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.

South Korea lawmakers push for stablecoin law as Bank of Korea and Financial Services Commission clash

LegalApr 20

South Korean lawmakers are urging the government to prioritize approval of a regulatory framework for stablecoins, as disputes between the Bank of Korea and the Financial Services Commission have delayed progress. The existence of a KRW stablecoin circulating overseas has renewed lawmakers’ urgency to get the Digital Asset Framework Act off the ground. Why is South Korea’s stablecoin law stuck? Rep. Kim Sang-hoon, a key lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party and chairman of the Special Committee on Digital Assets, is publicly demanding that the National Assembly prioritize stablecoin legislation and stop wasting time on controversial proposals. During a…

Charles Schwab, Citadel Securities weigh entering prediction markets

ExchangesApr 20

Traditional finance giants Charles Schwab and Citadel Securities are both considering entering prediction markets, with each separately weighing up how they wish to get involved in the fast-growing sector. “I think at some point we likely will have prediction markets,” Rick Wurster, the CEO of the banking and investing titan Schwab, told investors during a call on Thursday. He added that prediction markets weren’t “of tremendous interest” when he recently asked a group of Schwab clients about them, but it was an area the company would “take a hard look at, and it would be quite straightforward for us to…

There Are Claims That the Aave and KelpDAO Incident Is Worse Than It Seems, So Don’t Let Your Guard Down

DeFiApr 20

As pressure on DeFi markets intensifies following the KelpDAO-related exploit crisis, leading industry commentator 0xQuit has issued a noteworthy warning. According to the analyst, the situation on Aave is “bad and getting worse.” 0xQuit stated in its assessment that multiple liquidity pools on Aave had reached 100% utilization. This situation, they explained, was causing lenders to become locked out of the system and exposing the protocol to an additional risk of “bad debt.” The analyst also argued that lending rates have risen to 10-15%, but this yield is insufficient compared to the risk of financing a potential deficit of approximately…

Largest Bank of Russia Prepared to Offer Cryptocurrency Trading Services

ExchangesApr 20

Sberbank is awaiting approval to offer cryptocurrency custody and trading services to its over 110 million customers. The Central Bank of Russia proposed a regulatory draft to regularize crypto investments last December. Key Takeaways: Sberbank readies crypto trading for its 110M clients, awaiting upcoming Bank of Russia regulations next. Following a December loan to Intelion, Sberbank plans to expand crypto-backed lending to more firms next. A December Bank of Russia draft caps retail buys at $4,000 yearly, paving the way for future market access. Sberbank Ready To Offer Crypto Services As Soon As Regulation Arises Cryptocurrencies are poised to make…

Kelp exploit highlights problem with non-isolated DeFi lending: Crypto execs

DeFiApr 20

The exploit of the Kelp liquid restaking protocol shows how non-isolated lending and integrations in decentralized finance (DeFi) can cause broader ecosystem contagion, according to crypto industry executives and blockchain security firms. Non-isolated lending on DeFi platforms, including earlier versions of the Aave lending protocol, exposes users to risks from all the various tokens used as collateral on the platforms, according to Michael Egorov, founder of the Curve Finance DeFi protocol. Kelp was the target of a cyber attack on Saturday, causing the platform to pause smart contracts for its restaking token (rsETH) while it moved to investigate the attack…

Senate Clears 10-Day FISA Stopgap After House Revolt Sinks Longer Deal

LegalApr 20

The Senate passed a 10-day FISA extension 2026 by voice vote Friday, keeping the surveillance program alive until April 30 after a bloc of 20 House Republicans overnight derailed both a five-year and an 18-month renewal that Speaker Johnson and the White House had spent a week negotiating. The Senate cleared a FISA extension 2026 stopgap by voice vote Friday morning, buying Congress until April 30 after an all-night collapse on Capitol Hill left two separate long-term renewal attempts in ruins. The measure goes to President Trump for signature before the program’s Monday expiration. Section 702 allows US spy agencies…

KuCoin Institutional Integrates Asseto’s CASH+ to Expand RWA Collateral Offering

ExchangesApr 20

KuCoin Institutional has added Asseto’s CASH+ to its institutional collateral framework, extending its real-world asset (RWA) capabilities across the Off-Exchange Settlement (OES) program and the RWA Collateral Mirroring Solution (RCMS). The integration broadens the pool of eligible collateral, enabling institutional clients to access stablecoin-equivalent trading credit while retaining exposure to yield-generating assets. CASH+ is Asseto’s flagship RWA product, offering tokenized exposure to the CMS USD Money Market Fund, I Class, managed by CMS Asset Management (HK) Co., Limited. Each token tracks the net asset value of the underlying fund on a 1:1 basis, providing a fully backed structure with transparent…

TokenAI Partners with DeBox to Accelerate AI-Driven Web3 SocialFi

BlockchainApr 20

TokenAI, an AI-powered Web3 project, has partnered with DeBox, a renowned Web3 social platform. The partnership attempts to integrate AI into Web3 social networks. As per TokenAI’s official X announcement, the development unlocks exclusive opportunities for communities, innovators, and developers. Hence, the move will utilize decentralized identifiers (DIDs) to derive tangible value from social connections. 🤝 TokenAI ✖️ DeBox Official Partnership!@TokenAI_Global @DeBox_Social 🚀 AI × Web3 Social, All-New Synergy Unlocking a new era of decentralized social experience 💡 ✨ Powered by AI, connected by DID Turning social connections into real value 🔗 🌐 Strong alliance to build… pic.twitter.com/Uja5ExO3bO — TokenAI…

Zeller’s warning tweet sparks over $6B in withdrawals from Aave

DeFiApr 20

The DeFi community is divided in how they perceived Marc Zeller’s message when eh wrote, “If you have WETH on Aave V3 Core, withdraw now, ask questions later” on X on Saturday, April 18. The two options: a genuine alarm or an act of sabotage. However, a few hours later, more than $6.6 billion had left Aave, with stablecoin borrowing rising to 15%, causing a major liquidity crisis. That the warning came from Zeller, the founder of the Aave-Chan Initiative (ACI), who had spent months publicly battling Aave Labs before announcing his departure in March, added an unmistakable edge to…

Russia introduces bill to criminalize unregistered crypto services

LegalApr 20

Russia’s government submitted a bill to its parliament’s lower house in an effort to amend the country's legal code to attach criminal liability for crypto services offered without regulatory approval or licensing. In a draft law sent to the State Duma on Friday, Russian lawmakers proposed that entities "carrying out activities related to the organization of digital currency circulation,” that operate without a license from Russia’s central bank, could be subject to criminal liability. Without registration with the Bank of Russia, individuals could face up to $4,000 in fines and up to four years in prison, or more severe penalties…