Author: NBTC

Prosecutors in the JPEX fraud case in Hong Kong received permission to adjourn the case until next year so that they can organise the case files at a hearing on Monday at the city’s Eastern Magistrate’s Court, according to local media reports. The next hearing will take place on March 16 for the group of social media influencers accused of promoting JPEX and acting as the public face of its over-the-counter cryptocurrency trading shops. They face charges including conspiracy to defraud, fraud, inducing others fraudulently or recklessly to invest in virtual assets, and dealing with property known or believed to…

Key Takeaways Phantom has introduced prediction markets that leverage any Solana token in user wallets. The new feature is powered by Kalshi and accessible directly via the Phantom wallet. Phantom has begun rolling out in-app access to prediction markets through a new integration with Kalshi, the regulated event trading platform. The feature allows Phantom users to speculate on real-world outcomes like sports, politics, and crypto events directly from their wallet interface, without needing to create a separate account or transfer funds to another platform. Announced on December 11, the partnership introduces a seamless way to trade real-money Yes or No…

Tokenization firm Superstate said on Thursday, Dec. 18, that tokenized public equities issued through its Opening Bell platform are now available as collateral on Kamino, the largest lending protocol on Solana, with $2.24 billion in total value locked (TVL). The launch allows eligible investors outside of the United States to borrow stablecoins on Kamino using tokenized shares of publicly traded companies, according to a press release viewed by The Defiant. Superstate said that this is the first time SEC-registered, exchange-listed equities have been used directly as collateral in a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol, while borrowers retain exposure to the underlying…

Ethereum researchers are advancing an encrypted mempool eip proposal that would harden the protocol against MEV-related abuse while keeping block production efficient and permissionless. Overview of the proposed encrypted mempool Motivation and role in Ethereum’s roadmap Key provider registry contract and trust graph Transaction format and ordering rules Envelope execution and decryption workflow Key revelation process and the role of the PTC User trust assumptions and security implications Mitigating reorgs and decryption key front running Incentives, collusion risks and future extensions Execution payload encryption and backwards compatibility Summary Overview of the proposed encrypted mempool The new Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP)…

Smartphone-based decentralized confidential compute project Acurast has raised $11 million, claiming tamper-resistant execution on consumer phones and secure hardware verification. According to a Thursday announcement shared with Cointelegraph, Acurast raised $11 million from Ethereum co-founder and Polkadot founder Gavin Wood, MN Capital founder Michael van de Poppe and GlueNet founder Ogle, among others. The project aims to launch its mainnet on Nov. 17, and plans to release its native token ACU alongside it. Acurast founder Alessandro De Carli said “billions of smartphones are the most battle-tested hardware on earth” and that the company hopes to reduce costs by leveraging them…

In a significant corporate maneuver, leading cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has officially changed its state of incorporation. The company filed paperwork with the SEC to move its legal home from Delaware to Texas, effective December 15. This Coinbase Texas incorporation shift is more than just a change of address; it’s a strategic decision with potential ripple effects for the crypto giant and the industry it helps lead. What Does the Coinbase Texas Incorporation Actually Mean? First, let’s clarify what “state of incorporation” entails. A company’s state of incorporation is its legal birthplace. It determines which state’s corporate laws govern its internal…

Recent claims of a major Bitcoin mining crackdown in China’s Xinjiang region rippled through the digital asset industry this week, but data by TheMinerMag suggests the actual impact was far smaller than early narratives implied. According to the latest Miner Weekly report, the Bitcoin network initially experienced a short-term hashrate decline, which was linked to developments in Xinjiang. However, the drop also coincided with power curtailments in the United States. Most major mining pools recovered to near pre-dip levels within days, resulting in a net decline of roughly 20 exahashes per second, which is significantly lower than the approximately 100…

Heima Network, a renowned decentralized lending entity, has launched a cutting-edge lending project on Hyperliquid, a next-gen decentralized lending and trading infrastructure. With the new on-chain lending platform, Heima intends to redefine risk management and transparency in DeFi lending ecosystem. As per Heima’s official announcement on social media, unlike conventional lending platforms, the new project verifies and executes each step of the procedure on-chain. This ensures consumer control as well as visibility, marking a notable move toward eliminating long-standing opacity problems in crypto-linked lending. 1/ Introducing a next-generation lending protocol on @HyperliquidX , powered by Heima infrastructure.Borrow USDC against your…

ETH treasuries may be the most impactful reserves, as corporate buying holds nearly 5% of the total supply. ETH may not only provide passive income, but also governance rights to DAT companies. Digital asset treasuries (DAT) that accumulate ETH may be the most impactful entities. Toward the end of 2025, DAT companies hold nearly 5% of the ETH supply, a much higher share compared to other types of treasuries. ETH treasuries are growing more slowly, but may become highly influential as the tokens are used for liquid staking. | Source: Strategic ETH reserve The treasuries control 4.7% of the supply,…

Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) stocks are facing a severe test, with some plunging more than 50% from their 2025 peaks and now trading near the value of their underlying crypto holdings. The dramatic sell-off poses a critical question for investors: is this a justified collapse or a severe overreaction creating a potential opportunity? Data reveal a stark picture. While Bitcoin is down roughly 20% from its 2025 all-time high, per CoinGecko data, DAT stocks have fallen more swiftly. Strategy’s stock is down 50% from its July peak, while Metaplanet and SharpLink have plummeted nearly 80% and 90%, respectively. As a…