Author: NBTC

Multicoin wallets defined 2021. Standalone apps took over in 2023. Today, in 2025, we’re watching chains intertwine into a living, interconnected system that shares both assets and execution How Bridges Grew Up Cross-chain bridges were initially hobbled contraptions in a messy ecosystem. Assets would be locked on one chain and minted on another, and users relied heavily on the security of keys. Today, bridges operate at real scale: total value locked in bridges reached ~$19.5 billion by January 2025, and cross-chain bridges collectively facilitate over $1.3 trillion in annual transfers, contributing to 54% of all DeFi activity. LayerZero and Axelar…

The former CEO of Binance.US has officially launched a zero‑fee stablecoin orchestration platform under a new venture, 1Money. The new player has entered the crypto-pegged asset space, intending to slash the transaction costs that many users have long complained about. This development is part of the firm’s plan to establish a layer-1 blockchain centered on payments. The project is led by Brian Shroder, who previously served as CEO of Binance.US from 2021 until 2023. In January 2025, Shroder and its co-founders secured more than $20 million in seed funding to develop the platform. According to a Thursday announcement, 1Money announced…

Solflare, a leader in digital financial innovation, has announced the launch of Solflare Shield, a next-generation hardware wallet that promises to revolutionize asset management on Solana.Unveiled in Zagreb on December 4, 2025, Solflare Shield stands out for its NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, which allows transaction signing simply by bringing the card close to your smartphone, without the need for batteries, cables, or Bluetooth. This solution represents a perfect blend between the typical security of cold storage and the ease of use of a hot wallet.Users can thus protect their portfolio without sacrificing daily convenience, signing transactions with a simple…

Tether’s growing footprint in the global gold market has entered the chat in a big way, thanks to a new analysis from Jefferies that frames the stablecoin giant as something akin to a private-sector central bank. Why Jefferies Thinks Tether Is the Most Important Gold Buyer You’re Not Watching Tether, already known for steering the world’s largest stablecoin, now appears to be steering something else: the flow of bullion. A report from Jefferies equity analysts Fahad Tariq and Andrew Moss — amplified by coverage from Reuters’ Mike Dolan and Kitco News’ Neils Christensen — argues that Tether has quietly evolved…

The Cloudflare internet service went offline again, taking most websites and apps down with it. However, this time the outage was resolved within 10 minutes, a stark contrast to the November 18 catastrophe. Cloudflare said on Friday it had deployed a fix for a disruption that affected its dashboard and connected applications, but did not mention the problem that caused websites to display a “500 internal server error.” The company published an update on its status page, noting it had “implemented a fix” and was “monitoring system behavior” while services went back online. The disruption caused outages in several websites,…

A group of former executives of Signature Bank, the crypto-friendly bank shuttered in 2023 March, announced on Thursday the launch of a new blockchain-powered, full-reserve bank aiming to offer programmable U.S. dollar payments. Dubbed N3XT, the bank operates under a Wyoming Special Purpose Depository Institution (SPDI) charter, settles payments instantly using a private blockchain system and allows businesses to automate transactions via smart contracts. Unlike traditional banks, N3XT does not lend out deposits. Instead, it’s a so-called “narrow bank” where every dollar is backed one-to-one by cash or short-term U.S. Treasuries and is disclosed daily. At the helm is CEO…

South Africa’s central bank has echoed a warning from Standard Chartered, confirming that the rapid rise of stablecoins could destabilize emerging-market (EM) banks. Standard Chartered projects that digital dollars could drain as much as $1 trillion from EM bank deposits over the next three years, as consumers and corporates shift savings toward stable, USD-pegged alternatives. Standard Chartered’s Alarm: Emerging-Market Banks at Risk In a recent research note, Standard Chartered highlighted 48 countries along an opportunity–vulnerability continuum. As BeInCrypto reported, the bank’s Global Head of Digital Assets Research, Geoff Kendrick, identified Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka as most exposed to…

The volume of perpetual contracts traded on DEXs surged above $1 trillion in November, despite the uncertainties prevailing in the crypto market that month. November marked the second consecutive month with $1 trillion in perpetual trading volume after October’s $1.37 trillion. Perpetual contracts are becoming increasingly popular on decentralized exchanges, according to on-chain data. Platforms such as Hyperliquid, Lighter, and Aster recorded notable volume in October and November compared to preceding months. November perpetual trading volume on DEXs exceeds $1 trillion Source: DefiLlama. Perpetual Trading Volume on Decentralized Exchanges Data from DefiLlama, an open-source analytics platform for decentralized finance (DeFi),…

BUIDL, BlackRock’s tokenized U.S. Treasury fund, is now accepted as collateral for stablecoins issued on the M0 platform, the teams revealed on Thursday, Dec. 4. The update gives M0 issuers access to the largest tokenized Treasury fund to back their stablecoins. BUIDL has over $2 billion in total assets, down roughly 30% over the past month, even as the fund’s price remained steady at $1. At the same time, the number of holders grew by more than 3%, according to RWAxyz. The move highlights a broader push to make stablecoins more secure, give issuers more flexibility, and boost on-chain liquidity.…

The Fed’s Beige Book report, which provides updated assessments of the regional economic outlook, has been released. The report notes that economic activity across the country has remained largely stable, but regional disparities are evident. According to the Fed, most regions reported no significant change in economic activity compared to the previous report, while two regions saw a slight contraction and one a limited increase. Some contacts noted increasing risks that economic activity could slow in the coming months, but moderate optimism was observed, particularly in the manufacturing sector. Wage increases were generally modest, while the labor market continued to…