☕ Something’s Brewing in DC

Happy Friday, In A Nutshell this week:

• ☕ Something’s Brewing in DC

• ⛏️ Bitcoin Hits 95% Mined

• 🎓 Harvard Doubles Down on Bitcoin

• 🚓 Criminals Regret Using Bitcoin

• 🏠 Heating Homes With Sats

• 🗣️ Why No One’s Talking About Bitcoin

• …and much more

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 🚀⏰ Today’s news should be a ~4.39-minute read (693 words).

🧠 Quote Of The Week

“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise”

— Oscar Wilde

☕ Something’s Brewing in DC

Block has kicked off a campaign in Washington, DC, giving away free coffee to push for a de minimis tax exemption on small Bitcoin purchases.

Right now, spending Bitcoin can trigger capital gains tax on everyday items. Block argues that small payments should be exempt so people can spend Bitcoin like cash.

The goal is simple: remove friction to make Bitcoin practical for daily spending. History shows public pressure can shift policy.

⛏️ Bitcoin Hits 95% Mined

Bitcoin has crossed a major milestone: 19,950,000 BTC have now been mined, meaning 95% of the total 21 million supply is already in circulation.

The supply schedule shrinks with each halving. At today’s 3.125 BTC block subsidy, issuance will continue to slow, with 99% of all Bitcoin projected to be mined by 7 January 2035.

While there’s a lot of talk about short-term price action, the bigger picture is clear: Bitcoin’s hard cap means it is only becoming more scarce over time.

🎓 Harvard Doubles Down on Bitcoin

Harvard’s endowment has boosted its stake in BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF by around $443 million, making IBIT its largest disclosed equity holding.

The position jumped 257% in Q3, a rare move for an endowment that typically avoids ETFs. It suggests this product is now a primary gateway for traditional investors to gain Bitcoin exposure.

The allocation is still only about 1% of Harvard’s total portfolio, yet it signals that the world’s largest university endowment views Bitcoin as a core holding, not a curiosity.

🚓 Criminals Regret Using Bitcoin

A UK man has been ordered to hand over £4.1m in Bitcoin linked to the 2020 Twitter hack that hijacked high-profile accounts to push a fake giveaway.

The scam used accounts including Barack Obama, Elon Musk and Joe Biden to solicit funds. Although the haul was worth about £629k at the time, Bitcoin’s price rise has since pushed the stash above £4m.

Prosecutors say the case shows they can trace and recover illicit crypto across borders. It also challenges the outdated narrative that Bitcoin is “for criminals”; in reality, its transparent ledger helps investigators track offenders and claw back funds.

🏠 Heating Homes With Sats

Mainstream media outlet CNBC is covering a growing trend in the US: people using Bitcoin miners as space heaters to keep warm and earn sats at the same time.

Off-the-shelf “heater-miners” and DIY setups are emerging, saving residents money and replacing some fossil-fuel heating with electric heating.

Cost-effectiveness varies and depends heavily on local energy prices, but it shows the Bitcoin network delivering a real, everyday benefit to households.

🗣️ Why No One’s Talking About Bitcoin

We sit down with Natalie Brunell, host of the Coin Stories podcast. In this episode, we discuss why retail attention hasn’t returned to Bitcoin despite new all-time highs.

She shares her journey from mainstream media to Bitcoin education, and the ideas behind her new book, Bitcoin Is For Everyone.

The episode is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify

🔥 What else have you missed?

1. BTC Map in one day added 1000 Square merchants

2. Taxes can be paid in Bitcoin? Under new “Bitcoin for America Act”

3. Strategy buy the dip with huge $835.6 million Bitcoin purchase

4. New Hampshire approves $100M Bitcoin-Backed Bond

5. Abu Dhabi Investment Council increase Bitcoin exposure by triple

6. Japan’s FSA plans to lower tax on Bitcoin gains from 55% to 20%

7. Michael Saylor says the 4-year cycle is dead

8. Cboe to debut Bitcoin ‘Perpetual-Style’ Futures

9. BlackRock's IBIT posts record outflows worth $523 million

10. Tether invest in Ledn to expand bitcoin-backed lending market

🍾 Friday Fun!

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