Author: NBTC
In my prior article on the mempool, I laid out a simple conceptual framework to reason about the basic functionality of the mempool, and how it was used by different kinds of users of the Bitcoin network. In this piece I will be looking at the differences between relay policy and consensus rules, and why by default Bitcoin nodes do not relay some types of bitcoin transactions despite being consensus valid. First and foremost, regardless of the peer-to-peer network refusing to relay certain kinds of consensus valid transactions, if those transactions were to find up in a miner’s mempool and…
A new report on cryptocurrencies has come from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), which is skeptical of Bitcoin (BTC) and cryptocurrencies. On this point, the BIS recently published a paper titled “Empirical Analysis of Cross-Border Bitcoin, Ethereum and Stablecoin Flows.” Examining cross-border cryptocurrency flows and the driving factors behind the flows in 184 countries from 2017 to mid-2024, the BIS noted that capital flow measures had little impact on cryptocurrency transactions. The BIS noted that capital flow management measures have almost no restrictions on crypto transactions, and on the contrary, they may even facilitate the growth of crypto trading…
The Financial Times has uncovered how insiders made $99.6 million on the MELANIA memecoin. According to the report, the insiders bought the token a few minutes before its official launch and cashed out big on the trade. The report identified 24 addresses that bought 16.77 million of the Melania Trump-affiliated tokens for $2.6 million within two and a half minutes before she posted it on her Truth Social account. Melania shared details of the token late on January 19, causing a trading frenzy in the crypto market as MELANIA’s price rose significantly. Interestingly, most of the addresses sold off the…
As Michael Saylor showed in a recent post, Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) continues to double down on its Bitcoin-first model – and the latest numbers give a clear picture of how the approach is playing out behind the scenes. According to the update, the company’s Bitcoin (BTC) yield for the year so far stands at 15.5%, which adds up to a $7.2 billion dollar gain from its BTC holdings alone. Strategy currently holds 568,840 BTC, with the total value of that position reaching about $58.9 billion. The company bought that Bitcoin at an average price of $69,287, while the current market…
The stablecoin market could soon eclipse the entire crypto trading ecosystem that gave birth to it as regulatory tailwinds allow for the integration of the fixed-value tokens into the mainstream economy, according to predictions from global bank Citi. Above and beyond their role as tokenized cash for the crypto trading community, stablecoins — digital tokens whose value is pegged primarily to the U.S. dollar — are already expanding into payments and remittances. The next five years will likely see them replacing some overseas and domestic U.S. currency holdings as well as forming part of the short-term liquidity held at banks,…
Haliey Welch, who catapulted to internet fame after a street interview in which she detailed an oral sex technique, has apologized for her role in the Hawk Tuah meme coin scandal. She added that her silence since the incident was part of a “much-needed” mental health break. This comes after Welch promoted a Solana meme coin called Hawk Tuah (HAWK), in reference to her viral interview, that quickly imploded after its launch. Within 15 minutes, the token was created, soared to a $490 million market capitalization, before it crashed 93% in value—prompting a slew of rug pull allegations. On-chain analysts…
Peter Brandt, a longtime trader considered a legend by many, is offering a fresh take on how we think about market crashes, drawing an unexpected comparison between the wild swings in Bitcoin (BTC) and one of the most famous downturns in U.S. stock market history. According to Brandt, the crash of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) in the early 1930s – often pointed to as the ultimate example of a bear market – might not be as unique as many assume. Back then, during the Great Depression, the Dow fell more than 80% from its highs, a level of…
COTI (COTI) has joined the ECB’s initiative to create a digital euro, a euro-wide central bank digital currency (CBDC) with a target launch by 2026. As part of a select group of “pioneering partners” including Accenture, KPMG and TATA, COTI will help demonstrate how conditional payments can be implemented using the ECB’s simulated technical infrastructure. The development is in line with COTI’s track record in the CBDC space, having collaborated with the Bank of Israel on a proof of concept for the digital shekel last year. A key element of the project is privacy, an area in which COTI has…
Prominent blockchain data platform Whale Alert, which tracks down massive cryptocurrency movements, spotted an ancient whale awakening less than an hour ago. This wallet went into hibernation just four years after the mysterious Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto stopped being involved with his own brainchild and went under the radar. This whale remained inactive for approximately 11.1 years and reactivated today. The wallet’s owner has made a staggering five-digit profit on its three-digit Bitcoin bag. Whales returns with 300 BTC worth $31 million According to Whale Alert, the above-mentioned reactivated wallet contains 300 Bitcoins. This amount of the world’s largest crypto…
On May 13, Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road marketplace, revealed his departure from Arizona, setting off on an undisclosed journey. In a striking move, Ulbricht disclosed plans to auction off select personal belongings—artifacts from his life before incarceration and mementos from his years behind bars. Turning the Page Ulbricht, who was fully pardoned this year after U.S. President Donald Trump took office, took to X to declare his exit from Arizona in pursuit of travels unknown. “I’ve left AZ, the state where I was in prison. It’s time to travel,” Ulbricht said on the social media platform.…