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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.

Gemini Slashes Staff, Exits Europe Amid Crypto Downturn

Key Notes Gemini exits UK, EU and Australia. It also reduces up to 200 employees (~25%). Gemini guided to ~$11,000,000 in pre-tax restructuring charges. Gemini Space Station Inc. approved a plan to exit the UK, the EU, and Australia and cut up to 200 jobs, equal to about 25% of global headcount, according to an official statement on Feb. 5, 2026. According to a recent SEC filing, Gemini informed regulators that it expects the wind-down plan to be completed in 1H 2026 and to book about $11,000,000 in pre-tax restructuring and related charges, with “substantially all” recognized in Q1 2026.…

Exchanges

Google Parent Alphabet Hits $4 Trillion Valuation After Apple AI Deal

Alphabet reaches a $4 trillion market value, driven by its intensified AI focus. The Google parent is only the fourth company in history to hit the $4 trillion milestone after Nvidia, Microsoft and Apple. On January 12, Alphabet’s Class‑A shares surged to $334.04, briefly pushing the company’s market capitalization to $4 trillion, the highest ever for the Google parent. The rally follows a multi‑year agreement to base Apple’s next‑generation artificial intelligence (AI) models on Google’s Gemini platform and reflects renewed investor confidence in its AI‑driven growth strategy. The milestone underscores Alphabet’s shift from a cloud‑centric turnaround to a broader AI…

Regulation

Crypto infrastructure firm pushes deeper into stablecoin payments with $250 million deal

Crypto infrastructure builder Polygon Labs said it has signed definitive agreements to acquire crypto payments firm Coinme and wallet infrastructure provider Sequence for more than $250 million, as it looks to expand Polygon’s role in stablecoin-based payments and onchain money movement. The move comes as crypto projects increasingly position themselves as neobank-like platforms, offering payments, custody and compliance services that resemble traditional digital banks, but operate on blockchain rails. The shift reflects a broader industry push to move beyond general-purpose blockchains toward revenue-generating financial services, particularly as stablecoins gain traction as a settlement layer. The deals will anchor Polygon’s forthcoming…

Regulation

Cronos teams up with Fireblocks to build secure global trading infrastructure

Cronos, a non-custodial trading venue and blockchain backed by Crypto.com, has integrated with Fireblocks, an enterprise digital asset infrastructure platform, to enhance institutional trading capabilities on its network, according to a Thursday announcement. The partnership introduces advanced custody and digital asset operations for tokenized assets on Cronos, meeting the needs of financial institutions and market makers. Zain Bacchus, CPO of Cronos Labs, said in a statement that the integration reinforces Cronos’ goal of becoming a global marketplace for crypto, stocks, sports outcomes, and prediction markets. “Fireblocks provides the institutional infrastructure required for market makers and other FIs to connect to…

Exchanges

Credit unions reject stablecoin rewards, bitcoin traders look to inflation data: Crypto Daybook Americas

By Omkar Godbole (All times ET unless indicated otherwise) U.S. credit unions joined banks in rejecting reward payments for holding stablecoins while crypto traders await U.S. inflation data that could boost bitcoin buying. The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is a proposed regulatory framework that categorizes digital assets into three main categories: digital commodities like bitcoin $BTC$91,978.21 and ether $ETH$3,139.79 overseen by the CFTC, investment contract assets regulated by the SEC and permitted payment stablecoins. Credit unions, banks and crypto firms disagree on the payment of interest on stablecoin holdings. They seem to have secured a win for now. Senate…

Regulation

Binance and ByBit have reportedly begun withdrawal freezes

Top cryptocurrency exchanges Binance and Bybit have reportedly begun halting withdrawals amid the accelerating crypto selloff. This news follows a brief outage on Binance earlier this week that the exchange attributed to technical difficulties, offering traders a quick reset after a jittery stretch for crypto markets. Reports indicate that Binance restored withdrawals after fixing the issue, with the disruption lasting about 20 minutes. At that time, online chatter suggested users were rushing to pull funds amid falling crypto prices. On this occasion, the exchange first flagged the problem in a post on X, telling users, “We are aware of some…

Exchanges

World central banks rally behind Powell, stress Fed independence

Global central bank leaders have rallied behind US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, warning that political pressure on the Fed risks undermining financial and economic stability worldwide. In a joint statement released Tuesday, governors from 11 major central banks said they “stand in full solidarity with the Federal Reserve System and its Chair Jerome H. Powell,” stressing the importance of central bank independence. The statement comes after US authorities opened a criminal investigation into Powell over a $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed’s headquarters, a move that has intensified tensions between the central bank and the Trump administration. The signatories…

Regulation

Bitcoin Exchange Binance Announces It Purchased Bitcoin for the SAFU Fund! Here Are the Details

Binance announced it purchased 3,600 $BTC for its SAFU (Secure Asset Fund for Users) fund, created to protect user assets. The exchange stated that this purchase was made using approximately $250 million worth of stablecoins, with an average purchase price of $69,444. According to the statement, following the purchase, the total amount of $BTC in SAFU’s Bitcoin address on Binance increased to 6,230. The total value of the existing assets is stated to be approximately $412 million. On-chain data shows that this Bitcoin transfer took place on February 6th at 10:04 AM. The purchased $BTC were transferred to the Binance…

Exchanges

Polymarket Trader Loses $2.36M Despite Near 50% Win Rate

A recent on-chain report shared by Lookonchain highlights a sharp loss incurred by a Polymarket trader known as “bossoskill1.” Over just eight days, the trader lost approximately $2.36 million while actively participating in sports-related prediction markets. The activity included 53 separate predictions across major leagues, making this one of the more extreme short-term drawdowns observed on decentralized prediction platforms. The case has drawn attention because the losses occurred despite a win rate close to 50%. How the Trading Strategy Was Structured On-chain dashboards show that the trader placed bets primarily on NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAA spread markets. These markets…

Regulation

Bybit Partners With Mercuryo for Crypto Transactions; Enables Direct AED Bank Transfers

Bybit has partnered with global payments infrastructure platform Mercuryo to offer zero transaction fees on qualifying crypto purchases. Alongside its payments initiatives, Bybit has continued expanding its financial product offerings. Last year, the exchange introduced 24/5 stock CFD trading on its TradFi platform, allowing users to trade selected stock contracts for difference, including tech names such as NVIDIA, Tesla, and Apple, on weekdays without being limited by U.S. market hours. Up to February 18, 2026, eligible users in selected markets can buy $USDC or $USDT with any of seven supported fiat currencies through Bybit One-Click Buy without paying standard transaction…

Exchanges