Good morning and happy Thursday!

• Bitcoin is at its highest price since I joined the CryptoLink team back in May of 2022. (~$52k) 😀

• The UK has fallen into a recession since the close of 2023. 🙁

• The S&P500 is back above 5k. 😀

• Japan has also fallen into a recession. 🙁

So, there’s a lot going on right now. I feel like I’m in the movie "The Dictator”.

-Wally

Key Stories

Speedrun

• Social Media Maxis

• On This Day

• BTC Hits Trillion Dollar MC

• Headline Palooza

• Decent Destination

• X Marks the Spot For Creators

Social Media

Bluesky vs. Mastodon: The Battle of the Nerds

In one corner, we've got Mastodon, the seasoned vet of decentralized social media, puffing its chest after a user surge thanks to folks fleeing Musk's Twitter circus. And in the other, enter Bluesky, the new kid on the block, racking up users like it's going out of style, thanks to its open-door policy on social network creation. But they're speaking different digital languages, so no native chit-chat between the two.

Enter Ryan Barrett, a software dev with no dog in this fight, who thought, "Hey, why not build a bridge called Bridgy Fed between these two?" Sounds pretty cool, right? Wrong. Turns out, some Mastodon maxis are pretty thrilled about their Bluesky-free bubble. Barrett's bridge idea? Not exactly met with open arms.

The drama unfolded with all the classic elements of an internet showdown – legal threats that have no legs and personal digs that make you wonder if we're still talking about coding. Barrett, aiming for peace, suggested a middle ground: a setup where users opt-in if they want their posts crossing the digital divide.

This impasse is a sneak peek into the future of the internet, where decentralized platforms could play nice or turn into digital fortresses. The beef between Mastodon and Bluesky is a clash of cultures, with Mastodon's purists giving Bluesky the side-eye, partly thanks to Jack Dorsey's fingerprints all over it.

For those of us in the crypto lane, watching platforms duke it out over data sharing is like déjà vu to maxis when they hear about bridging. Here's to hoping they figure it out because, in the end, isn't the whole point of decentralization to break down walls, not build new ones?

On This Day

1956: Canada Embraces the Maple Leaf

On this day in 1956, Canada made a move that would redefine its identity on the global stage - it adopted the iconic maple leaf as the centerpiece of its national flag! A symbol of strength, peace, and unity, the maple leaf flag waved goodbye to the colonial past and welcomed a new era of Canadian pride. So, if you ever find yourself under the red and white, remember you're standing beneath a piece of history that represents the true north, strong and free.

Crypto & Finance

Bitcoin Hits the Trillion-Dollar Club... Again

Just when you thought the crypto winter had us all in hibernation, Bitcoin decides to throw a curveball and vault back into the trillion-dollar league.

That's right, folks, the digital gold everyone loves to debate is strutting around with a market cap that hasn't been seen since the glory days of 2021. And the broader crypto market? It's puffing its chest out with a cool $2 trillion valuation, making it the hypothetical fourth-largest "company" on the planet, right up there with the big dogs like Microsoft and Apple.

So, what's got investors buzzing like a couple of Wall Street fellas when the powder starts flowing? A substantial portion of it is due to spot Bitcoin ETFs. Ever since the SEC gave them the thumbs up last month, it's been like Black Friday for crypto funds, raking in close to $10 billion in deposits. But wait, there's more to this party than just ETFs. We're on the cusp of the much-anticipated halving event, and for the uninitiated, that's when Bitcoin decides to play hard to get by slashing the rate of new coins hitting the market.

This isn't Bitcoin's first rodeo with halving. It's a quadrennial event that's historically set the stage for some eye-watering price surges. Back in 2020, the last halving led to a jaw-dropping 700% gain. Not too shabby, right?

For those of us who've been knee-deep in the blockchain trenches, this trillion-dollar milestone is a tip of the hat to the resilience and innovation that's kept the crypto flame burning, even when the winds of skepticism were howling. As we inch closer to the halving and the potential fireworks it might bring, it's a reminder of why we never hung up our crypto hats.

Headline Palooza

Decent Destinations

Isle of Skye, Scotland

Rugged landscapes, medieval castles, and seaside cliffs that'll make your Instagram go wild. Skye's got that mystical vibe, with folklore woven into its very fabric. Think epic hikes, cozy pubs, and maybe even spotting the elusive Scottish wildcat if you're lucky. It's a total escape from the 9-5 grind, perfect for adventurers and dreamers alike. So, pack your bags (and maybe a raincoat), because Skye's calling your name.

Content & Social Media

X Marks the Spot: Content Creators Set Sail for New Horizons

The cool kids switched tables in the cafeteria, and everyone is craning their necks to see what happens next.

In the ever-shifting seas of digital content, a new chapter is unfolding as heavyweight creators like Mr.Beast and the NELK Boys chart a course toward X, stirring up the status quo.

Mr.Beast, the king of YouTube's jungle, kicked things off by giving his classic vids a second life on X, eyeing a fresh stack of monetization chips. Then the NELK Boys, with their party vibes and prankster antics, went all in, posting original content on Elon's revamped playground. The move is a strategic play for creative freedom and, let's be real, the greenbacks.

The plot thickens with SteveWillDoIt, NELK's wild card, stepping back into the spotlight on X after YouTube showed him the door. SteveWillDoIt was banned on YouTube in the Summer of 2022 for multiple content policy violations and subsequently could not appear in NELK/FULL SEND related content. Steve had a YouTube channel of his own with 4 million subscribers and was a pivotal piece in propelling the FULL SEND brand to the point where it is now. He is also co-owner of the Happy Dad hard seltzer brand by NELK.

Kyle Forgeard, the brains behind Full Send, is predicting a tidal wave of YouTubers making the leap to X in the next 30 days. It's a bold bet, suggesting we might be at the tipping point of a content revolution, where X becomes the haven for creators tired of playing by old-school rules.

So, what's the big deal? This move signals a potential shift in the content kingdom, where platforms like X could become the new go-to for creators looking for fewer rules and more room to roam. Sure, it might bring back some faces we thought we'd seen the last of, but if high-caliber creators like NELK are leading the charge, it's a net win for content quality on X.

This saga is a glimpse into the evolving landscape of content creation, where the lines between platforms blur, and creators hold the reins. Will X become the promised land for digital renegades, or is this just the flavor of the month? Time will tell, but one thing's for sure: the game is changing, and all eyes are on X.