Hey there, PoI readers! 💫

It's your favorite crypto connoisseur, Mochi, back with another serving of tantalizing tech and web3 news. From Zuckerberg's surprising pivot on open-source AI and Trump's Bitcoin-hungry administration to NFTs making their surprising comeback and insurance giants getting socially engineered, we've got a lot to unpack. So, buckle up and get ready for a wild ride through the wonderland of digital assets!

INTEL BRIEF

🟧 Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is signaling a major shift away from open-sourcing all AI models as the company pursues "superintelligence," suggesting their most advanced models may remain closed.

🟧 White House digital assets chief Bo Hines confirms Trump administration is actively pursuing a strategic Bitcoin reserve "in short order" despite limited mentions in recent policy reports.

🟧 NFT sales exploded to $574 million in July 2025, marking the second-highest monthly volume this year with average sale prices hitting a six-month high of $113.08.

🟧 Hackers breached Allianz Life through a social engineering attack on July 16, stealing Social Security numbers and personal data from the majority of the company's 1.4 million customers.

Meta Abandons Open Source AI for Superintelligence Models

Mark Zuckerberg just pulled a classic tech CEO move - the ol' "open source until it's too valuable" switcheroo! In his latest letter about Meta's "personal superintelligence" vision, our favorite metaverse enthusiast has basically said "we'll share our AI toys... maybe."

Zuck wrote that while superintelligence benefits should be "shared with the world as broadly as possible," they'll need to be "careful about what we choose to open source."

This is quite the departure from Meta's previous strategy of positioning their Llama models as the open-source alternative to competitors like OpenAI and Google. Remember when Zuck was all "we're different because we're open!" Well, apparently that was before Meta started feeling like they were falling behind in the AI race.

Meta's recent $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI and the creation of their shiny new "Meta Superintelligence Labs." Reports suggest they've even paused testing on their latest Llama model (code-named "Behemoth" - because subtlety is dead) to focus on a closed model instead.

While Zuck previously claimed Meta didn't need to sell AI access because they make bank from advertising, it seems like the competitive pressure from OpenAI's GPT-4 has changed the game entirely. When you're spending billions on researchers and data centers, suddenly keeping your crown jewels locked up starts making more sense.

Meta is shifting from open-source-first to selectively closed AI models as they pursue "superintelligence"

The company invested $14.3B in Scale AI and created Meta Superintelligence Labs, signaling serious competitive ambitions

Zuckerberg's new strategy focuses on "personal superintelligence" delivered through Meta's AR glasses and VR headsets rather than open models

Trump Wants All Bitcoin Government Can Possibly Get

The Trump administration just doubled down on their Bitcoin obsession.

Bo Hines, Trump's crypto wingman (officially the "executive director of the US President's Council of Advisers on Digital Assets" - what a mouthful!), just spilled some juicy details about America's Bitcoin appetite during a Wednesday interview.

When asked about the government's Bitcoin holdings, Hines played it mysteriously coy, saying "I can't discuss that right now" - because apparently even government Bitcoin bags need operational security. He immediately followed up with "we want as much as we can possibly get" and promised they'll "continue to work on that."

The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve was only briefly mentioned in the recent White House digital assets policy report, which had some crypto enthusiasts wondering if the administration was cooling off on their Bitcoin fever. But Hines quickly squashed those concerns, confirming that "we do believe in accumulation" and that the reserve has been "established."

According to Nansen data, the US government currently holds an estimated 198,000 BTC (worth around $2.35 billion at current prices). But if Hines' enthusiasm is any indication, that number is about to get much bigger. He mentioned there are "countless ways" to accumulate and promised people will be "very pleased with the direction" they're heading.

President Trump officially established the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and US Digital Asset Stockpile through an executive order back in March. Building the infrastructure takes time, but Hines assured everyone they'll "start moving on that in short order."

Trump administration confirms active pursuit of strategic Bitcoin reserve with "as much BTC as we can possibly get"

Current US government holdings estimated at 198,000 BTC (~$2.35B) but expansion plans are underway

White House crypto chief promises movement "in short order" despite limited details in recent policy reports

NFTs Surge Back with $574 Million July Sales

NFTs, the digital collectibles market decided to throw the ultimate comeback party. July's $574 million in sales has left even the most skeptical crypto watchers doing double-takes at their screens.

This 47.6% surge from June's $388.9 million is like watching your favorite underdog sports team suddenly start winning again - surprising, exciting, and making everyone wonder if they should have kept their diamond hands instead of panic-selling their Bored Apes.

While the total number of transactions actually dropped by 9% (from 5.5 million to 5 million), the average sale price shot up to $113.08 - the highest we've seen in six months! This suggests people aren't just buying more NFTs; they're buying more expensive ones.

The market dynamics are fascinating too. We saw 17% fewer unique buyers but 9% more sellers, creating what experts are calling a "consolidation" effect.

Ethereum continues to be the king of the NFT jungle, accounting for $275.6 million (56% growth) of the total sales. CryptoPunks led the charge with over $69.2 million in trading volume, while Pudgy Penguins waddled their way to second place with $55.5 million and an impressive 65.44% floor price increase. Even Polygon-based Courtyard NFTs managed to snag third place with $23.8 million.

The overall NFT market cap has bounced up to over $8 billion - a 21% increase from just a week prior. With Ethereum's price surge to over $3,900 (up 62% since August).

NFT sales hit $574M in July, up 47.6% from June with average sale prices reaching 6-month highs

Fewer buyers but higher-value purchases suggest market consolidation among serious collectors

Ethereum dominates with $275.6M in sales, led by CryptoPunks ($69.2M) and Pudgy Penguins ($55.5M)

Hackers Steal 1.4 Million Social Security Numbers from Allianz

Allianz Life, the insurance giant that's supposed to protect people from life's unexpected curveballs, just got absolutely blindsided by some crafty hackers who apparently took "customer service" way too literally.

On July 16, cybercriminals pulled off what's being called a social engineering attack - basically the digital equivalent of showing up at the front desk with a fake mustache claiming you "forgot your password, bro." These digital con artists managed to sweet-talk their way into Allianz Life's customer relationship database, proving once again that sometimes the biggest security vulnerability is... well, humans.

The hackers walked away with a treasure trove of sensitive data from the "majority" of Allianz Life's 1.4 million customers, plus some financial professionals and employees for good measure. We're talking the full monty here: names, dates of birth, postal addresses, and the crown jewel of identity theft - Social Security numbers.

According to filings with both Texas and Massachusetts attorney generals (because apparently hackers don't discriminate by state), this breach is serving up everything cybercriminals need for a five-star identity theft buffet. Allianz Life spokesperson Brett Weinberg is being tight-lipped about the exact details, declining to share specifics with TechCrunch.

Aflac and Erie also getting hit by similar attacks in recent weeks. Affected customers should expect notification letters by August 1 with specific details about what data was compromised. In the meantime, if you're an Allianz Life customer, it might be time to freeze those credit reports and keep an eagle eye on your accounts - because somewhere out there, hackers are probably having a field day with your info.

Allianz Life suffered a social engineering cyberattack on July 16, compromising 1.4M+ customer records

Hackers stole names, birthdates, addresses, and Social Security numbers from the majority of customers

Latest in a string of insurance company breaches, with customer notifications expected by August 1

And that's a wrap, my lovely PoI readers! 💎 I hope this edition left you feeling informed, entertained, and maybe even a little bit richer (in knowledge, of course). From Meta's strategic AI shift to Uncle Sam's Bitcoin appetite, it's clear the digital world never sleeps! Remember to stay curious, stay informed, and keep spreading the love. Until next time, this is Mochi, signing off with a virtual high-five!

P.S. Don't forget to share your thoughts, questions, and favorite crypto puns with us. very voice matters in the PoI community! 📣❤️ Share the newsletter

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