Author: NBTC
Key Takeaways Hong Kong prosecutors have charged Chu Ka-fai, an internet celebrity, with three additional counts of money laundering connected to the JPEX crypto fraud case. Chu is accused of laundering approximately HK$18.8 million through several banks between November 2020 and August 2023. Hong Kong prosecutors have added three new money laundering charges against Chu Ka-fai, a crypto influencer known as “Master Zhu,” in connection with the JPEX crypto fraud case, according to local reports. The 34-year-old defendant played a key role in promoting the JPEX crypto exchange, which allegedly defrauded thousands of investors in Hong Kong. The case is…
Vital Block Security has announced its support of Metis as a blockchain network for Smart Contract Auditing and Security Services as part of its ongoing effort to expand on Layer-2 Security Solutions (2026). This announcement is yet another step towards fulfilling Vital Block’s vision of creating complete Security Infrastructure on many different Blockchain Platforms. Strengthening Layer-2 Security Infrastructure This partnership is as strategically timed, given that the Layer-2 solutions have been dominating all conversations about scaling on Ethereum, and Metis is an Ethereum Layer-2 solution created with optimistic Rollup technology, but with additional benefits such as its native decentralized storage…
As the Fed’s first interest rate decision of 2026 approaches, market expectations are clearly reflected in the forecasting markets. According to Polymarket data, the strongest scenario for the Fed’s interest rate decision on January 28, 2026, is that interest rates will remain unchanged. According to forecast contracts traded on Polymarket, the probability of no change in interest rates is overwhelmingly high at 85%. A 25 basis point rate cut is priced at 15%, while a 50 basis point or greater cut remains at a very low 1%. The scenario of an interest rate increase is almost entirely ruled out by…
Ilya Lichtenstein, who was sentenced to five years in prison in November 2024 after pleading guilty to charges tied to the 2016 Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange hack, was released from prison after just 14 months behind bars. “Thanks to President [Donald] Trump’s First Step Act, I have been released from prison early,” Lichtenstein said on X on Thursday. “I remain committed to making a positive impact in cybersecurity as soon as I can.” Trump signed the First Step Act, a prison and sentencing reform bill proposed and approved by legislators in 2018, purportedly aimed at saving taxpayers money. Lichtenstein thanked his…
Galaxy Digital says stablecoins are already handling half of ACH’s transaction volume. Regulatory clarity in 2026 could push stablecoins deeper into everyday U.S. payments. Banks, payment firms, and institutions are moving on-chain faster than many expected. Stablecoins are no longer just a tool for crypto traders. They are on track to challenge one of the most important payment systems in the U.S. financial system. In its latest annual predictions report, Galaxy Digital said stablecoins could surpass the ACH in transaction volume by 2026, pointing to rapid growth in both usage and adoption. ACH currently powers everyday payments like payroll, bill…
Key Takeaways Senator Lummis is urging Congress to pass legislation for the crypto market to establish clear jurisdiction. Vague rules are currently pushing digital asset companies out of the US, according to Lummis’ statement. Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Wyoming lawmaker and prominent crypto advocate, called on Congress today to pass market structure legislation for digital assets. “For far too long, unclear rules have pushed digital asset companies offshore,” Lummis said via her official X account. “Our market structure legislation changes that by establishing clear jurisdiction, strong protections, and ensuring America leads the way.” The bipartisan bill aims to clarify regulatory…
This year has arguably been the biggest and most consequential on record for crypto IPOs. A surge in retail interest, renewed political tailwinds, and a reopened U.S. IPO market helped push a wave of crypto firms onto public exchanges. Reuters described a “rush to Wall Street IPOs” driven by the year’s crypto resurgence, while Barron’s reported that crypto flotations were “making Wall Street go wild.” Against that backdrop, companies from exchanges to stablecoin issuers raced to tap public markets—setting the stage for an unusually crowded IPO calendar. For a long time, the industry’s one big IPO win was Coinbase’s Nasdaq…
Key Takeaways Caroline Crenshaw, the lone Democratic commissioner at the SEC, will leave her position when her term expires on January 3. Her departure will tilt the SEC’s composition to a 3-0 Republican majority, a rare occurrence in the history of the commission. SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw, known for her skepticism of crypto and advocacy for investor protection, will depart the agency this week after serving more than five years on the commission. Crenshaw’s bid for a second term failed after the Senate Banking Committee scrapped a scheduled vote in late 2024. Her term is set to end on January…
The tokenized real-world asset (RWA) market will continue to grow in 2026, fueled by adoption in emerging market economies, according to Jesse Knutson, head of operations at crypto exchange Bitfinex. Emerging market economies experience “friction” in capital formation and attracting foreign investment, Knutson told Cointelegraph Tokenizing real-world assets, the process of representing physical or traditional assets on blockchain networks, fixes this by enabling onchain capital formation and bypassing traditional financial intermediaries, he said. Kunston added: “Emerging markets also tend to ‘leapfrog’ infrastructure that holds back developed markets, adopting digital rails, including stablecoin settlement, faster than markets with entrenched legacy plumbing.”…
Key Takeaways BitVentures has officially launched its Digital Assets segment and entered the crypto mining industry. In building its new segment, the company has acquired multiple fleets of Bitmain mining machines. BitVentures, a Nasdaq-listed tech company, today announced the official launch of its Digital Assets segment, a unit focused on crypto mining and digital asset operations, including staking, node services, and ecosystem partnerships. As part of the expansion, the company has entered into purchase and hosting agreements to acquire multiple fleets of Bitmain mining machines with approximately 0.5 MW of power capacity. Deployment will begin in phases from January 2026,…