️ US Shutdown Fuels Bitcoin’s Safe-Haven Glow

• 🔧 Bitcoin Core Backs Down on OP_RETURN Changes Hours Before Release

• 🏗️ Tether Builds a Bitcoin Fortress

TOGETHER WITH CYPHERTANK

Calling All Bitcoin Builders and Founders!

CypherTank is the first Bitcoin-focused pitch competition of its kind and is coming to Lugano during the Plan ₿ Forum (Oct 24–25).

• Prizes include $850k+ in funding, grants & acceleration support.

• Filmed with a global distribution at the end of 2025.

• Judges include Adam Back, Matt Odell, Paolo Ardoino, Preston Pysh, Mike Jarmuz + others.

CypherTank is where the next wave of Bitcoin innovation will be uncovered.

If you know a builder, founder, or non-profit pushing Bitcoin forward, please encourage them to apply!

Calling all Bitcoin builders - Apply now!

Oct 1, 2025

TODAY’S TOP STORIES

🛠️ US Shutdown Fuels Bitcoin’s Safe-Haven Glow

The US government has officially shut down for the first time in 7 years, halting public services and leaving 750,000 federal workers in limbo. With political gridlock stalling SEC operations, Bitcoin ETF decisions may face delays. Yet the turmoil boosts BTC’s appeal as investors flee to scarce, non-sovereign assets. Gold is already at record highs, the dollar is slipping, and Bitcoin jumped to $117K overnight, storming into ‘Uptober’. CryptoDNES

🔧 Bitcoin Core Backs Down on OP_RETURN Changes Hours Before Release

Bitcoin Core developers made a dramatic last-minute reversal, dropping plans to remove user control over OP_RETURN data limits just hours before version 30's release. The change came after fierce pushback from Bitcoin Knots operators who argued that forcing nodes to store arbitrary data burdens the network. While Core v30 still increases the default data limit from 90 bytes to 100KB, users can now manually adjust these settings indefinitely. Protos

🏗️ Tether Builds a Bitcoin Fortress

Tether moved 8,888.88 BTC worth $1B into its bitcoin reserve wallet, boosting its stash to nearly 109,410 BTC valued at $12.4B, making it the sixth-largest wallet worldwide. CEO Paolo Ardoino hinted the transfer was fresh buying, consistent with Tether’s quarterly Bitcoin accumulation strategy. Already the second-largest private BTC holder, Tether also owns gold and massive US Treasury positions. With booming profits and expansion into mining, AI, and infrastructure, the stablecoin giant is proving it can hodl like a sovereign nation. The Block

POLL #368

PREVIOUS POLL RESULTS

OPSEC FEATURE ARTICLE

Stop Getting Phished: A Field Guide to Hardening Your Bitcoin Life With Security Keys, Safer Browsers, and Segregated Devices

A single click can drain an entire family’s stack. The pattern is familiar, the damage is permanent, and the fix is practical.

This week’s OPSEC feature article shows you how to cut your phishing risk to near zero with specific tools and step-by-step habits.

You will set up phishing-resistant logins, lock down your browser, and separate your Bitcoin workflows from the rest of your digital life.

Get instant access to this special feature by becoming a premium supporter here.

QUICK BITS

• Tim Draper, billionaire VC, predicts that all retailers will eventually ditch fiat entirely and only accept BTC.

• Bitcoin_Cookie, a Bitcoin 𝕏 community member, appeals for help tracing stolen BTC from a phishing hack, sharing transaction IDs and tagging ZachXBT for blockchain analysis and recovery guidance.

• Reuters features how Bitcoin recovery specialists help unlock billions in lost bitcoin as forgotten passwords and misplaced seed phrases trap nearly 20% of circulating supply.

• Finbold research reveals that the Bitcoin and crypto sector lost $306.7M to hacks in Q3 2025, with Turkish exchange BtcTurk suffering the largest $54M breach among cluster of mid-sized attacks.

• Metaplanet becomes the fourth-largest corporate Bitcoin holder after acquiring 5,268 BTC worth $600M, bringing total holdings to 30,823 BTC valued at $3.6B.

• F-Droid, the largest free and open source Android app repository, warns Google's new developer verification scheme will destroy alternative app stores by forcing all developers to register with Google before apps can be installed.

• Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, reveals he bought thousands of BTC in 2013 at $700 and has been using his bitcoin holdings to fund his lifestyle rather than extracting money from Telegram.

• Turkey plans to enable its financial crimes watchdog, Masak, to freeze or close digital asset accounts suspected of illicit use.

• SEC Chairman Paul Atkins expresses excitement about bringing tokenized securities on-chain but remains vague on wallet identification requirements, raising concerns about potential KYC spillover effects on bitcoin wallets.

• Sazmining, a Bitcoin Mining as a Service company, expands operations to Ethiopia with hydropower from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, offering mining services across four continents now.

• Pakistan's Minister of State for Crypto and Blockchain, Bilal bin Saqib, meets US President Trump's Bitcoin and crypto advisor to explore ecosystem cooperation and proposes the world's first UN Bitcoin resolution.

• Compass Mining, a Bitcoin mining firm, launches 3.3MW off-grid natural gas-powered site in Wyoming with 360 Energy partnership, utilizing older Antminer S19-series machines to extend asset lifecycle and create profitable mining infrastructure.

• Strategy raises $128M through at-the-market programs but allocates only $22M to purchase 196 BTC, bringing total bitcoin holdings to 640,031 BTC.

• BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust overtakes Coinbase's Deribit as the world's largest Bitcoin options venue.

• AsiaStrategy partners with Anchorage Digital as primary custodian and purchases 30 BTC in an aggressive treasury push across the US-Asia corridor.

• Coinbase's bitcoin-backed lending program surpasses $1B in originations since January as the exchange prepares to raise borrowing caps from $1M to $5M.

• Jack Dorsey's decentralized messaging app Bitchat sees a surge in Madagascar downloads as residents seek alternative communication during water and energy protests.

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