Author: NBTC

NBTC

NBTC is the editorial account for NBTC News, covering Bitcoin, Ethereum, DeFi, blockchain infrastructure, exchanges, mining, regulation and digital asset markets. The editorial team focuses on clear sourcing, timely updates and practical context for crypto readers.

Over 1.3 million staked tokens remain stranded onchain after a major validator missed its deadline to exit Aztec

DV Labs’ planned Aug. 15 Aztec exit was still incomplete by 2 a.m. UTC on Aug. 16: seven DV Labs-listed attesters remained in the on-chain VALIDATING state with 1.386 million $AZTEC in effective stake. The infrastructure operator announced the wind-down on July 16 and asked delegators to begin exiting by Aug. 5. DV Labs said late delegators would be penalized, but the available evidence does not identify a mechanism for that penalty or show that missing Aug. 5 caused a principal loss or any observed balance reduction. Aztec’s staking dashboard provider feed still attributed 16 delegations and 3.2 million $AZTEC…

EthereumAug 18

PCE Data—the Fed’s Top Focus—Came In Positive: Analysts Weigh In

In the U.S., the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index showed a limited decline in June, but inflation remained above the Fed’s 2% target. The strong recovery in consumer spending in the second quarter indicated that the U.S. economy remains resilient despite high interest rates and rising energy prices. According to data released by the U.S. Commerce Department, consumer spending, one of the economy’s most important drivers of growth, increased by 3.2 percent on an annualized basis in the second quarter of the year. Spending had grown by only 0.5 percent in the first quarter. Core PCE inflation fell from…

RegulationAug 18

Expert Warns Pi Could Lose Top-100 Status Below $0.01 Amid Supply Crisis

Crypto expert Dr Altcoin has alleged that Pi Network is facing a supply crisis tied to a wave of token unlocks scheduled for the second half of 2026. According to the post, pioneers who locked their Pi for three years are now seeing large amounts of that supply released. Roughly 775.8 million Pi tokens are set to unlock between now and December 2026. That works out to an average of 129.3 million Pi tokens unlocked each month now. Dr Altcoin argued that a significant portion of this unlocked supply is likely to reach exchanges, adding further selling pressure to the…

AltcoinsAug 18

Malta Regulator Flags Unlicensed Crypto Marketing Firm

Zero Regulatory Approval or Registration The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) has issued a warning concerning Distributex, an unauthorized cryptocurrency marketing entity accused of holding recruitment drives and operating physical offices across Malta without legal authorization or corporate registration. The entity — operating under various names including Distributex Limited and DX — maintains a digital footprint through its website and a mobile application available on the Apple App Store. Beyond its online presence, the group has established a physical footprint in Malta, conducting activities out of offices in Birkirkara, Hamrun, Mosta and Hal Tarxien, while inviting members of the public…

LegalAug 18

Riot Platforms Sells 9,665 BTC in First Half, Deposits 200 BTC to NYDIG

Riot Platforms, one of the largest Bitcoin mining companies in the United States, sold 9,665 $BTC during the first half of 2025 at an average price of $75,785, according to on-chain data from Lookonchain. The sales generated approximately $732 million in proceeds, reflecting the company’s strategy of liquidating mined Bitcoin to fund operations and growth. In a separate transaction, Arkham data shows that Riot deposited 200 $BTC, valued at roughly $12.86 million, with New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG), a prominent crypto lender, about 11 hours ago. This move suggests Riot is utilizing its Bitcoin holdings as collateral for financing,…

MiningAug 18

Decentralization Isn’t a Core Value, UX Is What Matters

In a recent interview on the YouTube channel Crypto Insider, Pump.fun co-founder Noah Tweedale made waves by openly stating that he does not genuinely believe in decentralization. According to a report from Wu Blockchain, Tweedale argued that most users care more about a smooth user experience than the underlying architecture of a blockchain network. Context: A Shift in Crypto Priorities? Tweedale’s comments reflect a growing pragmatic trend among crypto builders who prioritize onboarding and usability over ideological purity. He pointed to Solana’s relative centralization as a practical advantage, noting that it allows for faster transactions and lower fees, which directly…

BlockchainAug 18

Saylor continues to post cringe AI slop amid Strategy’s BTC sell-off

Michael Saylor posted a cringeworthy Q2 earnings call video this week, prompting an avalanche of criticism from Bitcoiners who are getting increasingly sick of Strategy selling bitcoin ($BTC). The AI-powered clip, created by “truth seeker maximalist” Alexes Nakamoto, features Strategy shareholders, including Head of Bitcoin Chatanya Jain, Chief Financial Officer Andrew Kang, and CEO Phong Le, dancing along to a rap “delivered” by Saylor in a bizarre semi-British accent. The clip didn’t go down well with a community that’s growing increasingly frustrated at Strategy’s $BTC sell-off, which has seen it shed 5,258 $BTC (~$320 million) so far this year. Our…

BitcoinAug 18

Ethereum ETFs Outpace Bitcoin in Relative Inflows, DWF Labs Reports

Ethereum spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have recorded higher relative inflows than their Bitcoin counterparts since June, according to a new analysis from crypto market maker DWF Labs. The firm said that while Bitcoin ETFs still attract larger absolute dollar amounts, Ethereum ETFs are gaining ground when measured against fund size, signaling a potential shift in institutional investor sentiment. Weekly Inflow Data Highlights Growing $ETH Demand DWF Labs reported that spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs combined saw $1.1 billion in net inflows over the past week, the largest weekly total since April 13. Bitcoin ETFs accounted for $865 million of that…

EthereumAug 18

Former FTX member Leopold Aschenbrenner’s $20B AI fund blows up

Leopold Aschenbrenner, the founder of hedge fund Situational Awareness, has seen his leveraged positions liquidated following a swift downturn in AI stocks. Aschenbrenner, a former member of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX Future Fund team, launched his fund in 2024 and ran it up 1,000% by May this year. However, CNBC reported Thursday that Situational Awareness had suffered “heavy losses,” needed cash for margin calls, and was consulting with investment bankers for the possibility of an orderly wind-down. By midday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Ken Griffin’s Citadel had bought “the bulk of its stock portfolio.” The fund was allegedly up…

RegulationAug 18

Japanese Tech Giant Rakuten Creates First-Ever Tactile Shiba Inu (SHIB) Coin for 44 Million Users

Japanese tech giant Rakuten Wallet has announced the creation of the first physical Shiba Inu ($SHIB) coin of its kind. The project is the fifth release in the collectible "Real Coin" series and has already become an absolute hit in the company's internal tests thanks to its unique tactile surface. The new product is preparing to enter a market where the brand's retail ecosystem reaches 44 million users. The development comes amid a tectonic shift in legislation, as Japan's parliament passed a package of historic amendments that definitively moves cryptocurrencies out of the gray zone and into a strictly regulated…

AltcoinsAug 18