🎙 Bitcoin Fortress Podcast — Episode 229 The Price is in a Bear Market.  Bitcoin Isn't. Date: August 16, 2026 Block Height: 962764 Moscow Time: 1583 Fees: 1 / 1 /1   In this episode: Bitcoin remains stuck in a frustrating bear market, but beneath the price action the network and its surrounding infrastructure continue to strengthen. This week we look at whale accumulation, ETF flows, miner selling, Strategy and the evolving Bitcoin treasury model, the convergence of Bitcoin mining and AI infrastructure, and the emergence of institutional Bitcoin-backed credit. We also examine the latest delay in the CLARITY Act, the SEC’s regulatory push, Tether’s first Big Four audit, growing Wall Street exposure, and another reminder about the importance of privacy and self-custody. Plus, we survey the Bitcoin podcast universe, feature “The Discipline of Enough,” and discuss why sometimes the hardest part of a Bitcoin bear market isn’t price pain—it’s time.   Bitcoin Fortress YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEPGN1YCIQcMxkUig5GaNrQ   Bitcoin Fortress Substack Featured Post: The Discipline of Enough https://bitcoinfortress.substack.com/p/the-discipline-of-enough   Bitcoin Fortress Books: Bitcoin Fortress: A Simple Guide to Bitcoin for Beginners Bitcoin Retirement and Estate Planning The Bitcoin Lifestyle The Architecture of Money Follow me on Nostr: npub122fpu8lwu2eu2zfmrymcfed9tfgeray5quj78jm6zavj78phnqdsu3v4h5   NEWS (August 9, 2026 – August 16, 2026) Market Structure & Bitcoin Price Bitcoin stuck as ETF inflows offset selling — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/08/11/bitcoin-stuck-as-etf-inflows-offset-selling-but-inflation-data-could-spark-a-move Bitcoin volatility returns to 2026 lows — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/daybook-us/2026/08/14/volatility-exits-crypto-tradfi-markets-even-as-u-s-iran-risks-linger-sovereign-debt-rises Bitcoin ETFs see first two-day August drawdown — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/08/14/bitcoin-slips-as-u-s-inflation-fails-to-spark-gains-etfs-see-august-s-first-two-day-drawdown Bitcoin's strongest hands appear to be accumulating — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/08/11/bitcoin-s-strongest-hands-are-back-on-chain-data-show Mining & Energy Public miners add $1.78 billion of selling pressure — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/08/12/one-overlooked-group-has-added-usd1-78-billion-of-selling-pressure-to-bitcoin-market Why Bitcoin mining and AI are merging — Bitcoin Magazine https://bitcoinmagazine.com/bitcoin-for-corporations/ai-hyperscalers-are-pricing-bitcoin-miners-off-the-grid-heres-why-its-a-massive-win-win Treasury Companies & Bitcoin Credit Strategy sells Bitcoin for fourth consecutive week — MarketWatch https://www.marketwatch.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-s-p-500-nasdaq-soft-july-payrolls-fed-hike-trump-iran-war-nuclear-deal/card/bitcoin-takes-a-hit-after-strategy-sells-for-a-4th-straight-week-AlbzdhKbBdQD22vLpLzA Strategy and Metaplanet face possible MSCI index exclusions — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/08/14/bitcoin-holders-strategy-and-metaplanet-face-stock-index-exclusion-under-msci-s-new-proposal Strategy responds to MSCI proposal — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/08/14/strategy-says-msci-should-measure-markets-not-dictate-corporate-assets Metaplanet introduces BitBonds — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/08/13/bitcoin-treasury-company-metaplanet-unveils-bitbonds-with-usd1-3-million-private-debt-sale Bitcoin-backed lending enters institutional era — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/08/11/bitcoin-backed-lending-is-entering-its-institutional-era-two-prime Institutional Adoption UBS increases BlackRock IBIT position — Bitcoin Magazine https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/ubs-buys-blackrock-bitcoin-etf Goldman Sachs to acquire NEOS Investments — Bitcoin Magazine https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/goldman-sachs-to-acquire-neos-investments Regulation & Washington CLARITY Act faces long odds after Senate delay — Reuters https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/crypto-bill-faces-long-odds-after-senate-punts-vote-september-2026-08-10/ SEC sets meeting for Regulation Crypto proposal — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2026/08/11/u-s-sec-sets-meeting-to-propose-reg-crypto-to-support-certain-digital-assets-offerings SEC later cancels crypto rulemaking meeting — Investopedia https://www.investopedia.com/market-update-bitcoin-falls-as-regulatory-hopes-are-dashed-price-btc-12059975 OCC grants conditional trust charter to World Liberty Financial — Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/us-regulator-approves-bank-charter-trump-backed-crypto-company-world-liberty-2026-08-14/ Stablecoins & Global Adoption Tether completes first KPMG full audit — Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/stablecoin-issuer-tether-says-kpmg-us-has-audited-its-2025-statements-2026-08-14/ Russia proposes regulated retail access to Bitcoin, Ether and USDT — CoinDesk https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2026/08/12/russia-moves-to-restrict-retail-crypto-trading-to-bitcoin-ether-and-usdt Security Trezor data breach exposes nearly 14,000 customer records — Bitcoin Magazine https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/trezor-data-breach-leaks-customer-info Macro Fed expected to hold following softer July inflation — Reuters https://www.reuters.com/business/traders-stick-narrow-bets-september-fed-hold-after-inflation-data-2026-08-12/ Podcast Universe What Bitcoin Did — The $1 Trillion Bitcoin Loan Market Is Coming | Mauricio Di Bartolomeo https://www.whatbitcoindid.com/ What Bitcoin Did — The Data Says Bitcoin's Bottom Is Already In | Mitchell Askew & John Haar https://www.whatbitcoindid.com/ TFTC Podcast https://www.tftc.io/podcast