Bitcoin

[PNW bow hunter]

You handled a International wire transfer recently? Its clunky and involves intermediary banks.

Got it. Reading your post, it wasn’t clear you were referring to international transactions.

 

[PNW bow hunter]

International wire transfers take even more time.

Wire transfers will be as common as faxes in 2 years. Banks are developing their blockchain tech as we speak.

So if the wire transfer system is replaced in the next couple years with blockchain technology, would the banking institutions be using bitcoin to move the trillion’s of dollars daily in the US?

If they are developing the their own blockchain technology to build this system without the use of bitcoin, it seems like the blockchain technology is what would be valuable not any individual coin/token in this instance?


Very interesting stuff, the world is definitely changing fast with all the new technology!

 

[Poser]

So if the wire transfer system is replaced in the next couple years with blockchain technology, would the banking institutions be using bitcoin to move the trillion’s of dollars daily in the US?

If they are developing the their own blockchain technology to build this system without the use of bitcoin, it seems like the blockchain technology is what would be valuable not any individual coin/token in this instance?


Very interesting stuff, the world is definitely changing fast with all the new technology!

Potentially XRP is positioned to handle this specific task, functioning as a "bridge currency" that would possibly replace SWIFT. This would allow almost instant transfers and currency exchange. At least, that's Ripple's idea -it was developed as a cryptocurrency specifically for banking functions.

XRP is not necessarily a currency that people would use as "money", rather a currency that banks would use for the purpose of transfers. If you sent $100 USD to, say, Italy, you wouldn't manually convert to XRP, the banks would handle the exchange in XRP with the Italian currency equivalent available on the other side in a matter of seconds. There are other solutions working towards this same ends, but, at the moment, XRP is leading the pack.

 

[MountainTracker]

So if the wire transfer system is replaced in the next couple years with blockchain technology, would the banking institutions be using bitcoin to move the trillion’s of dollars daily in the US?

If they are developing the their own blockchain technology to build this system without the use of bitcoin, it seems like the blockchain technology is what would be valuable not any individual coin/token in this instance?


Very interesting stuff, the world is definitely changing fast with all the new technology!

I expect to see multiple stable coins from gov to banks. Btc/ysd will be the underlying asset which you can move into usdt or whatever stable coin is appropriate.


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[fmyth]

Let's see your 2026 price predictions.

I'll go first:

$170k as an ATH in 2026

 

[stevewes2004]

Let's see your 2026 price predictions.

I'll go first:

$170k as an ATH in 2026

Man I hate to even guess. Cycle history shows we should be entering into crypto winter, but macro environment says otherwise

However, this cycle never had euphoria like past cycles either.

I’m still stacking MSTR shares….


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[MountainTracker]

Man I hate to even guess. Cycle history shows we should be entering into crypto winter, but macro environment says otherwise

However, this cycle never had euphoria like past cycles either.

I’m still stacking MSTR shares….


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Yeah four year cycle broke we should have been green this year before red, but didn’t happen.

I’d like to see $130k, that’s 68% increase. New fed coming in, they’ve already started printing quietly.

Btc has shown the longer you hold the better the returns. Basically in extreme fear, which has always been the time to stack.


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[fmyth]

Morgan Stanley files for bitcoin, solana ETFs:​

https://www.reuters.com/business/morgan-stanley-files-bitcoin-etf-2026-01-06/

 

[fmyth]

Do you think Morgan Stanley crashed Bitcoin right before launching their ETF?

https://twitter.com/x/status/2008906382037414387

"DID MORGAN STANLEY PULL OFF THE BIGGEST CRYPTO MANIPULATION?
The sequence of Bitcoin’s October crash and January recovery looks like a planned setup, and the data supports it.Let’s go through it:

1) THE TRIGGER: On October 10, MSCI, originally a Morgan Stanley division, announced a proposal to remove Digital Asset Treasury Companies from its global indexes.That included firms like MicroStrategy and Metaplanet, whose balance sheets hold billions worth of Bitcoin. This wasn’t a small change because MSCI indexes guide trillions of dollars in passive flows.If those firms were removed: • Pension funds and ETFs would be forced to sell• Institutional exposure to Bitcoin would shrink• Liquidity would tighten sharplyMinutes after the announcement, Bitcoin dropped nearly -$18,000, erasing more than $900 billion from crypto’s total market cap.

2) THEN THE 3-MONTH PRESSURE WINDOW.The consultation stayed open until December 31, meaning three full months of uncertainty.That overhang froze demand:• Passive investors avoided exposure• Index-linked funds risked forced selling• Prices stayed weak• Sentiment collapsed During this period, Bitcoin dropped about 31%, altcoins even more.It was the worst quarter for crypto since 2018.

3) JANUARY 1st: SUDDEN PUMP STARTS. From Jan 1st, Bitcoin starts pumping without any bullish news, and in the first 5 days of 2026, Bitcoin jumped 8%, that’s a $7300 pump from $87,500 to $94,800. No one knew why, but somehow the relentless selling stopped, and Bitcoin was printing back-to-back green candles.These were probably insiders who knew what was coming in the next few days.

4) JANUARY 5th-6th: THE REVERSAL. Then, somehow, in 24 hours, everything flipped.First, Morgan Stanley filed for its own spot Bitcoin, ETH, and Solana ETFs.Then, in a few hours, MSCI announced that it would not remove the crypto-heavy companies after all.The exact rule that caused three months of selling pressure was suddenly withdrawn the same day Morgan Stanley launched a product that benefits from a recovering market.That’s not a coincidence.Here’s the full sequence in order:

1. MSCI threatens index removals (October 10)
2. Crypto crashes, uncertainty lasts 3 months
3. Prices stay suppressed while institutions wait
4. Morgan Stanley files its ETF (January 5)
5. MSCI cancels the removal threat (January
6)It’s a clear pattern: Create pressure, accumulate at low prices launch product remove pressure. Make money. MSCI controls index inclusion.Morgan Stanley controls capital distribution.Together, they can influence how and when institutional money reaches Bitcoin.

The October crash wasn’t just market panic. It was a structural play.Now that the overhang is gone, liquidity is returning, and the same players who engineered the pressure are positioned to profit from the rebound.There is no official confirmation that this was coordinated, but the sequence, the timing, and who benefited raise real questions."

 

[Silver Wings]

Let's see your 2026 price predictions.

Current ATH is not challenged.
My plan is to sell ETF if BTC hits $98k in the next few weeks. Will reload in the second half of the year when BTC bottoms in the cycle.

That is my crystal ball prediction…ymmv

 

[Beendare]

How is it there is so much theft of Bitcoin? I thought every transaction is tracked. Can one of you Bitcoin guys explain it to my why there is so much fraud with Bitcoin. I've seen other reports of this, like people being robbed of their # and losing all of their savings.

This one From Ground news [paywall]

Crypto ATM Fraud Doubles to $240M as Cities Ban Machines​

• This year the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported $240 million lost to cryptocurrency ATM scams in the first six months of this year, with FBI data accessed by ABC News showing losses surged to $333.5 million from January to November 2025.
• Speed and irreversibility of crypto transactions make bitcoin teller machines a magnet for fraud, as scammers manipulate victims into depositing cash at BTMs that convert it to cryptocurrency sent to their wallets, while the United States hosts 80 percent of the world's crypto ATMs.
• In Spokane, the city council voted to ban crypto ATMs last year, following Stillwater, Minnesota, with Spokane businesses given 60 days to remove around 50 machines.
• Victims' stories include people losing life savings and worse, with Spokane Police Detective Tim Schwering saying elderly or lonely victims are targeted; a 73-year-old woman lost $77,000, a man lost $900,000, and two victims took their own lives.
• The House Insurance & Banking subcommittee supports BH 505, which would require warnings and cap deposits at $2K for new and $10,500 for existing customers, with industry leaders emphasizing enforcement and education.

 

[LostArra]

>>How is it there is so much theft of Bitcoin? I thought every transaction is tracked. Can one of you Bitcoin guys explain it to my why there is so much fraud with Bitcoin. I've seen other reports of this, like people being robbed of their # and losing all of their savings.<<


Any person putting their "life savings" in crypto is simply a walking scam target.
If they didn't lose it to crypto it would be to a Nigerian prince, a Minnesota day care or Wyoming sheep points.

 

[MountainTracker]

How is it there is so much theft of Bitcoin? I thought every transaction is tracked. Can one of you Bitcoin guys explain it to my why there is so much fraud with Bitcoin. I've seen other reports of this, like people being robbed of their # and losing all of their savings.

This one From Ground news [paywall]

Crypto ATM Fraud Doubles to $240M as Cities Ban Machines​

• This year the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported $240 million lost to cryptocurrency ATM scams in the first six months of this year, with FBI data accessed by ABC News showing losses surged to $333.5 million from January to November 2025.
• Speed and irreversibility of crypto transactions make bitcoin teller machines a magnet for fraud, as scammers manipulate victims into depositing cash at BTMs that convert it to cryptocurrency sent to their wallets, while the United States hosts 80 percent of the world's crypto ATMs.
• In Spokane, the city council voted to ban crypto ATMs last year, following Stillwater, Minnesota, with Spokane businesses given 60 days to remove around 50 machines.
• Victims' stories include people losing life savings and worse, with Spokane Police Detective Tim Schwering saying elderly or lonely victims are targeted; a 73-year-old woman lost $77,000, a man lost $900,000, and two victims took their own lives.
• The House Insurance & Banking subcommittee supports BH 505, which would require warnings and cap deposits at $2K for new and $10,500 for existing customers, with industry leaders emphasizing enforcement and education.

This is just a guess on how it is being done.

First I would never suggest anyone to get btc through a crypto atm. Use a reputable exchange. The same people who skim your cc at gas pumps are skimming the wallet address is my guess. Those atms have the buyer scan a QR code, you can guess at why that would be a bad idea, scanning a QR code from anything in public is extremely risky.

The article doesn’t clarify if it was the crypto that was stolen or the fiat, which was then turned into a crypto. My best guess is the QR code is either stolen as it gets printed out or is compromised to begin with. The crypto is then moved to another cold wallet. The wallet address can be tracked. Phone scammers also use crypto atms and who is typically their number one target, the elderly. Think those green dot card scams. That’s more the situation I see being described in the article.

Large btc/crypto losses from hackers have been trending down, but smaller losses have been trending up, meaning retail users are getting targeted. The number one way to lose it is when wallets are compromised.

There have been instances where an exchange has lost btc due to a hack, and the wallets have been tracked to recover the lost crypto. Unfortunately that type of coverage is not offered to retail. The addresses can be flagged and prevented from basically cashing out on exchanges in some countries, but my feeling is these funds move to places that may not have such restrictions.

One of the advantages of crypto can also make it very dangerous, which is the speed at which the funds can move.

The reality is there will always be people who will take advantage of other people, stealing Fiat, metals, land, crypto…. The same question can be made for why has there been so much fraud with Fiat?? The answer I come to is there will always be bad people who will take advantage of good people.

 

[fmyth]

How is it there is so much theft of Bitcoin? I thought every transaction is tracked. Can one of you Bitcoin guys explain it to my why there is so much fraud with Bitcoin. I've seen other reports of this, like people being robbed of their # and losing all of their savings.

This one From Ground news [paywall]

Crypto ATM Fraud Doubles to $240M as Cities Ban Machines​

• This year the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported $240 million lost to cryptocurrency ATM scams in the first six months of this year, with FBI data accessed by ABC News showing losses surged to $333.5 million from January to November 2025.
• Speed and irreversibility of crypto transactions make bitcoin teller machines a magnet for fraud, as scammers manipulate victims into depositing cash at BTMs that convert it to cryptocurrency sent to their wallets, while the United States hosts 80 percent of the world's crypto ATMs.
• In Spokane, the city council voted to ban crypto ATMs last year, following Stillwater, Minnesota, with Spokane businesses given 60 days to remove around 50 machines.
• Victims' stories include people losing life savings and worse, with Spokane Police Detective Tim Schwering saying elderly or lonely victims are targeted; a 73-year-old woman lost $77,000, a man lost $900,000, and two victims took their own lives.
• The House Insurance & Banking subcommittee supports BH 505, which would require warnings and cap deposits at $2K for new and $10,500 for existing customers, with industry leaders emphasizing enforcement and education.

It's the same scammers that formerly sent their victims to Western Union to send them money. Same scam that has gone on for decades just different method of payment. Lots of elderly victims fall for these scams.

Scams that involve buying Bitcoin at an ATM and sending it almost always involve
impersonation and the creation of false urgency. Scammers trick victims into believing they must use the ATM to make an immediate payment or secure their money, after which the funds are sent to the scammer's digital wallet and are nearly impossible to recover.

Common examples of these scams include:

• Government/Law Enforcement Impersonators: Scammers pose as agents from the IRS, Social Security Administration, or local police and claim there is a serious problem, such as unpaid taxes, a warrant for arrest, or a compromised account. They threaten immediate arrest or legal action unless an urgent "fine" or "payment" is made via a Bitcoin ATM to a "government digital wallet" (which does not exist).
• Utility Company Impersonators: A scammer calls pretending to be from a utility company (e.g., electric or water) and threatens to shut off the victim's service immediately due to an overdue bill. The only way to prevent this, they claim, is to pay immediately at a Bitcoin ATM.
• Tech Support Scams: Victims receive a pop-up on their computer or phone claiming a virus or security breach has occurred and to call a specific number for help. The fake "support agent" then instructs them to use a Bitcoin ATM to pay for repairs or secure their accounts.
• Family Emergency Scams: Scammers call or message, often targeting older adults, claiming a family member (like a grandchild) is in trouble (e.g., arrested or in a medical emergency) and needs money for bail or medical bills immediately.
• Romance Scams: A scammer builds an online romantic relationship over time and then invents an urgent financial crisis (e.g., needing money for medical travel or a plane ticket). They convince the victim that the only way to send funds is through a crypto ATM.
• Fake Investment/Prize Scams: A victim is told they have won a lottery or sweepstakes but must send an upfront "tax" or "fee" via a Bitcoin ATM to claim the winnings. Others promise a "guaranteed return" or to "double your investment" if you send them Bitcoin.

Key Warning Signs

• Urgency and Secrecy: The scammer creates a sense of panic and pressures you to act quickly, often insisting you stay on the phone during the entire transaction and keep it a secret.
• Specific Payment Method: The person demanding payment insists that the only acceptable method is through a Bitcoin ATM, wire transfer, or gift cards.
• Unsolicited Contact: The request comes from an unexpected call, email, or message from someone you don't know or an organization you weren't expecting to hear from.
• "Protecting" Money: The caller claims you need to withdraw cash and deposit it into a "secure" government-linked or "safety locker" Bitcoin account.

No legitimate government agency, business, or utility company will ever demand payment using a Bitcoin ATM or cryptocurrency. If you receive such a request, it is a scam, and you should hang up immediately and report it to the appropriate authorities like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your local police