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.

Blockchain

Solana Partners with Everclear to Optimize Cross-Chain Liquidity and Asset Flows into Web3 Ecosystems

By NBTC07/02/2026

Everclear, a decentralized cross-chain clearing protocol that resolves liquidity fragmentation among different blockchains, today announced a strategic partnership with Solana, the second-largest blockchain by TVL, according to DeFillama. This collaboration enabled the integration of Everclear’s cross-chain settlement infrastructure with Solana’s blockchain ecosystem to help streamline asset migration on Solana across multiple chains. Solana is a high-speed single-layer blockchain that powers internet capital markets, payments, and DeFi applications, enabling fast, secure, and affordable transactions. Solana x Everclear going strong ⚡️ Hexens recently completed a security review of Everclear’s @Solana smart contracts. Asset-to-asset settlement is live, allowing direct crosschain asset flows, for…

Ethereum

Ethereum whale Trend Research unwinds ETH position as losses reach $747M

By NBTC07/02/2026

Liquid Capital–affiliated investment firm Trend Research has nearly exited its Ethereum position after incurring losses of $747 million, according to data tracked by Lookonchain. Trend Research started aggressively accumulating $ETH in late 2025 through leveraged borrowing on Aave. Analysts noted that the entity’s $ETH holdings exceeded 650,000 units on January 20. The market is falling, but whales and institutions are buying $ETH. Trend Research borrowed 70M $USDT from Aave and bought 24,555 $ETH($75.5M), currently holding 651,310 $ETH($1.92B). OTC whale (0xFB7) bought 20,000 $ETH($58.8M) via #FalconX and #Wintermute.… pic.twitter.com/hGuO3OSs5P — Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 21, 2026 However, the recent market corrections crushed…

Regulation

Strategy’s preferred 'STRC' drops below par after ex dividend date

By NBTC07/02/2026

Strategy (MSTR) the largest corporate holder of bitcoin, with its treasury strategy centered on accumulating BTC as a core reserve asset, has seen its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock, STRC, dip below its $100 stated value in pre-market trading following its latest monthly dividend payment, a move that largely reflects routine ex dividend mechanics. Ex dividend is the date on which a stock begins trading without the right to receive the upcoming dividend, meaning buyers on or after that date will not get the next payout. STRC currently offers an 11% annualized yield on a $100 stated…

Exchanges

Binance moves 1,315 bitcoin into SAFU fund as it prepares to buy $1 billion BTC

By NBTC07/02/2026

Crypto exchange Binance has transferred roughly $100 million worth of bitcoin from one of its hot wallets into its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU), marking an early on-chain step in the exchange’s plan to reframe its user protection reserve around bitcoin. Blockchain data shows about 1,315 BTC moved in a single transaction from a Binance-labelled hot wallet to a known SAFU fund address early Monday. The transfer was direct and showed no signs of interaction with external wallets, suggesting an internal treasury reclassification rather than a market-facing trade. Last week, Binance said it would convert $1 billion worth of…

Mining

Is Bitcoin mining profitable?

By NBTC07/02/2026

Many things have changed since Satoshi Nakamoto mined the first Bitcoin block on January 3, 2009. Nowadays, mining has become a much more serious and complex endeavor, so it makes perfect sense to question whether it is still a profitable activity. To answer this question, however, the response needs to be divided into three parts, each addressing a different scenario. The Bitcoin Mining Reward The Three Methodologies First Methodology The Second Methodology The Third Methodology The Bitcoin Mining Reward Initially, in 2009, Bitcoin mining was conducted in a single way, using a single software. At the time, mining $BTC was…

Blockchain

AEON and AB DAO Partner to Revolutionize Crypto Payments Across 50 Million Global Merchants

By NBTC07/02/2026

AEON is forming a strategic collaboration with AB DAO to better link digital assets to real-world utility, a long-term goal of the blockchain sector. While decentralized finance has thrived inside its own ecosystem, the usage of on chain assets for day-to-day purchases, such as buying coffee, has proven a technological and practical difficulty. This new partnership is looking to eliminate those barriers by facilitating practical crypto payments in everyday commerce and can mean a massive leap towards mainstream. Integrating AB Chain Assets into Global Commerce Recently, AEON announced a partnership through its official channels with an emphasis on Integrating AB…

DeFi

Coinbase's Crypto-Backed Loans Notch Record Liquidations Amid Bitcoin, Ethereum Plunge

By NBTC07/02/2026

Coinbase customers are experiencing pain in new ways as Bitcoin and Ethereum tumble, with losses piling up for thousands of users through the exchange’s crypto-backed lending product. Over the past week, Coinbase users have lost $170 million worth of collateral through liquidations on DeFi platform Morpho, according to a Dune dashboard. As Bitcoin and Ethereum notched double-digit declines, some 2,000 users lost $90.7 million on Thursday alone. When Coinbase began providing access to Bitcoin-backed loans last year, the company positioned the product as a way for people to grow their wealth. It later expanded to Ethereum-backed loans, while raising loan…

Regulation

Bitmine invests $200 million in MrBeast’s Beast Industries to expand DeFi and financial services i...

By NBTC07/02/2026

Key Takeaways Bitmine Immersion Technologies invests $200 million in Beast Industries. The investment will close around January 19, 2026. Bitmine Immersion Technology, the world’s leading Ethereum treasury company, announced Thursday a $200 million equity investment into Beast Industries. The announcement comes ahead of Bitmine’s annual meeting scheduled for later today. The partnership will focus on exploring the integration of decentralized finance (DeFi) into MrBeast’s upcoming financial services platform to bridge the gap between digital assets and the creator economy. The deal, viewed as a significant endorsement of Beast Industries’ vision and growth potential, is set to close on January 19,…

Exchanges

Ripple secures full EU e-money license in Luxembourg

By NBTC07/02/2026

Ripple said Monday it had received full approval of an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from Luxembourg’s financial regulator, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), a step that would let the company scale regulated payments services across the European Union. Ripple announced “preliminary” approval last month and has since met all conditions required by the CSSF, which has now granted final authorization. "Europe has always been a strategic priority for us, and this authorization allows us to scale our mission of providing robust, compliant blockchain infrastructure to clients across the EU," Cassie Craddock, Managing Director, UK & Europe…

Mining

Stunning 11.16% Drop Signals Major Network Shift

By NBTC07/02/2026

On-chain data reveals a significant Bitcoin mining difficulty adjustment, with the network’s complexity plunging by 11.16% this week. This substantial drop represents the most dramatic single decrease since July 2021, following China’s comprehensive mining ban. The adjustment automatically recalibrates the Proof-of-Work puzzle’s hardness, directly responding to shifting global hash power. Consequently, this event provides critical insights into miner economics, network health, and the evolving cryptocurrency landscape. Analysts from Solid Intel first reported this notable metric shift, prompting immediate examination across the industry. Bitcoin Mining Difficulty Plunges in Historic Adjustment Bitcoin’s mining difficulty serves as the network’s fundamental self-regulating mechanism. It…