Author: NBTC

If the software developers underpinning decentralized finance (DeFi) aren’t sufficiently protected in the next draft of the crypto regulatory bill set to emerge from the U.S. Senate, the industry may still be pressed to oppose the legislation it’s spent years advocating for. At this stage, it’s the traditional financial sector — including securities industry group SIFMA — that are most aggressively seeking to push back on the DeFi sector’s asks, according to industry leaders. That’s coming at a time when the two relevant Senate committees are hashing out plans to vote on the crypto market structure bill next week —…

PayPal (PYPL) is extending the role of its PYUSD stablecoin into artificial intelligence finance, linking it to onchain funding mechanisms developed by USD.AI, a stablecoin protocol that provides credit to AI companies. Loans issued by USD.AI to finance graphics processing unit (GPUs), data centers and related AI infrastructure will be denominated in PYUSD, with borrowers able to receive proceeds directly into PayPal accounts, according to an announcement shared with CoinDesk on Thursday. The approach is intended to combine familiar payment workflows with programmable settlement suited to long-term financing, rentals and emerging agent-driven transactions. It also demonstrates how stablecoins can be…

Stripe and Crypto.com have partnered to expand access to cryptocurrency payments. The integration allows Stripe-supported merchants to accept crypto payments through Crypto.com Pay, in what the companies described as a step toward merging digital assets with mainstream commerce. Through the new setup, customers will reportedly be able to pay directly with cryptocurrency or stablecoins using their Crypto.com Pay balance. [#highlighted-links#] Stripe will then convert the received payment into the merchant’s local currency and deposit funds into their bank account, simplifying the process for businesses that want to accept crypto without dealing with price volatility. Crypto.com becomes the first crypto firm…

AscendEX, a well-known crypto exchange, has collaborated with Midle, a next-gen mobile and web application, to advance Web3 and Web3 user engagement. The partnership aims to utilize resilient trading infrastructure of AscendEX and the robust user engagement mechanism to establish a seamless experience benefiting crypto consumers. As AscendEX pointed out in its social media announcement, the collaboration plans to accelerate global adoption of the latest blockchain-based services and products. Thus, this initiative signals a key move in connecting conventional digital entities and the swiftly rising decentralized network. We’re excited to partner with @midle_official#Midle is the web & mobile app that…

MixMax is teaming up with ICB Network to further consolidate the decentralized financial services industry. This partnership opens up new methods for blockchain projects to manage liquidity and educate clients on managing their digital assets. Announced on January 9th, 2025, this partnership will be a milestone in each company’s development of an accelerator that will focus on volume (VOL) and annual percentage yield (APY) to help grow the DeFi community. Understanding the Partnership’s Fundamental Mission As a next-generation Web3 innovation incubator, MixMax has directly supported numerous industries with a focus on developing all aspects of the blockchain ecosystem. In addition,…

The decentralized finance landscape just received a massive power surge. Fuse Energy, a pioneering Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) project built on the Solana blockchain, has successfully raised a staggering $70 million in a Series B funding round. This monumental investment, led by prominent venture firms Lowercarbon Capital and Balderton Capital, catapults the company’s valuation to an impressive $5 billion. For anyone tracking the convergence of blockchain and real-world utility, this news signals a pivotal moment where cryptocurrency infrastructure moves beyond digital assets to physically power our world. What is Fuse Energy and Why Does This Funding Matter? At its…

Crypto influencer Scooter says he will be will be “discussing multiple legal angles to file for potential defamation” after he was apparently named as one of 25 “John Doe” defendants in a suit filed in the Southern District of New York. Scooter was named in Burwick Law’s amended suit after he — according to the law firm’s contextualization — threatened other influencers via X with “livelihood-destroying campaigns.” Burwick alleges that Scooter wanted to profit from “future scam launches” and broadcasted an intention to use social media to secure his invite into these exclusive launches. However, Scooter noticed those allegations and…

In 2025, Coinbase expanded its presence in the international financial market through regulatory actions, the introduction of new product offerings, and a series of acquisitions, which broadened the company’s operating range. During the same year, Coinbase became the first crypto-native company added to the S&P 500, a move that placed the firm within mainstream equity portfolios and formalized its inclusion in traditional market benchmarks. Regulatory progress and market access One of the key changes in 2025 was on the regulatory front. The dispute between Coinbase and the Securities and Exchange Commission was permanently terminated when the latter dropped its suit…

AGI Open Network, a Web3-focused artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure network, has disclosed its strategic partnership with HPX, a next-generation crypto financial gateway that brings digital assets into daily life. The main purpose of this groundbreaking collaboration is to connect intelligent AI-agents for a better on-chain and utility-driven crypto experience. 🥳 We’re excited to announce our partnership with @Hpx_Official!🎯 HPX is a next-generation crypto financial gateway that brings digital assets into everyday life — from storage and yield to payments and global spending, all in one secure ecosystem.🤝 Partnership Highlights:… pic.twitter.com/6Esx8Tto5A — AGI Open Network (@AGIOpenNetwork) January 9, 2026 AGI Open…

ANT.FUN, a DEX trading platform that provides users with greater management of assets, today announced a strategic partnership with the HPX Wallet, a decentralized wallet that enables people to simplify their digital asset management and seamlessly buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies. This collaboration facilitated the integration of the HPX Wallet with ANT.FUN’s on-chain decentralized exchange (DEX) trading platform, a move that aims to allow wallet users to access advanced applications across various DeFi platforms. HPX Wallet, formerly HyperPay Wallet, is a secure, multi-crypto, and user-friendly wallet that enables people to purchase, store, sell, and transfer cryptocurrencies. Since its establishment in…