Author: NBTC

Sovcombank, the ninth-largest Russian bank by assets, said it became the first financial institution in the country to offer bitcoin-backed loans to individuals and corporations who legally own digital assets. The move follows a pilot program by state-owned Sberbank, which in late December issued the first such product to mining firm Intelion Data. While crypto-secured lending remains limited amid regulatory uncertainty, Russian banks have increasingly shown interest in borrowing against bitcoin as mining firms and crypto-holding businesses look to unlock liquidity while retaining their digital assets. “Specifically, we offer bitcoin-secured lending, allowing our clients to raise financing for business development…

The decentralized web still struggles with an ongoing trust deficit, which prompted Creditlink to form a strategic partnership with Dechat. Despite ensuring transparency through blockchain technology, identity and reputation are still scattered across systems. Now, by integrating Creditlink’s leading credit intelligence and Dechat’s Web3 messaging platform, the two organizations will attempt to create a more secure, human-centered method of communication. In turn, they hope to encourage greater levels of trust in all on-chain transactions. Merging Credit Intelligence with Social Connectivity This partnership is all about connecting Creditlink’s complex credit information database with Dechat‘s messaging solutions. Creditlink specializes in creating a…

Strive’s acquisition of Semler vaults the firm into the top tier of corporate bitcoin holders, amassing nearly 12,800 bitcoin as it accelerates an aggressive treasury strategy alongside a growing healthcare business. Strive–Semler Deal Creates 12,798 Bitcoin Balance Sheet, Signals Aggressive Treasury Expansion A major corporate transaction has reshaped a bitcoin-focused balance sheet. Strive Inc. (Nasdaq: ASST) announced on Jan. 16 the completion of its acquisition of Semler Scientific Inc. (Nasdaq: SMLR), concluding a previously disclosed transaction focused on bitcoin treasury expansion and healthcare operations. The announcement states: “Strive now holds approximately 12,797.9 bitcoin, becoming the #11 largest public corporate holder…

South Korea’s financial watchdog has expanded the use of artificial intelligence to monitor digital asset markets, signaling a shift toward automated, data-driven enforcement as trading activity grows more complex. On Monday, the country’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) said it has upgraded its Virtual Assets Intelligence System for Trading Analysis (VISTA), a model used to investigate unfair crypto trading. An automated detection algorithm has been added, the FSS said, which can spot potential price-manipulation periods without manual intervention. From manual analysis to systemized oversight The FSS said the new algorithm uses a sliding-window grid search technique to examine every possible sub-period…

Enjin, a blockchain gaming infrastructure provider, has announced the launch of ‘Essence of the Elements’, a new cross-game Multiverse campaign focused on player-owned digital items that can be used and developed across multiple games. The initiative is designed as an ongoing system rather than a single in-game event, allowing items to retain progression and utility between different gaming worlds. Using Enjin’s Multiverse Dashboard, players connect their wallets to a shared progression layer that spans participating titles. By completing quests in different games, users earn Essence, which enables items to evolve and unlock additional Multiverse collectibles. The campaign is structured into…

Binance announced that two USDⓈ-M perpetual futures contracts traded on its futures trading platform, Binance Futures, will be delisted. According to the exchange’s announcement, all positions in the RVVUSDT and YALAUSDT perpetual contracts will be closed on February 10, 2026, at 12:00 PM, and an automatic settlement process will be carried out. After the settlement is complete, the relevant contracts will be completely delisted from Binance Futures. Binance emphasized that this announcement was published as a notification under “Binance Exchange Rule 17,” and warned users about potential risks. Accordingly, investors were advised to manually close their open positions before the…

LiquidChain launches a Layer 3 cross-chain platform linking Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, advertising 1,965% staking rewards and positioning itself as a bridge alternative. Summary LiquidChain launched a cross-chain Layer 3 platform designed to settle trades in parallel across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana using a “Parallel Execution Engine.”​ The project advertises staking rewards calculated at 1,965% to attract liquidity and allocates 35% of tokens to an Infrastructure Fund and 32.5% to Global Outreach and Labs.​ LiquidChain plans a token generation event without a set date and markets itself as an alternative to traditional blockchain bridges for cross-chain transfers.​ Payward Inc., the…

After failing to hold its position above significant moving averages, Ethereum’s price action fell sharply toward the $2,400 region, putting it under intense selling pressure once more. Because of the general weakness of the cryptocurrency market, which has traders on edge as volatility spikes across major assets, $ETH has passed through several technical supports. Whales are buying Recent on-chain tracking indicates that 7 Siblings, a well-known whale entity group, has been actively purchasing Ethereum during this latest sell-off. Transaction data shows that the group intentionally engaged in dip-buying as market panic spread, spending roughly $31 million over the past 10…

Tokenization is now the fastest-growing sector in the crypto ecosystem, according to Token Terminal. The frontier has experienced remarkable growth in the last few years due to the influx of financial institutions such as BlackRock and J.P. Morgan. Tokenized assets now emerge as a rapidly evolving sector in the crypto ecosystem. The sector has attracted major financial institutions and corporations, including BlackRock and J.P. Morgan, leading to an influx of capital in recent years. These corporations rolled out blockchain-based versions of traditional investment products, payments, and savings due to surging investor demand in the crypto industry. Ethereum and Solana boost…

Different claims around suspicious links between Jeffrey Epstein, a former US Treasury official, and Ex-SEC chair Gary Gensler are making the rounds over the internet. Crypto investors are now doubting that there was some regulatory payback against certain crypto projects. This might include Ripple and others. Posts tagged “EpsteinFiles” assert that Epstein placed Gary Gensler into academic roles. He later influenced his actions as SEC chair. However, there is still no clear evidence that shows that Epstein directed regulators or shaped enforcement. But these chats do reflect opinion and access. Epstein–Gensler emails eesurface An email from May 7, 2018 shows…