Today’s Nugget:
Ark Invest just dropped a $2.4M Bitcoin bull case.
Paradigm’s betting big on decentralized AI.
The Fed just made it easier for banks to get into crypto.
And North Korean hackers are getting sneakier.
Today’s a recap, but the signals underneath the noise are real.
Let’s get into it:
Ark Invest: Bitcoin to $2.4M by 2030?
Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest just raised its Bitcoin bull case to $2.4 million per BTC by 2030, up from $1.5M.
Key Points:
Base case: $1.2M BTC by 2030
Bear case: $500K BTC
Ark’s new “experimental model” discounts lost coins and illiquid supply — which traditional models ignore.
Bitcoin’s “digital gold” narrative drives the base case, while institutional adoption drives the bull case.
Forecast assumes a 72% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) from now through 2030.
Translation:
Ark sees Bitcoin as massively undervalued today if institutions move even faster than expected.
Paradigm Bets $50M on Decentralized AI
Paradigm led a $50 million Series A into Nous Research, a decentralized AI project targeting OpenAI’s dominance.
Highlights:
Nous will tokenize idle GPU computing power using blockchain (Solana-based Psyche Network).
Focus: Decentralized, censorship-resistant AI model training.
Post-raise valuation: $1 billion — for a token that hasn’t even launched yet.
Translation:
Decentralized AI is now a serious crypto vertical — and Paradigm’s $50M says it’s early.
This could be the next massive crossover narrative between AI and blockchain infrastructure.
Bitcoin ETF Inflows Surge — and Whales Are Buying
Bitcoin briefly surged back above $95,000 yesterday, fueled by strong ETF inflows and CEX outflows hitting a two-year high.
Key Signal:
When centralized exchange (CEX) reserves drop during a rally, it suggests re-accumulation, not distribution.
Translation:
Big money isn’t cashing out.
They’re stacking.
Plus, BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF now holds nearly 3% of total Bitcoin supply.
This is a quiet supply shock in progress.
North Korean Hackers Target Crypto Devs (Again)
Silent Push reported that Lazarus Group’s Contagious Interview subgroup created fake U.S. companies (like BlockNovas, SoftGlide) to lure crypto developers into malware attacks.
Tactics:
Fake job interviews with AI-generated employee profiles
Malware targeting wallet credentials and sensitive crypto data
Why it matters:
Lazarus has stolen over $3 billion in crypto since 2017.
The threat is getting more sophisticated — not going away.
The Fed Flips: Banks Can Engage with Crypto Again
In a major policy shift, the U.S. Federal Reserve rescinded previous guidance that discouraged banks from participating in crypto activities.
Highlights:
2022 and 2023 supervisory letters withdrawn.
Banks can now engage in crypto under normal regulatory processes.
Joined FDIC and OCC in reversing earlier warnings.
Translation:
The banking system is warming up to Bitcoin and crypto at the federal level — right as ETFs normalize exposure.
This clears a major psychological overhang for institutional adoption.
Bitwise Files NEAR ETF Trust Entity
Bitwise filed a new “Bitwise NEAR ETF” entity in Delaware — a clear early step toward applying for a spot NEAR ETF.
Why it matters:
Asset managers are expanding beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum into broader crypto exposure vehicles.
NEAR Protocol’s strong recent performance (+3.64%) fits the trend.
Looking Ahead: Next Week’s Key Events
Eurozone and U.S. GDP Data (Wednesday)
U.S. PCE Inflation Data (Wednesday)
U.S. Jobless Claims (Thursday)
Eurozone CPI + U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls (Friday)
TOKEN2049 Dubai Conference (Wednesday launch)
Major Token Unlocks:
Artificial Superintelligence Alliance
Celo
EigenLayer
Optimism
1inch
Final Nugget:
Today’s market recap might seem like noise.
But underneath it:
Bitcoin whales are stacking.
Institutions are accelerating into crypto exposure.
AI x Blockchain is about to birth a decentralized compute war.
RWAs and alt-asset ETFs are quietly setting the next trend.
This isn’t a top.
It’s a reloading phase.
Act accordingly.
-Nick
Founder, CryptoNuggs