Author: NBTC
The Bank of Italy has modeled what would happen to Ethereum’s security and settlement capacity if the price of Ether fell to zero, treating the network as critical financial infrastructure rather than just a speculative crypto asset. In a new research paper titled “What if Ether Goes to Zero? How Market Risk Becomes Infrastructure Risk in Crypto,” Bank of Italy economist Claudia Biancotti examines how an extreme price shock in Ether (ETH) could affect Ethereum‑based financial services that rely on the network for transaction processing and settlement. Biancotti focuses on the link between validators’ economic incentives and the stability of…
On Dec. 9, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency put out a press release with a very direct message for US banks: you are allowed to sit in the middle of crypto trades. In the memorably titled News Release 2025-121, the OCC published the somehow even worse-titled Interpretive Letter 1188 and confirmed that national banks may run “riskless principal” crypto-asset transactions as part of the business of banking, acting as the buyer to one customer and seller to another, while keeping no meaningful inventory of tokens themselves. A day earlier, Comptroller Jonathan Gould stood before a room of…
Staking is no longer a niche add-on for ether ETH$3,106.53 investors in 2026 — it has become a defining feature of how institutions gain exposure to the cryptocurrency, shaping product design, returns and risk management across the market. Near-term selling is constrained by staking, but coins are no longer trapped. With withdrawals running smoothly, ether now trades less like a locked-up asset and more like a yield-bearing position that investors can scale up or down as sentiment changes. Kean Gilbert, head of institutional relations at Lido Ecosystem Foundation, says the past year laid the groundwork for institutional staked ether (stETH) adoption.…
Key Takeaways Exor N.V. has rejected Tether Investments’ offer to acquire its shares in Juventus Football Club. Exor and the Agnelli family reaffirm their commitment to retaining ownership and supporting Juventus. Juventus owner Exor N.V. has turned down Tether’s proposal to acquire its full 65.4% controlling stake in the football club, according to an official statement on Saturday. The decision, unanimously taken by Exor’s board of directors, came less than 24 hours after the crypto giant submitted its offer. The company stated it has no intention of selling its shares in Juve to a third party, reaffirming that it is…
Senate Democrats haven’t fled the negotiating table for the legislation to finally regulate the U.S. crypto industry, but frustrations are evident as a new draft is being speed-written as the weekend approaches. The Senate Banking Committee has assured the industry it’ll get its markup next week, which requires that an official notice goes out by Friday night. Its partner on the bill — the Senate Agriculture Committee — has reportedly been trying to get on the same schedule for a committee vote, though it’s uncertain whether the top Democrat negotiator on that panel is ready. For his part, Senator Tim…
An OG whale that accumulated ETH at a lower price range has moved all remaining funds to Bitstamp. The transfer happened as ETH still held above the $3,100 range, pointing to a short-term recovery. An ETH OG whale sent the remainder of their balance to Bitstamp. The whale may realize profits after accumulating ETH at an average price of $517. The whale’s first activity happened as early as 2017, with the most active accumulation in 2020 and 2021, when ETH traded at a local low. The whale has been moving funds to exchanges in the past few days, potentially selling…
Stablecoins are back on the move, with the fiat-pegged token economy notching another all-time high by clearing the $310 billion mark during the second week of December. Stablecoin Market Reaches a New Peak Tapping $310 Billion In mid-November, stablecoins logged a modest pullback after climbing to a collective high of $309 billion. From there, the stablecoin economy drifted down to a low of $302.88 billion, based on data compiled by defillama.com. The fiat-pegged token sector has since pushed beyond the $310 billion threshold this week, topping out at $310.092 billion as of Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. The week-over-week gain clocked…
New crypto rules are emerging in Europe, defining a new era in the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. The changes are not unexpected, considering how they represent the actualization of processes that started years ago in the pursuit of substantive regulatory frameworks for an emerging industry. The Actualization of Crypto Regulation in Europe It is worth noting that most of the frameworks that are being rolled out in Europe were finalized several months ago. Crypto practitioners were given deadlines, allowing them to adjust to the new era, with most deadlines expiring in December 2025. For instance, the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets…
Bitmine Immersion Technologies expanded its Ether holdings over the past week as its chairman urged shareholders to approve a proposal that would allow the company to further build its crypto treasury and staking operations. The company said it purchased 24,266 Ether (ETH) over the past week, lifting its total crypto holdings to about 4.17 million ETH, or 3.4% of the token’s circulating supply. According to Monday’s announcement, the company reported about $14 billion in combined crypto and cash holdings, including $988 million in cash. In addition to ETH, it holds 193 Bitcoin (BTC) and a $23 million stake in Eightco…
In a recent report, TRM Labs sustained that organic adoption dominates trading volumes, as stablecoins have become a key driver for Venezuelans navigating economic instability and exclusion from traditional global settlements and payments platforms, even in an ecosystem with structural risks. TRM Labs: Venezuela’s Organic Crypto Adoption Surpasses Illicit Activity TRM Labs, a global blockchain forensics and analytics firm, has discussed the current state of the cryptocurrency ecosystem in Venezuela against a backdrop of increased sanctions. In a recent article, the firm acknowledged that, even with renewed global compliance concerns, the usage of stablecoins remains primarily driven by “necessity rather…