Author: NBTC
DeFi activity moved to the highest levels since the October 10-11 crash. The recent market capitulation turned into a DeFi stress test, with most protocols surviving the sudden spike in activity. DeFi activity picked up during the latest market downturn, reaching its highest levels of DEX activity in the past few months. Perpetual futures DEX absorbed the highest levels of activity since October 2025, showing the robustness of DeFi infrastructure, with significant available liquidity. | Source: DeFi Llama Leading decentralized protocols still produce some of their highest fees, with most activity concentrated on Aave, Morpho, Jupiter, and other leading DeFi…
Spot crypto trading volumes on major exchanges have fallen from around $2 trillion in October to $1 trillion at the end of January, indicating “clear disengagement from investors” and weaker demand, according to analysts. Bitcoin ($BTC) is currently down 37.5% from its October peak amid a liquidity drought and a major bout of risk aversion, causing volumes to contract. “Spot demand is drying up,” said CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost on Monday, adding that the correction “has been largely driven by the Oct. 10 liquidation event.” Since October, crypto spot volumes on major exchanges have halved, according to CryptoQuant. Binance, for example,…
Payments entity NymCard, which covers CMEA region is now settling Circle’s $USDC stablecoin in MENA region with the participation of Visa. The company will settle card transactions with Visa using $USDC. This will offer 24/7 service in a streamlined way. The benefits for issuers is that they can lower operational costs, and pre-funding requirements as well as collateral. It is a more simple way to settle payments. According to the CEO of NymCard, Omar Onsi, the company is the first issuers in the GCC region to offer stablecoin settlement. For him this is part of offering advanced payment services. Visa’s…
Following the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) initiation of an investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, market dynamics shifted against Donald Trump’s expectations. According to market forecasts, Powell’s chances of remaining at the Fed after his term ends in May, potentially serving until 2028, are increasing. Meanwhile, Kevin Warsh, seen as a more hawkish candidate for the Fed chairmanship, is beginning to overtake Kevin Hassett, known for his closeness to Trump. These developments point to a power struggle between Trump and the Fed that could continue throughout the year. According to data from the forecasting platform Polymarket, the likelihood…
SEOUL, South Korea – In a pivotal move for the nation’s digital asset sector, executives from major South Korean crypto exchanges are preparing for a crucial meeting with lawmakers on February 4th. This direct dialogue aims to address mounting industry concerns over a Financial Services Commission (FSC) proposal that could fundamentally alter exchange governance by capping major shareholder stakes. The proposed limits, reportedly set between 15% and 20%, form a core component of the second phase of South Korea’s comprehensive virtual asset legislation, signaling a significant regulatory shift for one of the world’s most active cryptocurrency markets. South Korean Crypto…
The global non-fungible token ($NFT) sector fell below $1.5 billion in total market capitalization, returning to levels last seen before the sector’s rapid expansion in 2021. The retracement unfolded alongside a broader crypto market downturn over the past two weeks, CoinGecko data shows. On Jan. 23, total crypto market capitalization stood at about $3.1 trillion, before falling to $2.2 trillion on Friday. Major assets like Bitcoin (BTC) slid from around $89,000 to about $65,000, while Ether (ETH) fell from $3,000 to near $1,800 throughout the same time frame. Bitcoin and Ethereum are the top two networks for NFTs in terms…
Major U.S. mortgage lender Newrez has announced a new policy. Which allows borrowers to use their crypto assets to qualify for a mortgage without selling them. The program is set to start in February 2026. This move is part of Newrez’s Smart Series products and marks a big step toward bringing cryptocurrencies into mainstream finance. Homebuyers can now use their crypto holdings for income verification and asset qualification, treating them like traditional wealth. How the Mortgage Works Traditionally, lenders needed borrowers to sell crypto to show proof of funds. Also, this could trigger the capital gains taxes and force borrowers…
SEOUL, South Korea – February 2025 – South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service has initiated a preliminary market surveillance review into ZKsync’s extraordinary 1000% price swing on the Upbit exchange, marking another significant regulatory action in Asia’s evolving cryptocurrency landscape. The investigation follows unprecedented volatility that triggered widespread allegations of market manipulation within the global crypto community, highlighting growing regulatory concerns about exchange integrity and investor protection. ZKsync Price Manipulation Allegations Trigger Regulatory Response The Financial Supervisory Service’s Virtual Asset Investigation Bureau confirmed its preliminary review on February 3, 2025, following reports from the Korea Economic Daily. According to official statements,…
Vanguard just made a move that caught the entire crypto and stock market’s attention. The Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund Institutional Shares (VMCIX) has disclosed its first-ever purchase of MicroStrategy (MSTR) stock. According to a new 13F filing, the fund bought 2.91 million shares, worth around $505 million. JUST IN: $12 trillion Vanguard Group Mid-Cap Index Fund Institutional Shares ($VMCIX) just disclosed they bought 2.91 million ($505 million) #Bitcoin treasury company Strategy $MSTR shares for the first time. pic.twitter.com/QIJhB6u19a — BitcoinTreasuries.NET (@BTCtreasuries) January 16, 2026 This is a big deal because Vanguard manages over $12 trillion in assets. When a fund…
Binance saw withdrawal disruption and was resolved quickly, with all funds remaining safe. Binance Coin ($BNB) surged 3% amid the quick resolution A temporary technical outage disrupted withdrawals on Binance, leading traders to be concerned while the platform worked to restore normal operations. On February 3, Binance mentioned the issue in its X handle, “We are aware of some technical difficulties affecting withdrawals on the platform. Our team is already working on a fix, and services will resume as soon as possible.” and within 30 minutes, the binance team has confirmed that the issue was resolved with no loss of…