Trump to address Congress as tariffs erase post-election gains 

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As markets continue to react to the latest tariff announcements, President Trump is preparing to give his first joint Congressional address this evening. 

We expect his speech will primarily defend the new levies placed on Mexico, Canada and China. 

Other timely topics he may touch on include the federal budget, which, if Congress fails to pass in the next 10 days, will spur a government shutdown. We also wouldn’t be surprised if he gets on the defensive about that Oval Office conversation with Ukrainian President Zelensky. 

“TOMORROW WILL BE BIG. I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT…

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Equities dip, volatility rises as tariffs take effect 

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President Trump’s 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada went into effect after a one-month delay this morning. 

Both countries announced plans to retaliate: Canada will put a 25% levy on around $100 billion of US imports and Mexico will share its next moves on Sunday. 

Trump also slapped another 10% duty on Chinese imports. In response, China will charge an extra 15% for a range of US imports, including chicken, wheat and cotton. An added 10% tariff will be placed on soybeans, seafood and other products. 

China also filed a lawsuit against the US with the World Trade… Read more on Blockworks

Amid volatility, a stable flow of SEC actions

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An SEC overhaul was one of the crypto industry’s major expectations upon lobbying for — and ultimately achieving — an administration change.

While the Trump-Zelensky meeting fallout, the president’s crypto reserve announcement and tariffs have commanded headlines in recent days, the US securities regulator continues to share industry-changing news.

The latest development? The SEC closed its investigation into Yuga Labs, which the company called “a huge win for NFTs” in a Tuesday tweet. It added succinctly: “NFTs are not securities.”

Let’s map out the many other SEC…

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Why Not Strategic Beef Reserve?

South Africa Reserve Bank(SARB) governor’s question, “Why not strategic beef reserve?” at the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos may have been rhetorical, but Lesetja Kganyago’s seemingly sarcastic remark about “strategic bitcoin reserves” inadvertently underscored the need for Africa to rethink its economic strategies in the face of global financial shifts. In a world increasingly defined by digital transformation, the concept of money and value storage is evolving rapidly. Africa is no stranger to commodity-based economies. From oil to gold, beef to cocoa, the continent has long relied on natural resources for economic sustenance. However, these commodities are fraught…

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Mexican Billionaire Salinas Says He Has 70% Bitcoin-Related Exposure

Ricardo Salinas, the billionaire owner of Mexican conglomerate Grupo Salinas, revealed in a recent interview that he has allocated 70% of his investment portfolio to bitcoin and bitcoin-related assets.

The prominent bitcoin advocate disclosed that the remaining 30% of his portfolio consists of gold and shares in his own companies. He stated, “I don’t have a single bond, and I don’t have any other stocks except my own.”

Salinas, whose net worth is estimated at $4.8 billion, has significantly increased his bitcoin exposure from 10% in 2020. The billionaire has been a vocal supporter of bitcoin, and he plans to make his bank, Banco Azteca, the first in Mexico to accept…

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THNDR Releases Skill-Based Blackjack Game With Bitcoin Lightning Network-Powered Payouts

Today, THNDR, pioneers in play-to-earn (P2E) Bitcoin games as well as skill-based peer-to-peer (PvP) gaming solutions, announced the release of its latest title, Blackjack.

Designed for iGaming operators and aggregators, the game is now available via THNDR’s B2B PvP platform.

With this new game, THNDR aims to improve player engagement and retention, while employing cutting-edge instant payment settlement via the Lightning Network.

The underlying technology for the game addresses long-standing points of friction for operators, including player liquidity gaps and slow payout processes over traditional payment rails.

How THNDR’s Technology Works

THNDR’s…

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LATEST: Mexican Billionaire Ricardo Salinas Allocates 70% of Portfolio to Bitcoin Exposure

Ricardo Salinas now directs 70% of his liquid portfolio to Bitcoin showcasing a substantial increase from his previous 10% allocation in 2020. During a Bloomberg interview the Mexican mogul emphasized his investment strategy focuses solely on Bitcoin gold and his own company shares. Salinas highlighted his avoidance of bonds and non-company related stocks underscoring a bold approach to his investments.

Amidst ongoing legal and tax disputes and plans to delist his flagship company Grupo Elektra Salinas remains a steadfast advocate for cryptocurrency. His current financial moves mark a significant shift in his investment outlook potentially influencing other high-net-worth individuals to follow suit.

A well-known proponent of Bitcoin Salinas is also making strides to integrate cryptocurrency into mainstream financial services. He aims to position his bank as the first in Mexico to accept Bitcoin demonstrating his commitment to not only investing in the currency but also enhancing its usability and acceptance.

Bloomberg

Se. Cynthia Lummis Appears on Fox

Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) visited the New York City “bitcoin bar,” PubKey, while in town for the sold out Bitcoin Investors Week conference hosted by bitcoin personality Anthony “Pomp” Pompliano.

Lummis then appeared live with Maria Bartiromo on Feb. 28 for Fox News’ “Mornings with Maria,” there to discuss largely:

“… the ‘extensive’ waste, fraud and abuse Elon Musk’s DOGE has found,” according to the Fox Business video’s title of the interview.

Bartiromo then turned the conversation toward the topic of bitcoin, asking the senator,

“I understand last night you bought drinks at (the) bitcoin-themed PubKey bar. But listen, you paid in…

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