Andy Johnes

Crypto enthusiast. Networking and discovering new daily opportunities on the blockchain.

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

Pope never healed sick people on their death bed, while Jesus did. So stop coping, Trump is a satanist trash, a wannabe Antichrist. Fuck Trump and all his MAGA worshippers!

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

Sounds legit

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

The "No-Permission" Defense: A New Shield for Bitcoin (check the link below this post)

Just when the debate over Google’s new quantum milestones reached a fever pitch, the final piece of the puzzle dropped. Yesterday (April 9, 2026), Avihu Mordechai Levy of StarkWare released a paper that changes the game for Bitcoin’s survival.

It’s called QSB (Quantum-Safe Bitcoin), and it’s a masterclass in cryptographic "martial arts."

Why this is a breakthrough:

Zero Permission Required: Unlike other solutions that require a network-wide "softfork" (which can take years of arguing), QSB works right now. It uses Bitcoin’s original 2009 script rules.

The Shor Shield: It wraps your transaction in a "hash-to-sig" puzzle. While a Quantum computer might be able to see your signature, it gets stuck at the RIPEMD-160 hash layer. Hashes don’t have the mathematical "patterns" that Shor’s Algorithm needs to exploit.

The Cost: You don't need a supercomputer to stay safe. A standard off-chain GPU and a few hundred dollars can "harden" your transaction against a multi-billion dollar quantum machine.

The Big Picture: We used to think we had to wait for the "system" to save us. This paper proves that the math to stay safe is already in our hands.

The code is winning. 🛠️🛡️

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

This 👇🏻

[Andy Johnes @andyjohnes]

@EdKrassen

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

🫣

[Andy Johnes @andyjohnes]

@Amockx2022

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

Oil finally calmed down thanks to this legend 😌

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

IRAN, ISRAEL & US WAR - If The Markets Are Uncertain, Why Is Gold & Silver Going Down?

That's because the war is actually helping the U.S. dollar, and that’s one of the key reasons gold and silver have been struggling.

Here's what I mean...

1. Global Fear = Money Runs Into Dollars

When geopolitical shocks hit, investors look for liquidity and safety.
The assets that usually get that money first are:

- U.S. dollars
- U.S. Treasury bonds
- Sometimes gold

Because the dollar is the world’s reserve currency and the most liquid market on earth, capital floods into it during crises.

Right now that is exactly what is happening.

The U.S. Dollar Index has been rising as the Iran conflict escalates, reflecting strong safe-haven demand.

2. Europe and Asia Are More Vulnerable to an Oil Shock

The conflict threatens the Strait of Hormuz, where about 20% of global oil moves.

Countries that depend heavily on imported oil — especially:

- Europe
- Japan
- South Korea
- India

are economically more exposed than the U.S.

So investors think:

“If energy explodes higher, those economies suffer more.”That causes money to leave their currencies and move into dollars.

3. Oil Shock = Higher U.S. Interest Rates

If oil spikes, inflation rises.

Markets are already starting to assume:

- The Fed may delay rate cuts
- Interest rates could stay higher longer

Higher interest rates make the dollar more attractive globally.

4. Why This Hurts Gold in the Short Term

Gold struggles when:

- The dollar strengthens
- Real yields rise

So you get this paradox:

War → Fear→ Stronger Dollar
Stronger dollar = Pressure on gold

That’s why metals sometimes dip at the beginning of geopolitical shocks.

5. But This Can Flip Later

Historically the sequence often looks like this:

Stage 1 – Shock

Dollar spikes
Gold flat or down

Stage 2 – Inflation shows up

Oil drives CPI higher
Real rates fall

Stage 3 – Gold explodes

This happened during:

the 1970s oil shocks
the 2008 crisis
the 2020 stimulus era

If a lot of you having been asking why is Gold & Silver going down when the market is unstable - this is why.

And no this doesn't mean the dollar is getting stronger long term.

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

Escalating tensions in the Middle East are creating volatility in global markets, particularly across Asia. Countries such as Korea, Japan, and India remain heavily dependent on Gulf oil imports and face the greatest economic exposure.

China appears better positioned thanks to strategic oil stockpiles and diversified supply routes. Russia benefits from higher oil prices, although if crude rises above $90–$100, global economic growth could slow significantly. In that scenario, central banks may prioritize financial stability over strict inflation control.

Global Oil Supply Disruptions

About 20% of global oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, making it one of the most important chokepoints in the global energy system. Roughly 90% of Persian Gulf oil exports go to Asia, meaning the region would absorb most of the shock from a prolonged disruption.

Asian marets showed volatility. Korea’s stock market recently dropped about 12% overnight and roughly 15% for the week, though it remains near levels seen before its recent rally. US markets have been more resilient so far.

China’s Position

China may be less vulnerable than many assume. Over the past decade it has built large strategic petroleum reserves, diversified imports through Russia and Central Asian pipelines, and accelerated electric vehicle adoption partly for energy security.

China’s leadership also prioritizes economic stability, making major escalatory moves against the United States unlikely despite broader geopolitical tensions.

Vulnerability of Asian Economies

Several US-aligned economies remain highly exposed to Gulf oil flows. Japan, Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, and India all depend heavily on energy imports shipped through Hormuz. If the disruption lasts, these countries would likely compete for alternative supplies, pushing oil prices and shipping costs higher. For now, markets assume the crisis will remain temporary.

Russia’s Advantage

Russia stands to benefit from higher oil prices. Any disruption in Middle Eastern supply increases the importance of Russian exports.

Western governments would struggle to restrict Russian energy if Gulf supply were also constrained, since limiting both sources would risk severe shortages.

Oil Price Risks

Despite geopolitical tensions, oil prices remain relatively moderate, with WTI near $73 per barrel.

If prices rise toward $90–$100, the impact on the global economy could be substantial:

- higher energy costs reducing consumer spending

- stronger inflation pressures in emerging markets

- slower growth in energy-intensive economies

Countries such as India and Southeast Asia would be particularly affected.

Central Bank Response

If energy prices rise while growth slows, central banks may shift their focus from inflation control to financial stability and employment, potentially cutting interest rates even in an inflationary environment.

Market Expectations

Markets currently price in a short-term disruption followed by diplomatic resolution. However, a longer period of instability remains possible, which could keep commodity markets volatile.

Investment Implications

Traditional portfolios may struggle in this environment. The classic 60% equities / 40% bonds allocation has already proven less effective as bonds failed to protect against inflation.

Bonds have underperformed inflation in recent years, suggesting a possible structural bear market in fixed income.

Gold increasingly acts as protection against monetary policy mistakes and currency instability, with central banks and Asian investors increasing purchases.

US equities remain expensive and heavily owned, while Chinese equities offer lower valuations and lighter investor positioning.

A disruption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz represents a major geopolitical and economic risk. While markets currently assume a temporary crisis, a prolonged disruption could push energy prices higher and slow global growth.

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

New rules on X about marketers could be abusive. Just my 2 cents.

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

Weeks after President Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, Binance executives shut down an internal investigation into cryptocurrency transfers allegedly tied to Iran-backed militant networks.

Binance investigators had identified between $1 billion and $1.7 billion in transactions during 2024–2025 that moved through accounts on the exchange to a cluster of digital wallets referred to internally as “Entity A.” U.S. and Israeli authorities reportedly linked these wallets to a financial network associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and groups such as the Houthis.

A major portion of the funds—over $1 billion in tether—was traced to Blessed Trust, a Hong Kong-based payments company described as a close Binance business partner. Blessed helped clients convert traditional currency into cryptocurrency and vice versa. Investigators concluded that Blessed transferred funds directly or indirectly to the Iranian-linked wallet network.

Another Hong Kong entity, Hexa Whale Trading, allegedly transferred roughly $500 million in stablecoin to the same wallets. Although Hexa had provided false documentation when opening its Binance account, it was granted VIP status before later being offboarded.

The probe into Blessed encountered internal obstacles. Its account was labeled “internal,” restricting investigator access and requiring special approval from Binance’s Internal Audit department. The account had triggered multiple suspicious-activity alerts and had previously drawn inquiries from the FBI and IRS. Many alerts were closed after automated review.

Investigators also found evidence suggesting Binance employees may have accessed Blessed’s account from the same device used by a Binance team linked to a founding member of the company. Binance denied any improper access and said the “internal” label was a clerical error. Blessed denied any ownership or control relationship with Binance and said it complied with sanctions laws.

In September, investigators questioned Blessed about the transfers. Blessed stated that funds originated from clients in industries such as bitumen and construction. Investigators escalated their findings to senior leadership, including CEO Richard Teng and Chief Compliance Officer Noah Perlman, in October.

On November 13, Binance suspended the lead investigator and the head of sanctions and counterterrorist financing investigations. Both were later fired. Other team members who attempted to continue the investigation were also locked out and dismissed. Binance said the investigators were not terminated for raising compliance concerns and that appropriate compliance actions were taken, including removing implicated accounts.

The episode follows Binance’s 2023 guilty plea to U.S. charges of violating sanctions and anti-money-laundering laws. The company paid a $4.3 billion fine, agreed to U.S. monitoring, and pledged to strengthen compliance. Zhao served a four-month prison sentence.

After Trump returned to office, Binance lobbied for Zhao’s pardon and sought removal of U.S.-appointed monitors. It also backed a Trump-linked crypto venture, World Liberty Financial. Following the pardon, Trump said he had been told Zhao was not guilty of wrongdoing.

Foreign law enforcement officials reportedly say Binance has recently become less cooperative in providing customer information and that compliance weaknesses persist. Binance denies knowingly facilitating sanctionable activity and says no user directly transacted with a sanctioned entity.

The case raises renewed questions about Binance’s internal controls, sanctions enforcement, and its adherence to commitments made under its U.S. plea agreement.

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

Investors are not influenced by MAGA propaganda anymore. Smart money are fleeing US and entering EU. You should all ask why. Don't be an ape, be smart.

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

The directions of the future are sometimes discovered by accident! For example, the use of AI for monitoring societies, propaganda, and autonomous weapons.

A few days ago, the Pentagon threatened to place the American artificial intelligence company Anthropic (Claude) on a blacklist as a supply chain risk. This classification is typically used only for companies that do business with China or source materials from China.

Where did the dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon start?

Anthropic is the most integrated AI company within the U.S. defense system, and until recently it was the only one integrated into classified systems, based on a contract worth $200 million.

This collaboration began through Palantir in 2024. Palantir is Peter Thiel’s company and one of the military’s preferred contractors in data and software, for example collecting data from space sensors to improve strike targeting for soldiers. However, Palantir has been at the center of many controversies due to its collaboration with the Trump administration, including surveillance of American citizens.

Last year, Pete Hegseth signed a contract with Elon Musk’s company (xAI) for classified systems, while OpenAI and Microsoft are partners only for unclassified systems.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal and Axios reported that Anthropic’s systems (Claude) were used in the operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Although Anthropic stated it had visibility into how the military was using its systems and claimed its policies were not violated, during a meeting with the Pentagon, Anthropic’s leadership requested that Claude not be used:

to build fully autonomous weapons that activate without human intervention

for mass surveillance of American citizens

The Pentagon rejected these requests and demanded unconditional usage rights. Semafor reported extensively on the episode, and Pentagon officials confirmed to NBC that Anthropic’s request was first directed to Palantir. Palantir’s management “was alarmed that the question was framed in a way suggesting that Anthropic might disapprove of the use of its software during that raid in Venezuela.”

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is a well-known critic of uncontrolled AI systems and advocates for strict regulations. In this case, he aims to maintain his company’s safety safeguards.

Recently, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told NBC News that “the Department of War’s relationship with Anthropic is under review.”

This suggests that the Pentagon does not want to comply with the two requested rules. In any case, AI-powered autonomous weapons development programs were already known to exist — and the U.S. is not alone. China has been developing such programs extensively in recent years.

Therefore, many analysts are asking: does the Pentagon want to develop surveillance and propaganda systems in the U.S. together with Palantir, as many experts have already warned? And would the conditions imposed by Anthropic interfere with these plans, given that its system is the only one integrated into Palantir?

At the beginning of January, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released a new artificial intelligence strategy document calling for all contracts with AI companies to remove company-specific restrictions or limitations on how the military can use their AI systems.

The document required defense officials to include this language in all department AI contracts within 180 days, which would also affect Anthropic’s relationship with the military.

Also in January, Amodei wrote in an essay published on his personal website that he considers “the use of AI for mass domestic surveillance and mass propaganda” to be “entirely illegitimate.” He added that AI-driven automated weapons could significantly increase the risk that democratic governments might turn them against their own citizens to seize power.

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

🌍 Global Tensions Rise: Tariffs, Trade Wars, and Iran — What’s Happening Now

Major geopolitical developments are shaping global markets and political strategy, following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down most of Donald Trump’s tariffs. Here’s what you need to know.

⚖️ Supreme Court vs. Trump on Tariffs

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the president cannot impose revenue-raising tariffs without congressional approval, reinforcing the separation of powers. The court emphasized that taxation authority belongs to Congress — not the executive branch.

In response, Trump announced an immediate 10% global tariff increase under a different legal provision and launched new investigations into alleged unfair trade practices. However, these measures are likely temporary and may expire without congressional backing.

📉 Economic Reality: Tariffs & Trade Deficit

Despite aggressive tariff policies, experts say U.S. trade deficits remain largely unchanged. Structural economic factors — especially low domestic savings and strong consumer demand — continue to drive imports regardless of tariffs.

Markets reacted calmly to the ruling, seeing it as a limit on executive power and a long-term safeguard against unpredictable tax measures.

📊 Political Pressure Ahead of Midterms

Tariffs remain controversial among voters, even within Trump’s base. With limited options to stimulate the economy and rising concerns over inflation, inequality, and slow job growth, the administration faces growing pressure heading into upcoming elections.

To maintain economic stability, analysts suggest the U.S. will likely:

- Reduce tariffs gradually

- Pursue trade deals and diplomacy, especially with China

- Avoid major economic shocks, particularly from energy markets

⚠️ Rising Tensions with Iran
Meanwhile, geopolitical risks are intensifying in the Middle East:

A large U.S. military presence is reportedly positioning around Iran.

A nuclear deal decision may come within days.

Failure to reach a deal could trigger military strikes.

Experts say a conflict could disrupt global oil supplies, raise prices, and impact the global economy. Iran may retaliate by targeting U.S. forces, regional infrastructure, or shipping routes — including the critical Strait of Hormuz.

Still, a diplomatic resolution remains possible if Iran agrees to limit nuclear activities.

📈 Markets & Investment Outlook
Geopolitical tensions — especially around Iran — are now major drivers of market uncertainty. Analysts see short-term upside in energy and commodities but warn conditions could change rapidly depending on diplomatic outcomes.

👽 A Political Curveball
Trump also proposed declassifying government files related to extraterrestrial life — a move some analysts interpret as a distraction from economic and geopolitical challenges.

👉🏻 Bottom Line:

The world faces a volatile mix of legal battles over trade policy, rising geopolitical risk, and political pressure ahead of U.S. elections. Decisions in the coming months could shape global trade, markets, and international stability.

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

BREAKING: alternative indicator shows inflation at 0.68% in the U.S.

A private real-time CPI-style index (Truflation) indicates annual inflation of 0.68%, well below the official BLS figure of 2.7%.

If this signal reflects the real trend, it would suggest an accelerated cooling of inflationary pressures in the economy.

Important context

• this is an alternative indicator, not official data
• the methodology differs from the government CPI
• markets track these measures as leading signals
• it would strengthen the case for monetary easing

Some analysts say such dynamics could put pressure on the Fed to resume rate cuts sooner than the market expects.

For now, it’s too early to draw conclusions, but the direction is clear: the debate is shifting from “inflation too high” to “risk of disinflation.”

[Viking Quant @VikingQuant]

This is what fascism looks like in its pure form.

There were no “illegals” there.
No immigrants.
Puerto Rico is U.S. territory.
Bad Bunny’s grandparents and parents have had U.S. citizenship since 1917.
Lady Gaga is American.
Green Day are American.

MAGA is a mental illness.