Author: NBTC

NBTC

NBTC is the editorial account for NBTC News, covering Bitcoin, Ethereum, DeFi, blockchain infrastructure, exchanges, mining, regulation and digital asset markets. The editorial team focuses on clear sourcing, timely updates and practical context for crypto readers.

Crypto VC Explodes in Q4 2025: $8.5B Floods Later-Stage Startups

RegulationMar 30

Crypto and blockchain venture capital witnessed a sharp rebound in Q4 2025, driven predominantly by large late-stage deals. Galaxy Digital’s report, authored by Alex Thorn, Head of Firmwide Research, found that venture capitalists deployed $8.5 billion across 425 deals in the quarter – an 84% increase in capital invested and a 2.6% rise in deal count compared to Q3 2025. This represents the strongest quarterly investment in the sector since Q2 2022, although deal counts remain well below 2021-2022 levels. Crypto VC Surge in Q4 Thorn reported that later-stage companies captured 56% of total capital invested, while earlier-stage startups accounted…

US Senator Introduces Crypto Bill Blocking Federal Bailouts for Digital Assets

LegalMar 30

U.S. lawmakers move to block taxpayer rescues for crypto firms, tightening federal safeguards and signaling tougher boundaries between digital asset risk and traditional finance as scrutiny intensifies over potential spillover into the broader financial system. Senate Bill Targets Limits on Federal Crypto Bailouts Legislative scrutiny of crypto-related financial risk sharpened as U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced the “No Bailout for Crypto Act” on March 19, targeting limits on federal intervention. The measure seeks to prevent taxpayer-backed assistance for digital asset firms during periods of market distress. Lawmakers outlined restrictions that would block federal agencies from extending emergency support to…

Major Korean Crypto Exchange Challenges Binance for Shiba Inu (SHIB) Market as Volume Tanks 35% in 24 Hours

ExchangesMar 30

An interesting moment has arrived on the Shiba Inu ($SHIB) market. While overall activity is declining, the Korean platform Upbit has nearly matched the global leader, Binance, in trading volumes. The gap between them now stands at a symbolic $110,000, according to CoinGlass. Numbers of the day: Binance: $4.36 million (still the leader, but with only a minimal advantage). Upbit: $4.25 million (a powerful surge driven by Korean retail interest). Overall decline: $SHIB trading volume has dropped by 35% over the past 24 hours. How Upbit caught up with Binance on cooling $SHIB market When trading volumes fall by 35%,…

Crypto and banks spar in comments on Fed’s ‘skinny master account’ idea

RegulationMar 30

The Federal Reserve has heard arguments from crypto companies and banking associations on a proposal to allow so-called “skinny master accounts,” which would give fintech firms limited access to the central bank’s payments infrastructure. The Fed received 44 comments in response to its proposal, which closed on Friday, seeking feedback on offering a “payment account,” with crypto companies backing the idea and banks urging caution. In opening up comments on the proposal in December, Fed Governor Christopher Waller said the new payment accounts were needed due to “rapid developments” in payments and that they would “support innovation while keeping the…

Analyst Says SEC and CFTC Decision on Cryptocurrencies Officially Marks the End of Gary Gensler’s Era

LegalMar 30

Galaxy Research Head of Research Alex Thorn stated that there has been a significant shift in the regulatory approach to cryptocurrency markets in the US. According to Thorn’s assessment, the new digital asset classification guidance published by the SEC and CFTC signals the effective end of the long-criticized “Gensler era” regulatory approach. The published guidance provides a clearer framework for the sector by classifying digital assets under five main categories. Accordingly, digital assets are categorized as: digital commodities, digital collectibles, digital utility assets, stablecoins, and digital securities. A particularly noteworthy point in the regulation is that only assets falling into…

Onchain real-world perps surge, while altcoin rout drags on: Report

ExchangesMar 30

Onchain perpetual futures linked to real-world commodities like precious metals and oil have surged in trading volume, signaling an investor rotation from altcoins to commodity-linked digital assets, according to a report published Thursday by digital asset bank Sygnum. Trading volume for oil and precious metals perpetual futures markets on the Hyperliquid decentralized exchange (DEX) accounts for over 67% of HIP-3 contracts in Q1 2026, also known as “Builder-Deployed Perpetuals,” on the Hyperliquid platform, according to the report. Previously, indexes accounted for about 90% of HIP-3 trading activity, but this has fallen to about 17%, according to Sygnum. HIP-3 trading volumes…

Tether's gold stash tops $23 billion as buying outpaces nation states, Jefferies says

RegulationMar 30

Tether, the crypto firm behind the world's most popular stablecoin $USDT$0.9995, continued its gold hoarding over the past month, ranking within the top 30 global owners of the metal and surpassing several sovereign nations, according to a Sunday report from Wall Street investment bank Jefferies. The stablecoin issuer’s gold reserves rose to an estimated 148 tonnes by Jan. 31, valued at roughly $23 billion, after buying about 26 tonnes in the last quarter of 2025 and adding another 6 tonnes in January, Jefferies analysts said. Jefferies estimates show Tether’s quarterly gold buying exceeded that of most individual central banks, trailing…

Galaxy Research Warns of Remaining Regulatory Hurdles

LegalMar 30

A much-anticipated tentative agreement on stablecoin rewards has breathed new life into the stalled CLARITY Act. However, industry experts are warning that the landmark cryptocurrency legislation still faces a ticking clock and a minefield of unresolved issues. Last week, key lawmakers and the White House reached an "agreement in principle" to resolve the much-talked-about clash between traditional banks and the digital asset industry. However, according to Alex Thorn, head of firmwide research at Galaxy Digital, the crypto industry should hold off on celebrating (at least for now). A much-needed compromise Since January, the CLARITY Act has been stalled in the…

World of Elements v1.12 introduces skill trees, Hubitz location

GameFiMar 30

World of Elements, a free-to-play 2D RPG built on Neo N3, released its Early Access v1.12 update on March 28, adding a skill tree system, new location Hubitz, and additional quests, items, and monsters. The update follows v1.1 in December 2025, which introduced a Christmas event, new map areas, and quest tracking improvements. World of Elements is developed by Frank, creator of FrankCoin on Neo, and draws inspiration from classic RPGs like Secret of Mana and Final Fantasy. Skill trees and new content The main addition in v1.12 is a skill tree system, giving players a new progression mechanic alongside…

StoneX, Forex.com Operator, Expands Institutional Securitization and Lending Services

ExchangesMar 30

StoneX, the operator of the retail CFD and forex trading platform Forex.com, has launched a new Securitization Banking, Lending & Capital Markets platform, expanding its institutional services in structured finance and capital formation. Singapore Summit: Meet the largest APAC brokers you know (and those you still don't!). The platform will offer clients capital markets solutions, lending capabilities, and investment opportunities across multiple asset classes. The firm said the launch is intended to expand its role in the institutional credit market and offer clients additional liquidity and financing. Building on this institutional focus, StoneX Digital, part of StoneX Group, has introduced…