Author: NBTC

The stablecoin market cap jumped from $200 billion to $309 billion between July and November 2025, prompting issuers to purchase $109 billion in US Treasury bills to comply with a federal mandate embedded in the GENIUS Act. This dramatic growth marks a significant shift in how the US government finances its operations. The shift transfers regulatory oversight for stablecoins from the Federal Reserve to the Treasury Department through a new digital dollar policy. Legislative Framework Drives Treasury Demand On July 18, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, creating the first…

Italy’s Economy Ministry has ordered a detailed review of current protections against crypto risks, officials said on Thursday. The review will focus on safeguards for both direct and indirect investments in crypto-assets by retail investors, regulators added. The decision came during a meeting of the Committee for Macroprudential Policies. The committee includes the heads of the Bank of Italy, market watchdog Consob, insurance and pension regulators, and the Treasury’s director general, according to Reuters reporting. Committee members warned that risks from crypto-assets could rise. Growing connections between crypto and the wider financial system, along with inconsistent international regulations, could heighten…

VTB, Russia’s second-largest bank by assets, intends to allow investors to buy and sell cryptocurrencies through its brokerage accounts. The financial services giant is currently offering clients to invest in crypto derivatives but plans to provide direct exposure to the digital assets next year. VTB set to enter crypto trading market in 2026 Majority state-owned VTB Bank, formerly Vneshtorgbank, plans to launch crypto trading services as soon as this business is regulated. Russian financial authorities have already indicated this is likely to happen in the coming months. VTB’s customers will be able to buy, hold, and sell decentralized digital currencies…

The amount of Ether stored on centralized crypto exchanges is at an unprecedented low, which could result in a supply squeeze, say analysts. Ether (ETH) exchange balances fell to 8.7% on Thursday last week, the lowest they have been since the network launched in mid-2015. The amount of the asset held on exchanges remained low at 8.8% on Sunday, according to Glassnode data. The amount of ETH on exchanges has declined by 43% since the beginning of July, which was around the time when digital asset treasury (DAT) purchasing started ramping up. “ETH is quietly entering its tightest supply environment…

South Africa’s financial technology landscape is shifting as VALR and Mukuru roll out a USD Coin wallet designed for millions of African users seeking stable savings options. The move brings regulated digital dollars to everyday consumers during a period of rising inflation concerns, currency instability, and growing interest in alternative stores of value across the continent. According to the press release, the partnership aims to modernize cross-border finance, encourage safer digital savings, and give customers new tools that support long-term financial planning. It also signals that stablecoins are moving from early adoption to mainstream use in high-volatility regions. Partnership Builds…

Prominent figures from Wall Street and the crypto industry participated in an SEC Investor Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, December 4. During this meeting, they expressed differing viewpoints on the effective ways the Securities and Exchange Commission should employ to oversee tokenization and the role decentralized finance (DeFi) should play in this process. This topic of discussion in the meeting was raised at a time when tokenization is rapidly gaining popularity among individuals. Some of the executives who were present at the meeting were from firms such as Citadel Securities, Coinbase, and Galaxy. Notably, tokenization refers to converting various types…

Charles Schwab’s plan to launch spot crypto trading in 2026 is shaping up as one of the most consequential moves from a major US brokerage. The firm, which oversees more than $12 trillion in client assets, intends to offer Bitcoin and Ethereum trading across its platforms after internal testing and a limited pilot phase. Charles Schwab Will Bring Mainstream Investors To Crypto Schwab’s entry marks a shift in how traditional brokers approach digital assets. The company already offers indirect exposure through crypto-thematic ETFs, but spot trading brings cryptocurrencies into the same environment as stocks, bonds, and retirement accounts. This could…

Author and investor in the field of finance Robert Kiyosaki has caused controversy once more after he estimated that Ethereum will reach $60,000 by 2026. His November 2025 update put the ETH target with a confident forecast used that Bitcoin will be $250,000, and both assets are a vital hedge against inflation and failed fiat currencies. Kiyosaki pegged his prediction on the increasing institutional flows, ETF products and a world flight to hard assets. Yahoo Finance and CryptoPotato reports shared his logic, making the argument that Ethereum is a long-term macro asset, not a speculative token. As the Ethereum fundamentals…

Spot gold prices inched up early Tuesday as markets pre-positioned ahead of an expected Federal Reserve interest-rate cut — prediction markets put the probability at about 83%. Gold Edges up as Markets Expect Federal Reserve to Cut Rates The Facts Metal investors have reacted positively to the expectation of a rate cut, taking positions to benefit from this change. Spot prices for gold rose as high as $4,165 per ounce during the early hours of Tuesday, rising from close to $4,000 prices, as prediction markets are already anticipating a 0.25% rate cut from the Federal Reserve. The market’s change of…

Europe’s competition regulator has opened a formal investigation into tech giant Meta over policy changes that allow the company’s own AI chatbot to operate on WhatsApp while blocking rivals from doing the same. The European Commission announced Thursday it’s examining whether Meta violated antitrust rules by effectively reserving WhatsApp’s AI chatbot access for itself.  The action targets updated business terms WhatsApp rolled out in late October, which ban third-party AI companies from distributing chatbots through the messaging app when AI is their core offering.  Under the updated WhatsApp Business Solution Terms, AI providers are “strictly prohibited” from using the…