WATCH FED

MAR 20, 2026Danny Knowles

5 Years In Prison For Building A Bitcoin Wallet | Lauren Rodriguez

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Non-custodial code is being treated as a crime - Despite FinCEN guidance stating non-custodial wallets are not money transmitters, the DOJ targeted Samourai founders for unlicensed money transmission and laundering conspiracy.
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The prosecution allegedly suppressed exonerating evidence - Prosecutors reportedly buried a FinCEN memo that cleared Samourai of being a money service business, a move the defense characterizes as a significant Brady violation.
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The judicial process forced a tactical plea deal - Facing a hostile judge swap and the threat of a 25-year sentence, the founders chose five-year plea deals as a survival tactic rather than risking a trial in a compromised environment.

MAR 18, 2026HIT Network

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Dot Plot dominance - While current interest rates remain steady at 3.50%–3.75%, the real market mover is the updated Fed projections signaling a potential 'Higher for Longer' regime.
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Oil price shock - Geopolitical conflict between the U.S. and Iran has pushed oil past $100, creating an inflationary headwind that complicates the Fed's path to easing.
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Bitcoin momentum at risk - Rising energy costs and hawkish central bank signals are threatening to stall BTC’s current bullish trend as macro conditions tighten.

MAR 12, 2026Hedge Fund Manager Erik Townsend

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Geopolitical Energy Risk The conflict involving Iran introduces a significant risk premium to oil markets, potentially disrupting global supply chains and forcing a repricing of the energy complex.
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Federal Reserve Challenges Rising energy costs in the wake of Middle Eastern tensions complicate the Fed's inflation-fighting mandate, likely sustaining the 'higher for longer' interest rate environment.
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Strategic Asset Shifts The macroeconomic landscape is increasingly favoring defensive allocations in precious metals and energy assets as hedges against both geopolitical escalation and persistent inflation.