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Author: 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.

Legal

Bank of Russia introduces strict account requirements in amended digital ruble rules

By NBTC

Russia’s monetary authority has updated the rules for opening digital ruble accounts, and the end result is a complicated procedure for ordinary Russians and small businesses. The regulator wants to learn a lot about future users, and that’s likely to limit access to the new incarnation of the national fiat, the mass adoption of which is slated to begin this year. Bank of Russia approves new rules for digital ruble accounts The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) has amended its requirements for those who wish to open their own digital ruble accounts. To apply for one, individuals and sole proprietors…

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Blockchain

A16Z backs blockchain tech to become critical to vetting AI agents and impersonation

By NBTC

AI agents may need blockchains to solve the issue of impersonation and verification. As agents have shown the ease of colonizing social media, verification is becoming more important. AI may be a key application area for blockchains, especially when it comes to user and identity verification, noted A16Z in a forward-looking analysis. While the Internet was made for human interaction, culminating in social media, AI agents have made it faster and easier to coordinate and produce content. The activity of AI agents may soon become indistinguishable from human activity, producing content at scale and linking across platforms. Human users are…

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Ethereum

Long-dormant wallets strategically reactivate to buy ETH, signaling potential market inflection

By NBTC

In a compelling development within the cryptocurrency markets, several long-dormant wallets have suddenly reactivated to purchase substantial amounts of Ethereum ($ETH). This activity, detected by the on-chain analytics platform Lookonchain, coincides with a broader market downturn, suggesting a calculated move by historically patient investors. The phenomenon provides a fascinating glimpse into the strategic behavior of cryptocurrency whales and may offer clues about underlying market sentiment. Notably, one wallet, inactive for over two years, executed a multimillion-dollar withdrawal from a major exchange, sparking intense analysis among market observers. Long-dormant wallets make significant Ethereum moves On-chain data reveals precise and substantial transactions…

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Regulation

Bitcoin ETFs take in $830 million amid positive inflows across ether, solana and XRP

By NBTC

Spot crypto exchange-traded funds recorded broad inflows on Wednesday, led by a sharp pickup in demand for U.S. bitcoin ETFs as institutional investors returned after a choppy start to the year. Data from SoSoValue shows spot bitcoin ETFs pulled in $843.6 million on Jan. 14, their largest daily inflow in several months. The move followed a volatile stretch earlier in January that saw multiple days of net outflows as traders reduced exposure. BlackRock’s IBIT dominated the session, drawing about $648 million, while Fidelity’s FBTC added roughly $125 million. Smaller inflows were spread across other issuers, lifting total net assets held…

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Legal

Luxembourg Allows Retail Investment Funds Limited Crypto Exposure Under New Rules

By NBTC

UCITS funds can now gain up to 10% crypto exposure through ETFs and ETPs. Direct crypto holdings are still not allowed, ensuring a cautious, regulated approach. Luxembourg’s financial regulator has confirmed that UCITS investment funds can now gain limited crypto asset exposure under strict conditions. This step brings cryptocurrency to the mainstream of investing. On February 4, Luxembourg’s financial watchdog, Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), announced the decision. What has changed Under the new guidance, UCITS funds may invest up to 10% of their portfolio in crypto-related assets, but they cannot buy them directly; instead, they can invest…

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Blockchain

Decisive Step Toward Revolutionary Decentralized Exchange Mainnet

By NBTC

The decentralized exchange landscape witnesses a significant development today as Aster launches its Aster Chain testnet, marking a pivotal milestone in blockchain infrastructure evolution. This strategic move follows an intensive testing period and a unique trading competition, positioning the platform closer to its highly anticipated mainnet deployment. Industry observers now closely monitor this progression, recognizing its potential implications for decentralized finance accessibility and performance. Aster Chain Testnet Launch: Technical Foundation and Purpose Aster officially activated its Aster Chain testnet after completing a rigorous one-month testing phase. The platform designed this test environment specifically for developers and validators to evaluate network…

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Ethereum

Large Whales Are Active as Bitcoin Recovers – Here Are Their Transactions

By NBTC

The sharp declines in the cryptocurrency market in recent days have also accelerated the movements of whales. The transfers, particularly noticeable in the Ethereum market, suggest that market volatility may increase even further. According to market data, Trend Research has transferred a large amount of $ETH as part of a loan repayment. In the last 15 hours, the company sent a total of 246,075 $ETH (approximately $469.23 million) to Binance. This brings the total amount transferred to Binance recently to 434,663 $ETH (approximately $896.1 million). Meanwhile, another whale wallet that had been inactive for two years has become active again.…

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Regulation

What Will the Fed’s Interest Rate Decisions Be This Year? ‘Even If They Keep Rates Unchanged in January…’

By NBTC

Global banks have significantly divergent expectations regarding the Fed’s interest rate path. Brian Martin, Head of G3 Economic Research at ANZ Bank, argues that the pause in interest rate cuts will not last long, while J.P. Morgan paints a more cautious picture. According to ANZ, even if the Fed keeps rates unchanged at its January meeting, it could soon return to a rate-cutting cycle. Martin predicts that the Federal Open Market Committee could lower the federal funds target range to 3.00%–3.25% by mid-year with two 25 basis point cuts in March and June. This expectation is based on the view…

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Legal

Russia arrests a man for transferring cryptocurrency to Ukraine

By NBTC

A young man has been arrested in Russia for transferring a large amount of money in cryptocurrency to Ukraine, still invaded by his country. Russian authorities allege the digital coins went straight to a wallet used to fund the Ukrainian army amid a bitter war that’s yet to come to an end. Man jailed in Russia for crypto donation to the Ukrainian side A resident of the Russian city of Barnaul, administrative center of the Altai Krai, has been detained for sending some 24 million rubles’ worth of crypto (over $310,000) to neighboring Ukraine. Russian law enforcement claims the digital…

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Mining

Bitcoin difficulty drops by over 11%, in sharpest drop since 2021 China ban

By NBTC

The Bitcoin network mining difficulty, a metric tracking the relative challenge of adding new blocks to the Bitcoin ($BTC) ledger, fell by about 11.16% in the last 24 hours, the worst drop in a single adjustment period since China’s 2021 ban on crypto mining. Bitcoin mining difficulty is at 125.86 T and took effect at block 935,429, data from CoinWarz shows. The average block time is over 11 minutes, overshooting the 10-minute target. Difficulty is projected to fall again in the next adjustment on February 23 by about 10.4% to 112.7 T, according to CoinWarz. The Bitcoin network mining difficulty…

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