Author: NBTC

Zodia Markets, backed by Standard Chartered, has received a new operational licence from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). This allows the platform to operate as a crypto brokerage. Announced today (Tuesday), the Financial Services Permission (FSP) has been granted to the locally formed Zodia Markets (AME) Limited. Targeting the Middle East “Digital asset adoption continues to accelerate across Africa and the Middle East (AME), which makes this the ideal time to deepen our presence in the region while reiterating our commitment to building in major financial hubs worldwide,” said Ayad Butt, Senior Executive…

Ethereum (ETH), the largest smart-contracts blockchain, for years has had a scalability issue. As more users joined the Ethereum ecosystem, the network became more expensive and slower to use. To solve part of that issue, starting in 2019, Ethereum community members came out with their own scaling solutions, called layer 2s, or rollups. Optimism (OP) was one of the first on the market. Now, Optimism’s technology is widely used by many entities to create their own layer-2 networks. In 2024, Kraken, Uniswap, World Network (formerly Worldcoin) and Sony’s Blockchain Lab all tapped Optimism’s tech to create their own scaling blockchains.…

The price of major cryptocurrency Bitcoin (BTC) is once again the main attraction, as it always is, to be honest. New day, new reason, and this time it is the fact that the price has made its way back above the crucial level of $60,000 per BTC. Having lost this point during the news-driven massacre on the cryptocurrency market worth at least $180 million yesterday, the price of Bitcoin briefly found itself as low as $58,946, according to the Binance chart. However, buyers showed their hand, and over the next 12 hours, this imbalance, as they see it, was restored,…

Aave’s deposits tripled in 2024, reaching $36B, signaling growing user trust and adoption of DeFi platforms like $AAVE. Analyst Hitesh Malviya sees $AAVE hitting $1,000 if it matches the valuation metrics of traditional banks like HDFC. Late 2024 spikes in deposits and fees show rising market confidence as Aave bridges DeFi and traditional finance. Analyst Hitesh Malviya thinks Aave’s token is cheap when compared to conventional banks. Net deposits and fees on the well-known decentralized finance platform Aave increased in 2024. He notes that its value in relation to deposits is less than that of banks such as HDFC Bank…

9dcc, the on-chain fashion label founded by pseudonymous crypto personality and investor gmoney, is preparing to release its latest project, the 9dcc Black Box, on December 18. The drop, limited to 2,750 NFTs minted on Ethereum layer-2 network Base, is being billed by the crypto-native luxury brand as a blend of fashion, blockchain technology, and mystery. Each 9dcc Black Box promises a mix of digital and physical rewards. Buyers might find an item from the label’s Collection-01, which ranges from baseball caps to jackets. These pieces, which combine traditional materials with NFC chip technology, aim to bridge the gap between…

Ethereum’s Total Value Locked (TVL) has surged by an impressive $7.79 billion over the past week, marking it as the blockchain with the highest growth in TVL during this period. This significant development coincides with the temporary rise of the ETH price to $4,000, indicating renewed investor confidence in the cryptocurrency. The blockchain is not the only one that has had notable growth. However, according to recent data, no other project has experienced Ethereum’s level of growth. Confidence in Ethereum Reaches New Heights On December 2, the Ethereum TVL was a little less than $70 billion. But today, the metric…

Ripple’s newly announced alliance with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has sparked significant interest among members of the XRP community. Blockchain analyst Lory has weighed in, calling this collaboration a major development with long-term potential. She also offered what she describes as her “most important” advice for XRP holders in light of this new partnership. Details of Ripple’s Latest Partnership On October 16, Ripple disclosed its latest alliance with the IRC. The partnership aims to leverage Ripple’s cross-border payments solutions and the upcoming RLUSD stablecoin to improve the delivery of humanitarian aid. Ripple has committed a $1 million, multi-year grant…

Residents of the European Union will be able to spend crypto assets directly through the WhiteBit Nova card. The card, issued in partnership with VISA, will grant 10% cashback as a standard feature for all users. WhiteBit, one of the leading centralized crypto exchanges on the EU market, partnered with VISA to launch its own branded debit card. The card enables crypto transactions with cash benefits for all users. The WhiteBit Nova card will allow all holders to also spend their digital assets as needed, while earning rewards. “The WhiteBIT Nova card is a major step in making cryptocurrency a…

Telos, a decentralized 3rd-generation blockchain ecosystem, has announced a new partnership with Fireblocks. The partnership focuses on offering institutional-grade blockchain innovation with improved accessibility and security. The platform disclosed this endeavor in its recent X post. https://t.co/Hj5b8xSzb5 — The Telos Foundation (@HelloTelos) December 9, 2024 Telos Partners with Fireblocks to Provide Institutional-Grade Custody and Accessibility Telos mentioned that, through this collaboration with Fireblocks, it intends to harness enterprise-grade custody and wallet technology to increase accessibility. Businesses and institutions can now benefit from the state-of-the-art infrastructure of Fireblocks to enjoy several features. They take into account secure custody, seamless interaction with…

American multinational investment giant BlackRock has extended its lead as the world’s dominant asset manager with an $11.5 trillion Asset Under Management (AUM) milestone. As revealed in its third-quarter earnings report, the company said its AUM jumped $2.4 trillion year-over-year, driven by net inflows of $456 billion and positive market movements. The year Bitcoin emerged Despite BlackRock laying the groundwork for the broader crypto ecosystem before now, its first major product, the spot Bitcoin ETF, launched this year. This product marked a complete pivot for BlackRock, a traditionally conservative firm. In line with its adoption of Bitcoin, CEO Larry Fink…