Author: NBTC
According to a report from NBC, President Donald Trump informed his Cabinet secretaries during a meeting on Thursday that they will have the final say on staffing decisions, not Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump reportedly instructed Cabinet members and DOGE to team up and work on spending and workforce reductions. However, he clarified that final job cuts will happen at the discretion of the department leaders. President Trump’s new mandate regarding DOGE “We just had a meeting with most of the Secretaries, Elon, and others, and it was a very positive one,” Trump shared on…
Bitcoin’s price fell 3.07% to $95,086 on Feb. 21, 2025, as markets reacted to a $1.4 billion hack at Bybit and technical indicators signaled bearish pressure. Bearish Signals Dominate Bitcoin Charts Amid Security Breach Fallout Bitcoin traded within a 24-hour range of $95,086 to $99,504, reflecting heightened volatility following the breach of Bybit’s Ethereum cold wallet. The exchange confirmed customer funds remained secure, but the incident amplified investor caution. Bitcoin’s market cap held at $1.88 trillion despite a $45.55 billion daily trading volume, underscoring the tug-of-war between panic selling and bargain hunting. The breach’s timing exacerbated existing technical weaknesses, with…
Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform that enables programmable contracts, the creation of digital currencies, and applications, reshaping industries from finance to art through innovation and automation. Understanding Ethereum’s Foundation Ethereum, proposed in 2013 by programmer Vitalik Buterin and launched in 2015, builds on Satoshi Nakamoto’s blockchain technology but expands its capabilities beyond peer-to-peer payments. Unlike Bitcoin with its native asset BTC, which primarily functions as a digital currency, Ethereum operates as a global, open-source platform for decentralized applications (dapps) and smart contracts. Ethereum is the second largest cryptocurrency by market cap with an overall valuation of $266 billion during…
House Republicans have introduced a spending bill that aims to fund government agencies through Sept. 30, setting the stage for a high-stakes power struggle in Congress. The move forces Democrats to either support the bill or risk a devastating government shutdown on March 15. The legislation, backed by President Donald Trump, is expected to face strong opposition from Democrats. House Speaker Mike Johnson will attempt to muster his party’s narrow majority to pass the 99-page bill through the House on Tuesday, likely without Democratic support. But its fate in the Senate remains uncertain because it needs support from moderate Democrats…
This is a segment from the Lightspeed newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe. The crypto-incentivized cell network provider Helium Mobile is bringing Helium network coverage to 2.3 million Mexicans via a partnership with Movistar, the country’s second largest carrier service. Under the new plan, Movistar will pay for its subscribers to use Helium coverage where possible, and Helium hotspot operators will be rewarded with tokens. The expanded Mexico deployment hints at Helium Mobile’s broader development strategy: grow its network in new markets by partnering with existing telecommunications companies. Helium Mobile sells hotspot devices that people can plug in to function…
Singapore Trade Minister Alvin Tan said the public should “stay clear” of cryptocurrencies altogether, because there are no protections in place if they lose money. Tan was responding to having been asked why the government has tightened regulations on exchanges—and barred investors from purchasing digital assets using their credit cards. His warning arrives just as Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has had to issue warnings that deepfakes of his image are being used to promote crypto scams and money-making schemes. He added that anyone who has fallen victim to one of these scams should contact the police. There are a…
Consensys CEO Joseph Lubin claims that Ethereum must remain “credibly neutral” and “apolitical.” “One can build biased, political, centralized, and local applications on such a platform, and benefit from connectivity to everything else on the platform,” he said. He has added that Ethereum supporters of the likes of Consensys and Etherealize can do the work to help governments and businesses understand the blockchain’s various use cases. Lubin’s statement comes amid concerns that Ethereum is losing its prominence due to the lack of lobbying efforts. “If Ethereum changes course abruptly, it risks losing its identity. Any newly formed lobbying arms are…
ECB President Christine Lagarde said the European Central Bank (ECB) aims to finalize preparations for a digital euro by October 2025, but its launch remains contingent on legislative approval and stakeholder cooperation. EU Digital Euro Preparation Phase Targets October 2025, Launch Uncertain Amid Legislative Delays The ECB is racing to complete the groundwork for a digital euro by October 2025, though the currency’s rollout faces delays pending legislative greenlights. “The deadline for us is going to be October of 2025, and we are getting ready for that deadline, but we will not be able to move unless the other parties,…
JTO, the native token of Jito, has spiked 30% since Upbit announced it will be listing the Solana-based coin on Feb. 21 at 14:30 KST. According to a recent notice, Upbit will be adding trading support for the Jito native token starting from Feb. 21 at 14:30 KST. The token will be available for trading on the Korean won market. Shortly after Upbit announced its listing the Jito (JTO) native token spiked as high as 28%, reaching a price of $3.49 according to data from crypto.news. At press time, the token is trading hands at $3.17, having gone down by…
A federal judge has denied an attempt to block D.O.G.E, the Department of Government Efficiency, from accessing the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which handles tax refunds, Social Security payments, Medicare spending, and federal salaries. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, ruling from Washington, D.C., on Friday, rejected a lawsuit filed by retirees and labor unions who argued that giving D.O.G.E access could expose millions of Americans’ private financial information. In her decision, she acknowledged the concerns but said there was no proof that the Treasury Department’s system had been compromised or that there was an imminent risk of data exposure. “If Plaintiffs could…