Author: NBTC

Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) latest outage on Oct. 20 has sparked debate over decentralized alternatives and hybrid strategies for resilience. The outage lasted several hours and disrupted major websites and apps, including Robinhood. Experts say it highlights the fragility of today’s internet, where a few centralized cloud providers dominate. AWS holds 30% of the global cloud market, ahead of Microsoft Azure at 21% and Google Cloud at 12%, giving the three more than 60% of total cloud share, per Statista. “The vast majority of data making up the websites we use every day sits in data warehouses owned by just…

Get ready for some exciting news in the Web3 world! Animoca Brands, a leader in digital entertainment, blockchain, and gamification, recently announced a significant development: the Animoca Brands acquisition of AERO. This strategic move is set to bring substantial advancements to the Web3 gaming and open metaverse landscape, sparking considerable interest among enthusiasts and industry watchers alike. It’s a clear signal of Animoca Brands’ ongoing commitment to building a more decentralized and user-owned digital future. What Drives This Animoca Brands Acquisition? Many are asking: what exactly is AERO, and why is this Animoca Brands acquisition so important? While specific details…

Real U.S. dollars are officially going on-chain as Uphold, Vast Bank, and USBC Inc. unveil a regulated, blockchain-based deposit system combining insured bank accounts with digital dollar access for global retail users. Uphold and Vast Bank Launch Real US Dollars On-Chain A new phase in digital finance is emerging as regulated banking institutions adopt blockchain technology to issue real U.S. dollars on-chain. Financial technology company Uphold, together with nationally chartered Vast Bank and publicly traded USBC Inc. (NYSE American: USBC), announced on Oct. 23 a strategic collaboration to introduce tokenized U.S. dollar deposits for retail customers worldwide. The partnership aims…

A proposed XRP Ledger amendment, Batch (XLS-56), is generating excitement among developers and validators alike. One pseudonymous XRP validator, Vet, has shared his experience testing the Batch functionality on the dev net, where multiple transactions, including minting and payments for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), can be bundled and executed automatically. The amendment, according to Vet, enables creation of a fully peer-to-peer NFT-to-NFT trading platform, allowing users to perform a barter-like NFT swaps in a single transaction. For instance, one could trade five of their NFTs for two NFTS owned by another party, all processed simultaneously to ensure atomicity and security, Vet…

The Winklevoss twins have published a comment letter in support of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s proposed Open Banking Rule. “The Open Banking Rule promotes individual freedom, fosters competition and innovation, and helps prevent criminal activity. It should be preserved,” they stressed. Why OBR matters In their letter, the twins claim that protecting the OBR is the right thing to do. “The Open Banking Rule protects every individual’s right to own, access, and control their banking and financial data. Ensuring that every American can do so without limitation or interference from a bank is critical to guaranteeing their financial…

Vladislav Ginzburg, founder and CEO of OneSource, says that blockchain gaming is ready to move past the hype. Summary In crypto, hype runs ahead of real utility, says OneSource CEO Gaming should use blockchains for what blockchains are really good for Blockchains are slow, so we shouldn’t expect full games to run on them Once hailed as the future of play, blockchain gaming has spent the last few years in the shadow of its own hype. Early ideas of player-owned economies, tokenized rewards, and interoperable universes never quite lived up to the promise. Still, as the noise faded, more serious…

Moca Network, a decentralized digital identity initiative by Animoca Brands, has launched a verifiable loyalty platform developed with Spree Finance and SK Planet. Decentralizing Identity for Millions of Users Moca Network, the decentralized digital identity initiative by Animoca Brands, has launched AIR Shop, one of the world’s first verifiable loyalty platforms. Developed in collaboration with Spree Finance and South Korean tech leader SK Planet, AIR Shop aims to transform traditional rewards into transparent, interoperable Web3 assets. The partnership marks a significant milestone, with SK Planet adopting Moca Network’s enterprise-grade decentralized identity infrastructure. SK Planet, operator of OK Cashbag—South Korea’s largest…

NFT trading activity showed signs of life in Q3 2025, breaking a long stretch of decline that defined the post-hype years. After two years of contraction and shifting narratives, on-chain markets found a new footing, not in blue-chip collectibles or speculative art, but in cheaper rails, loyalty programs, and sport-linked assets that traded more on utility than status. NFT trading volume rose in Q3 2025 and sales counts reached a high. The center of gravity shifted to cheaper rails and utilitarian use cases as Ethereum’s scaling upgrade pushed activity to L2s, Solana leaned on throughput and compression, and Bitcoin inscriptions…

A group of US senators led by Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has introduced legislation to modernize the Bank Secrecy Act, the foundation of the country’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) framework. The Bank Secrecy Act, passed in 1970, obliges banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions to help federal authorities detect and prevent financial crimes, including money laundering, terrorist financing, and related illicit activity. The proposed legislation, known as the STREAMLINE Act, would raise the Bank Secrecy Act’s reporting thresholds for the first time since its creation more than 50 years ago. The bill increases the Currency Transaction Report…

VitaminAi, a renowned marketplace for AI Agents, has announced its new collaboration with ALFΛ, the earliest completely on-chain platform for social gaming prizes. The partnership is aimed at redefining Web3-based social competition as well as on-chain gaming. As VitminAi disclosed in its official social media announcement shared on X, the development is anticipated to start a unique epoch of player-led economies and intuitive competition in Web3. Thus, the joint effort is set to merge AI innovation and cutting-edge social gaming. 📢 Announcing our partnership with ⚡️ A L F Λ — the first fully on-chain social gaming prize protocol redefining…