Author: NBTC

Investment bank Standard Chartered (STAN) said ether ETH$3,113.37 is positioned to outperform bitcoin BTC$91,150.26 despite weaker-than-expected performance across digital assets this cycle. Bitcoin’s weaker performance has weighed on the broader crypto market, but ether’s relative outlook has improved and the bank expects the ETH-BTC ratio to climb back toward its 2021 highs over time. Even so, Standard Chartered trimmed its ether forecasts for 2026 through 2028 to reflect ongoing weakness tied to bitcoin’s performance. At the same time, it raised its longer-term outlook, forecasting ether to reach $40,000 by the end of 2030 as the crypto’s structural advantages play out.…

Laura Katherine Mann, a partner at global law firm White & Case, sees 2025 as the “test-case year” for crypto initial public offerings, but says 2026 is the real proof point: the year the market finds out whether digital asset IPOs are a “durable asset class” or just a cyclical trade that only works when prices are ripping. 2025 was a busy year for crypto companies going public. Stablecoin issuer Circle (CRCL) listed in June, followed by CoinDesk’s owner Bullish (BLSH) in August and crypto exchange Gemini (GEMI) in September. Potential candidates for next year include South Korean crypto exchange…

Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), the largest Ethereum-focused crypto treasury company, continued to buy ether ETH$3,125.91 through last week, but has warned that the pace may not last. The firm added 24,266 ether ETH$3,125.91 last week, lifting its holdings to 4,167,768 tokens as of Sunday. The purchase pushes BitMine’s share of ether’s circulating supply to 3.45%, with a goal to ultimately corner 5% of all tokens. Chairman Thomas Lee, in a statement on Monday, said that BitMine’s ability to continue accumulating ETH depends on shareholder approval to authorize new equity issuance. Without it, the firm could be forced to slow its…

The US banking industry has mounted a coordinated challenge to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC) approach. The pushback targets the regulator’s efforts to integrate cryptocurrency firms into the federal banking system. On December 12, OCC issued conditional approval of national trust charters for five digital asset firms, including Ripple, Fidelity, Paxos, First National Digital Currency Bank, and BitGo. The bank regulator stressed that the crypto applicants underwent the same “rigorous review” as any national bank charter applicant. US Banking Industry Challenges OCC’s Move However, the American Bankers Association (ABA) and the Independent Community Bankers of America…

Key takeaways ETH is trading above $3,100, up by less than 1% in the last 24 hours. The coin could rally towards the $3,500 psychological level if the bullish trend resumes. ETH continues to range above $3k The cryptocurrency market has had a positive start to the year, with Bitcoin reclaiming the $90k level. Ether is also trading above $3k once again, while XRP has reclaimed its position as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. However, the three leading cryptocurrencies have been ranging over the past few hours, with altcoins recording mixed performances. Bitcoin and Ethereum extend gains for the…

The Bank of Italy has modeled what would happen to Ethereum’s security and settlement capacity if the price of Ether fell to zero, treating the network as critical financial infrastructure rather than just a speculative crypto asset. In a new research paper titled “What if Ether Goes to Zero? How Market Risk Becomes Infrastructure Risk in Crypto,” Bank of Italy economist Claudia Biancotti examines how an extreme price shock in Ether (ETH) could affect Ethereum‑based financial services that rely on the network for transaction processing and settlement. Biancotti focuses on the link between validators’ economic incentives and the stability of…

On Dec. 9, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency put out a press release with a very direct message for US banks: you are allowed to sit in the middle of crypto trades. In the memorably titled News Release 2025-121, the OCC published the somehow even worse-titled Interpretive Letter 1188 and confirmed that national banks may run “riskless principal” crypto-asset transactions as part of the business of banking, acting as the buyer to one customer and seller to another, while keeping no meaningful inventory of tokens themselves. A day earlier, Comptroller Jonathan Gould stood before a room of…

Staking is no longer a niche add-on for ether ETH$3,106.53 investors in 2026 — it has become a defining feature of how institutions gain exposure to the cryptocurrency, shaping product design, returns and risk management across the market. Near-term selling is constrained by staking, but coins are no longer trapped. With withdrawals running smoothly, ether now trades less like a locked-up asset and more like a yield-bearing position that investors can scale up or down as sentiment changes. Kean Gilbert, head of institutional relations at Lido Ecosystem Foundation, says the past year laid the groundwork for institutional staked ether (stETH) adoption.…

Key Takeaways Exor N.V. has rejected Tether Investments’ offer to acquire its shares in Juventus Football Club. Exor and the Agnelli family reaffirm their commitment to retaining ownership and supporting Juventus. Juventus owner Exor N.V. has turned down Tether’s proposal to acquire its full 65.4% controlling stake in the football club, according to an official statement on Saturday. The decision, unanimously taken by Exor’s board of directors, came less than 24 hours after the crypto giant submitted its offer. The company stated it has no intention of selling its shares in Juve to a third party, reaffirming that it is…

Senate Democrats haven’t fled the negotiating table for the legislation to finally regulate the U.S. crypto industry, but frustrations are evident as a new draft is being speed-written as the weekend approaches. The Senate Banking Committee has assured the industry it’ll get its markup next week, which requires that an official notice goes out by Friday night. Its partner on the bill — the Senate Agriculture Committee — has reportedly been trying to get on the same schedule for a committee vote, though it’s uncertain whether the top Democrat negotiator on that panel is ready. For his part, Senator Tim…