DTN 006: Operation Choke Point 2.0

The Big Picture

Operation Choke Point 2.0 Is Underway, And Crypto Is In Its Crosshairs

“The US government is using the banking sector to organize a sophisticated, widespread crackdown against the crypto industry. And the administration’s efforts are no secret: they’re expressed plainly in memos, regulatory guidance, and blog posts. However, the breadth of this plan — spanning virtually every financial regulator — as well as its highly coordinated nature, has even the most steely-eyed crypto veterans nervous that crypto businesses might end up completely unbanked, stablecoins may be stranded and unable to manage flows in and out of crypto, and exchanges might be shut off from the banking system entirely. ” (Pirate Wires)

Redwood Materials lands $2B conditional loan from DOE

“Battery materials and recycling startup Redwood Materials has secured a conditional commitment for a $2 billion loan from the Department of Energy as part of the Biden Administration’s bid to build up a supply chain for EVs in the United States.Today, cathode and anode components are manufactured overseas, predominantly in Asia. The U.S. government wants to build up a domestic supply chain, a change spurred on by new laws like the Inflation Reduction Act and support from the loan program.” (TechCrunch)

Electric Vehicle Battery Investments Ballooned In 2022

“New research from think tank Atlas Public Policy shows over $128 billion in announced US investments in EVs, battery plants, and battery recycling projects in recent years, as detailed in a report from NPR. In 2022 alone, the data shows over $73 billion in planned projects, representing three times as much funding as in 2021.” (CleanTechnica)

What Are AI Tokens?

“AI tokens are cryptocurrencies that utilize AI in some way to improve security, user experience, scalability, or a variety of other factors. In theory, AI can be trained to further automate and build trust or efficiency in many crypto systems. AI tokens can also be digital currencies designed to power AI-based apps or projects, including decentralized marketplaces or exchanges, image or text generation services, AI-based investment protocols, and more.” (Decrypt)

Lab-Grown Meat Has a Bigger Problem Than the Lab

“Prominent cancer researchers say that because the cells aren’t human, it’s essentially impossible for people who eat them to get cancer from them, or for the precancerous or cancerous cells to replicate inside people at all. You’d be better off worrying about the nitrates (linked with cancer) or fecal matter (a source of deadly infections) found in farm-raised meat.” (Bloomberg Businessweek)

Rainmaking Experiments Boom Amid Worsening Drought

“Cloud seeding can be relatively cheap compared with other water management strategies, like desalination, a chemical process that removes salts and other minerals from water to make it safe for drinking. But there’s a catch. It’s notoriously difficult to design experiments that demonstrate how well the technology actually works…” (Bloomberg Businessweek)