The Treasury Is Expanding The Patriot Act To Attack Bitcoin Self Custody Overview The U.S. Treasury, through FinCEN, is preparing new guidelines to expand the Patriot Act's scope to target Bitcoin self-custody practices. This move significantly threatens financial privacy and common best practices used by Bitcoiners. Key Points Proposed Regulations and Impact The proposal seeks to outlaw: CoinJoin (a privacy-enhancing method mixing transactions) Atomic swaps (direct peer-to-peer cryptocurrency swaps) Single address usage for UTXOs (unique Bitcoin transaction outputs) Transaction broadcast timing delays (used for obscuring transaction origins) If enacted: Users applying these privacy tools may be flagged as suspicious. Regulated services could reject transactions involving such practices. Deviations could lead to criminal prosecution and potential imprisonment. Criticism of the Policy These tools are considered best practices in Bitcoin self-custody to enhance privacy and security. Preventing single address usage makes Bitcoin less secure and efficient, exposing users to key brute force attacks. The policy harms law-abiding citizens rather than addressing criminal misuse. The blog author argues for abolishing the Patriot Act rather than expanding it. Law enforcement should focus on improving efficacy to stop criminals instead of degrading privacy for the majority. Additional Topics Covered Bitcoin Volatility and Institutionalization Bitcoin futures now show less volatility than platinum futures. Introduction of ETFs, options, and futures has "suppressed volatility," creating a more stable, but less explosive, market. Investors should adjust expectations; 50% annual returns are now considered massive. This reflects Bitcoin’s maturation into financial infrastructure. Headlines of the Day New bill proposed for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. SEC is hosting a crypto roundtable on October 17. Research suggests Bitcoin could be a trade standard on Mars. Security Workshop Announcement Live online session with Tom Honzik and TFTC on Bitcoin custody. Learn about common mistakes, tradeoffs among exchanges, multisignature wallets, and achieving optimal security. Opportunity for AMA (Ask Me Anything) with experts. Featured Product: Obscura VPN VPN built by Bitcoin contributors, including former Bitcoin Core developer Carl Dong. No activity logging by design, ensuring verifiable privacy. Works on censored networks where others fail. Payments accepted via Bitcoin over Lightning Network for privacy and low fees. Available on macOS, iOS, and WireGuard; more platforms soon. Exclusive 25% off for TFTC readers with code TFTC25. --- About the Author Marty Bent, based in Austin, TX. Frequent contributor to TFTC with a focus on Bitcoin privacy and infrastructure. Related Articles Recommended "The Real Web 3.0" "China Is Prepping For Something" "Electricity Prices Are A Big And Growing Problem" "The Trend Is Your Friend" "Pre-Crime: Apparently Coming to the US Next Week" "GDP On 'The Blockchain' Is Useless Virtue Signaling" "This Week's Top Predictions" "The System is More Levered Than Ever" --- Footer Notes TFTC is a media company dedicated to "Truth for the Commoner." Offers links for About, Healthcare, Advertise, Donate, and Contact. Social media presence on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Mash.com. Encouragement to subscribe and engage with daily newsletters and browser extension “Opportunity Cost” for Bitcoin insights. --- Final Thought The article ends with a tribute: "Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk. Pray for humanity and for peace." --- This brief summarizes current concerns about expanding regulations to Bitcoin self-custody, its implications for privacy and security, Bitcoin's evolving market dynamics, educational opportunities, and community news.