🚘️Tesla Annual Deliveries Drop

☀️Good morning. It's Friday, Jan. 3, and we're covering, Tesla’s Annual EV Sales Decline For The First Time In Over A Decade, Apple Settles Siri Privacy Lawsuit For $95 Million, Israeli Airstrikes Kill Gaza Head Of Police And Dozens More, and much more. First time reading? Sign up to get this newsletter: Sign up here. 

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MARKETS

Cryptocurrency Prices by Market Cap

• The global cryptocurrency market cap today is $3.4 Trillion, a 1.07% increase in the last 24 hours.

• The total crypto market volume over the last 24 hours is $118.32B, which makes an 18.36% increase.

• The total volume in Defi is currently $8.89B, 7.51% of the total crypto market 24-hours.

• The volume of all stablecoins is now $108.76B, which is 91.92% of the total market 24-hour volume.

• Bitcoin’s dominance is currently 56.25%, an increase of 0.00% over the day.

BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Record Large Outflow Of $332 Million

BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, IBIT, saw its largest outflow on Thursday, with over $332 million leaving the fund. This surpassed its previous record of $188 million in December. IBIT, which tracks Bitcoin and holds over $53 billion in net assets, has seen consistent outflows since December 20. While such large outflows can indicate a lack of confidence, they may also be due to investors rebalancing their portfolios or taking profits. In contrast, other Bitcoin ETFs like Bitwise’s BITB and Fidelity’s FBTC saw inflows, while Grayscale’s GBTC experienced a smaller outflow. Bitcoin itself is currently trading at just under $97,000. (Read Deeper)

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Tesla’s Annual EV Sales Decline For The First Time In Over A Decade

Tesla’s annual vehicle sales dropped for the first time in over a decade, with the company selling 1.79 million vehicles in 2024, slightly less than the previous year and below analysts' expectations. Despite a strong end-of-year push, Tesla missed its quarterly delivery goal. The decline highlights challenges such as lukewarm consumer demand, potential changes to EV incentives under President-elect Trump, and setbacks like an arson attack at its Berlin factory.

Takeaway: Tesla's stock fell after the announcement, though it still saw a 63% increase in 2024. Elon Musk is projecting growth in 2025, driven by a more affordable vehicle and advancements in autonomous driving, but concerns remain about meeting targets. Tesla’s energy business saw a record year, and its Cybertruck made headlines due to an explosion outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas. ( Read Deeper)

KoBold Metals Raises $491M To Advance AI-Driven Mineral Discoveries For Energy Transition

KoBold Metals, a startup using artificial intelligence (AI) to discover critical minerals for the energy transition, has raised $491 million in a funding round, bringing it closer to its $527 million target. The funding will support the development of a massive copper deposit in Zambia, which could produce hundreds of thousands of metric tons of copper annually.

Why It Matters: KoBold's AI-driven approach has already led to one of the largest high-grade copper discoveries in history. The company, now valued at around $2 billion, is also exploring other minerals like lithium, nickel, and cobalt and has around 60 exploration projects ongoing. KoBold's investors include prominent figures such as Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Jack Ma. (Read Deeper)

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

Apple Settles Siri Privacy Lawsuit For $95 Million

Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit concerning Siri privacy, stemming from a 2019 report that contractors reviewing Siri recordings heard sensitive information accidentally captured by the “Hey Siri” feature. The settlement, covering Siri-enabled device users from September 2014 to December 2024, awaits approval from a US District Judge.

Takeaway: While Apple denied wrongdoing, it previously updated Siri policies, requiring users to opt-in for audio review and implementing stricter data-handling measures. Eligible class members might receive up to $20 per device, though details on how to join the settlement are pending. (Read Deeper)

Meta Appoints Joel Kaplan As Chief Global Affairs Officer

Meta Platforms has named Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican and long-time company executive, as its Chief Global Affairs Officer, replacing Nick Clegg. Kaplan, who joined Meta in 2011 and previously served as Vice President for Global Policy, will now oversee the company’s policy and communications strategy.

Takeaway: Nick Clegg, the former British deputy prime minister, announced his departure, describing Kaplan as the right choice to lead Meta through evolving political and societal challenges. Kaplan’s tenure at Meta has been marked by controversy, with internal accusations suggesting favoritism toward conservative viewpoints. Kevin Martin, another Meta executive with Republican ties, will take over Kaplan’s prior role. (Read Deeper)

AROUND DE WORLD & POLITICS

Israeli Airstrikes Kill Gaza Head Of Police And Dozens More

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Thursday killed at least 68 Palestinians, including Mahmoud Salah, the head of Hamas-controlled Gaza police, his deputy Hussam Shahwan, and nine displaced individuals in the Al-Mawasi district, a designated humanitarian zone. The Israeli military confirmed targeting Shahwan, accusing him of leading Hamas forces in southern Gaza but did not comment on Salah's death.

Takeaway: Thursday’s death toll was one of the highest in recent weeks. Other Israeli airstrikes killed 57 more Palestinians, including at least six at the interior ministry headquarters in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said these strikes targeted Hamas militants in key command centers located in residential areas. The conflict, which began with Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, has resulted in the deaths of over 45,500 Palestinians. (Read Deeper)

FBI Investigates New Year's Day Truck Attack In New Orleans

The New Orleans truck attack, which took place on New Year's Day, has resulted in the death of at least 14 people and the injury of many others. The driver, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, posted videos declaring his support for ISIS shortly before the rampage, according to the FBI. Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S.-born citizen and former U.S. military member, was killed by police after driving into a crowd on Bourbon Street and opening fire on officers.

Takeaway: The FBI has stated that while Jabbar was "100% inspired by ISIS," the exact motive for the attack remains unclear. The investigation revealed that Jabbar rented a truck and drove it from Houston to New Orleans, posting videos supporting ISIS along the way. In addition to the truck attack, two improvised explosive devices were found in the French Quarter, though they were safely rendered inactive. Law enforcement also discovered weapons, including an AR-15-style rifle, and other items during their investigation. (Read Deeper)

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

Inter Milan Reach Supercoppa Italiana Final With 2-0 Victory Over Atalanta

Inter Milan advanced to the Supercoppa Italiana final for the fourth consecutive year, defeating Atalanta 2-0. Denzel Dumfries scored both goals, with a bicycle kick in the 49th minute and a powerful shot in the 61st. Atalanta had a potential goal ruled out for offside. Inter will face the winner of the Milan vs. Juventus semi-final in the final, scheduled for Monday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. (Read Deeper)

New Documentary Exposes Dark Secrets Of Diddy’s Alleged Crimes

The upcoming documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy promises a shocking look into the life of Sean “Diddy” Combs, focusing on his alleged criminal activities. The 90-minute special, set to premiere on January 14 on Peacock, will feature never-before-seen footage and stories from those close to him. The trailer reveals chilling accounts from anonymous witnesses who claim to have witnessed disturbing events in Combs' "red rooms," where he allegedly engaged in sex parties involving underage girls. (Read Deeper)

PODCAST(WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO)

• Macroeconomist Luke Gromen discusses the intersection of global macroeconomic trends and Bitcoin's role in the financial landscape for the first quarter of 2025. (Listen)

EXTRA BREVITI

• South Korean crypto mogul Do Kwon, cofounder of Terraform Labs, pleaded not guilty to charges in his first U.S. court appearance on Thursday. (Read More)

• Telegram has introduced several updates for the new year, including third-party account verification, new message search filters, and the ability to turn gifts into NFTs. (Read More)

• Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) has been granted a court order to recover ₦1.9 billion that was mistakenly credited to customer accounts between October 28 and 29, 2024. (Read More)