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.

Citigroup seeks director for digital asset client solutions as institutional demand grows

RegulationAug 13

Citigroup has initiated the search for a director of digital asset client solutions, signaling continued commitment to building out its institutional digital asset offerings. The role, first reported by Cointelegraph, will be responsible for overseeing digital asset products for institutional investors, including crypto custody, tokenized assets, tokenized cash, and digital collateral. Why Citigroup is expanding its digital asset team The hiring comes as major banks increasingly respond to client demand for regulated access to digital assets. Citigroup has been gradually advancing its digital asset strategy, having previously explored tokenized deposits and blockchain-based trade finance. This new position suggests a focus…

Ripple Prime Sees More Recognition with Key Nominations

AltcoinsAug 13

Ripple Prime has been shortlisted in four categories at the Hedgeweek US Awards 2026. The company has been nominated for Prime Broker of the Year: Client Service, Prime Broker of the Year: Technology, Prime Broker of the Year: Specialist Markets, and Prime Broker of the Year: Start-up & Emerging Managers. Winners will be determined through public voting, with the awards ceremony scheduled for October 8, 2026, in New York. The nominations place Ripple Prime alongside established names in the traditional financial services industry, including major banks, trading platforms, fund administrators and technology providers competing across Hedgeweek’s institutional investment categories. Ripple…

Coinbase Policy Chief Fires Back at WSJ Critique of CLARITY Act, Citing Evidence and Mischaracterizations

LegalAug 13

Coinbase’s Chief Policy Officer, Faryar Shirzad, has publicly challenged a Wall Street Journal editorial that criticized the CLARITY Act, a proposed U.S. stablecoin and digital asset regulatory framework. In a series of posts on X, Shirzad argued that the editorial relied on banking-sector talking points and misrepresented key aspects of the legislation, particularly regarding stablecoin rewards and DeFi liability. Stablecoin Rewards: Misrepresented and Misunderstood The WSJ editorial suggested that the CLARITY Act would allow stablecoin holders to earn rewards, potentially destabilizing the banking system by drawing deposits away. Shirzad countered that the bill imposes multiple restrictions on such rewards, tying…

Coinbase Stakes 41.63M SOL, Representing 9.72% of All Staked Solana

ExchangesAug 13

Coinbase has disclosed that it is staking 41.63 million Solana ($SOL) tokens, which accounts for 9.72% of all $SOL staked across the Solana network as of the second quarter of 2025. The revelation comes from the exchange’s latest Solana validator operations report, offering a rare glimpse into the scale of institutional participation in the network’s proof-of-stake ecosystem. Coinbase’s Validator Footprint According to the report, Coinbase operates 23 validator nodes distributed across seven countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Singapore. This geographic spread is notable, as it reflects an effort to decentralize validator operations…

Even if Bitcoin rises 30% a year this renewable mining model still loses money as hashrate keeps pace

MiningAug 13

Bitcoin trades near $63,600, below the lowest Bitcoin price researchers tested against a modeled wind-powered mining operation in a new Energy Economics study. At that price level, their model shows no payback within six years under any curtailment scenario they ran. The study, by researchers at the Technological University of the Shannon, models a 20 MW Bitcoin mine connected to a hypothetical 100 MW Irish wind farm, using hourly market data from 2024. Even with 25% of the wind farm's output curtailed, the modeled project fails to recover its investment inside the six-year equipment horizon once Bitcoin's price falls to…

Miden bets on privacy stablecoins with introduction of USDCx

BlockchainAug 13

Privacy has emerged as a key barrier to bringing more financial activity onchain. Public blockchains expose transaction histories, balances and counterparties by default, a level of transparency that is difficult to reconcile with how businesses and financial institutions operate. Trading firms don’t want to reveal positions, companies can’t publish payroll and treasury activity and individuals may not want their financial lives visible on a block explorer. Privacy infrastructure aims to bring the confidentiality of traditional finance onchain while preserving crypto’s programmability and verifiability. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a steady value, typically by tracking the U.S. dollar. They have…

Bitcoin whales add 46,420 BTC as LTH supply falls – Can $65K hold?

BitcoinAug 13

Following a 1.13% decline over the previous day, Bitcoin [$BTC] was changing hands at $64,215.20 at press time. Nevertheless, the annual decline of the top cryptocurrency is shocking, as it has decreased by 46.98% over the last 12 months. On the other hand, Spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen $52.098 billion in inflows since their launch in January 2024. Yet despite these influxes, the supply of Bitcoin’s long-term holders (LTHs) is still decreasing. For those unaware, LTH Balance shows the total amount of Bitcoin that these investors currently own, whereas LTH Supply Inflow shows how much Bitcoin is entering the long-term…

Block shares rose more than 4% after earnings and revenue beat forecasts

RegulationAug 13

Block (NYSE: XYZ) shares gained more than 4% in late trading after the payments company posted second-quarter numbers above Wall Street forecasts. Adjusted earnings reached $1.02 per share for the three months through June 30. Analysts following London Stock Exchange Group (LSE: LSEG) were expecting 87 cents per share. The quarterly income came to $6.62 billion, exceeding the estimates of around $6.49 billion from analysts. The company, led by Jack Dorsey, also raised its full-year target. Block now sees 2026 gross profit at $12.51 billion, which would mean 21% growth from a year earlier. Its old target was $12.33 billion,…

The World's Biggest XRP Hubs? Japan, the U.S. and South Korea Lead the Charge

AltcoinsAug 13

Japan, the U.S., and South Korea Are Driving $XRP's Global Surge According to RippleXity, a decentralized news platform built on the $XRP Ledger, three countries are emerging as the driving forces behind $XRP's global expansion. Each plays a distinct role, but together they are accelerating adoption through institutional investment, deep trading liquidity, and an increasingly supportive regulatory landscape. Japan has become $XRP's largest capital market, with an estimated $21.7 billion invested over the past year, roughly four times more than Bitcoin during the same period. Years of collaboration between Ripple and SBI Holdings, combined with Japan's well-defined digital asset regulations,…

How Switzerland's SRO Model Built a Crypto Framework Worth Watching

LegalAug 13

Switzerland Built a Faster Path Without Cutting Corners These watchdogs are called self-regulatory organizations, or SROs. Instead of throwing every financial business into the same regulatory bucket, Switzerland matches oversight to actual risk. Smaller crypto exchanges, brokers, and custodial wallet providers enter an SRO that tests anti-money laundering (AML) controls on FINMA’s behalf. That approach has consistently attracted serious digital-asset companies while filtering out firms that weren’t prepared for real compliance. The framework drives nearly every crypto business entering Switzerland today. Regulators judge companies by what they actually do, whether exchanging tokens, safeguarding customer wallets or issuing payment tokens. Once…