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UPDATE: Tesla gets progressive with Bitcoin ATMs at factories, claims report

(Credit: Google Maps via finbold.com)

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Note: In a recent post on Twitter, CEO Elon Musk has noted that he does not believe the report of Bitcoin ATMs in Tesla’s factories is accurate.

Tesla, being as forward-thinking as ever, now has Bitcoin ATMs at the Fremont Factory and Gigafactory Nevada.

One of the Bitcoin ATMs was originally spotted by Twitter user Will Reeves. LibertyX, the company responsible for the Bitcoin ATMs, reached out to Finbold and confirmed Reeves’ sighting in an official statement.

“The Tesla locations have been live since August. The ATM is currently only accessible for employees,” LibertyX told Finbold. 

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The Bitcoin ATM company also stated that it did not install a new kiosk at Gigafactory Nevada. It simply added Bitcoin-selling features via software to three ATMs in the facility that were already installed.

A quick search through LibertyX’s website revealed that Tesla also has a Bitcoin ATM in the Fremont Factory for employees to use.

Avid Tesla supporters know the intriguing relationship Elon Musk has with cryptocurrencies and crypto scammers.

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Just this past June, crypto scammers used Elon Musk and SpaceX to steal up to $150,000 from YouTube viewers. The scammers convinced viewers to send Bitcoin to several YouTube channels by hacking legitimate accounts and rebranding them to fit their purpose.

They used archived footage of Elon Musk to broadcast a live event and convince viewers the channels were authentic. Other scammers went a step further and copied Elon Musk’s Twitter account, confusing his followers.

Despite crypto scammers using his identity and his companies’ brands for their schemes, Elon Musk remains a supporter of cryptocurrencies and an influential figure in the crypto industry, according to Cointelegraph.

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He has applauded Bitcoin, in particular, for having a “brilliant” structure. The installation of two Bitcoin ATMs in two Tesla Gigafactories suggests that Musk’s stance on cryptocurrencies still holds.

The Tesla CEO might not stop at installing Bitcoin ATMs in just two Gigafactories either. LibertyX stated that it has more Bitcoin ATMs ready for installation.

“LibertyX has partnered with the two largest ATM manufacturers (Genmega and Hyosung) to offer bitcoin software preinstalled on traditional ATMs. Once operators activate the feature, consumers can start buying bitcoin with their debit card from ATMs nationwide. We have 5,000 ATMs already live and plan to roll it out at over 100,000 ATMs over the next few years,” the company explained further.

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LibertyX did not state that more of its Bitcoin ATMs would be installed at Tesla’s factories. However, it is a possibility, especially if the Bitcoin ATMs in Nevada and Fremont are popular with the employees.

If the Bitcoin ATMs do become a hit, Elon Musk may start thinking of installing Dogecoin ATMs as well. After all, Musk was briefly the CEO of Dogecoin, and the cryptocurrency’s meme origins fit perfectly with his online tendencies.

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Elon Musk

xAI’s Grok approved for Pentagon classified systems: report

Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations. 

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Credit: xAI

Elon Musk’s xAI has signed an agreement with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to allow Grok to be used in classified military systems.

Previously, Anthropic’s Claude had been the only AI system approved for the most sensitive military work, but a dispute over usage safeguards has reportedly prompted the Pentagon to broaden its options, as noted in a report from Axios.

Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations. 

The publication reported that xAI agreed to the Pentagon’s requirement that its technology be usable for “all lawful purposes,” a standard Anthropic has reportedly resisted due to alleged ethical restrictions tied to mass surveillance and autonomous weapons use.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei in what sources expect to be a tense meeting, with the publication hinting that the Pentagon could designate Anthropic a “supply chain risk” if the company does not lift its safeguards. 

Axios stated that replacing Claude fully might be technically challenging even if xAI or other alternative AI systems take its place. That being said, other AI systems are already in use by the DoD. 

Grok already operates in the Pentagon’s unclassified systems alongside Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Google is reportedly close to an agreement that will result in Gemini being used for classified use, while OpenAI’s progress toward classified deployment is described as slower but still feasible. 

The publication noted that the Pentagon continues talks with several AI companies as it prepares for potential changes in classified AI sourcing.

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Elon Musk denies Starlink’s price cuts are due to Amazon Kuiper

“This has nothing to do with Kuiper, we’re just trying to make Starlink more affordable to a broader audience,” Musk wrote in a post on X.

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Credit: Starlink

Elon Musk has pushed back on claims that Starlink’s recent price reductions are tied to Amazon’s Kuiper project.

In a post on X, Musk responded directly to a report suggesting that Starlink was cutting prices and offering free hardware to partners ahead of a planned IPO and increased competition from Kuiper.

“This has nothing to do with Kuiper, we’re just trying to make Starlink more affordable to a broader audience,” Musk wrote in a post on X. “The lower the cost, the more Starlink can be used by people who don’t have much money, especially in the developing world.”

The speculation originated from a post summarizing a report from The Information, which ran with the headline “SpaceX’s Starlink Makes Land Grab as Amazon Threat Looms.” The report stated that SpaceX is aggressively cutting prices and giving free hardware to distribution partners, which was interpreted as a reaction to Amazon’s Kuiper’s upcoming rollout and possible IPO.

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In a way, Musk’s comments could be quite accurate considering Starlink’s current scale. The constellation currently has more than 9,700 satellites in operation today, making it by far the largest satellite broadband network in operation. It has also managed to grow its user base to 10 million active customers across more than 150 countries worldwide. 

Amazon’s Kuiper, by comparison, has launched approximately 211 satellites to date, as per data from SatelliteMap.Space, some of which were launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Starlink surpassed that number in early January 2020, during the early buildout of its first-generation network.

Lower pricing also aligns with Starlink’s broader expansion strategy. SpaceX continues to deploy satellites at a rapid pace using Falcon 9, and future launches aboard Starship are expected to significantly accelerate the constellation’s growth. A larger network improves capacity and global coverage, which can support a broader customer base.

In that context, price reductions can be viewed as a way to match expanding supply with growing demand. Musk’s companies have historically used aggressive pricing strategies to drive adoption at scale, particularly when vertical integration allows costs to decline over time.

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Tesla Giga Berlin makes a statement of solidarity amid IG Metall conflict

The display comes as tensions between Tesla and IG Metall continue to escalate.

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Creidt: Andre Thierig/X

Tesla Giga Berlin is sending a strong message of solidarity amid its ongoing legal dispute with German union IG Metall.

In a post on social media platform X, Giga Berlin plant manager André Thierig shared an image of the facility’s lobby covered with a large banner that reads: “Progress. Innovation. Success.” He added that the slogan reflects what the facility has stood for since Day One.

“Our lobby at Giga Berlin covered in a huge banner these days. Progress. Innovation. Success – this is what we stand for since we started production in 2022 and how we will go into our future!” Thierig wrote in his post on X. 

The display comes as tensions between Tesla and IG Metall continue to escalate.

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The dispute began after Tesla accused a union representative of secretly recording a works council meeting at Giga Berlin. Tesla stated that it filed a criminal complaint after the alleged incident. Police later confirmed they had seized a computer belonging to an IG Metall member as part of their investigation.

“What has happened today at Giga Berlin is truly beyond words! An external union representative from IG Metall attended a works council meeting. For unknown reasons he recorded the internal meeting and was caught in action! We obviously called police and filed a criminal complaint!” Thierig wrote on X at the time

IG Metall denied the accusation and characterized Tesla’s move as an election tactic ahead of upcoming works council elections. The union subsequently filed a defamation complaint against Thierig. Authorities later confirmed that an investigation had been opened in connection with the matter.

Giga Berlin began production in 2022 and has since become one of Tesla’s key European manufacturing hubs, producing the Model Y, the company’s best-selling vehicle. The facility has expanded capacity over the past years despite environmental protests, labor disputes, and regulatory scrutiny.

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