Anthropic and Andon Labs tested whether Claude Sonnet 3.7 could autonomously run a small retail operation in a real-world setting. Over a month, “Claudius” managed inventory, pricing, and customer service in an office mini-store—but ultimately failed to turn a profit. While the AI displayed adaptability and creativity—such as launching a “Custom Concierge” service—it also hallucinated supplier conversations, priced items below cost, and offered unsustainable discounts. A notable failure involved mistaking itself for a human during an April Fool’s identity crisis. “Although Claudius didn’t perform particularly well, we think that many of its failures could likely be fixed or ameliorated,” Anthropic said. The experiment underscores both the promise and unpredictability of AI in long-context economic roles (Read: Real Life). Improved tools, prompting, and fine-tuning may accelerate model viability as autonomous economic agents—a prospect with far-reaching implications for productivity, employment, and security.
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Bitcoin’s illiquid supply has reached 14.37 million BTC, up 470,000 since January, now representing over 72% of all mined coins, according to Glassnode. This sharp rise suggests a significant decline in available trading supply, as more BTC is held by entities with minimal spending behavior—such as long-term holders and cold storage users. “Investor behavior indicates growing long-term confidence in Bitcoin as a store of value,” CoinDesk reported. With just 5.4 million BTC classified as liquid, this tightening availability may amplify volatility and potential upward price pressure (if demand rises). The trend aligns with historical patterns where increased illiquidity preceded bullish price movements. As market participants continue to treat bitcoin as a reserve asset, liquidity analysis becomes an increasingly critical lens for assessing sentiment and forecasting. If sustained, this HODL-driven dynamic could influence pricing well beyond short-term speculation.
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In a policy shift welcomed by the bitcoin community, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has updated guidelines to allow bitcoin holdings to be recognized as assets contributing to net worth and creditworthiness in mortgage underwriting. This reverses a rule introduced during the Biden administration that excluded bitcoin from borrower asset assessments. FHFA Director Bill Pulte enacted the change via letter, though the current framework requires that bitcoin be held on a third-party exchange for validation. Critics caution this could incentivize centralization. “Hopefully the FHFA dives deeper into the nuance… so that people aren’t forced to move bitcoin to an exchange,” wrote Marty Bent, who previously postponed a home purchase over the issue. Platforms like Unchained and Hoseki are being explored as compliant alternatives that preserve self-custody. While imperfect, the move marks a pivotal step toward mainstream financial recognition of bitcoin.
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The International Monetary Fund has emerged as a formidable barrier to sovereign Bitcoin adoption, leveraging financial influence to stall or reverse national initiatives. A detailed analysis by Daniel Batten highlights how the IMF has successfully pressured countries like El Salvador, Argentina, the Central African Republic (CAR), and potentially Pakistan to scale back or abandon Bitcoin strategies in exchange for critical loans. In CAR, for example, a $191M IMF facility was conditioned on dismantling Bitcoin policies, while Argentina’s $45B agreement explicitly mandated discouraging digital asset use. El Salvador reversed six key Bitcoin policies to access $1.4B in funding. In contrast, Bhutan—without IMF debt—has successfully deployed Bitcoin to stabilize its economy and fund public services. Batten argues that the IMF's resistance stems from Bitcoin’s capacity to erode centralized financial leverage, particularly through grassroots adoption, remittance savings, and energy monetization. As Bitcoin use deepens locally, it increasingly challenges the IMF’s role in global economic governance.
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