Author: NBTC

Ripple has doubled down on blockchain innovation in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region by committing over $5 million in additional funding through its global University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI). The firm said the investment reflects Ripple’s dedication to cultivating next-generation blockchain talent and supporting academic research. The move, which follows $25M U.S. donations to drive crypto innovation, will span six countries, with renewed partnerships in South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, and new grants in Taiwan and Australia. The crypto firm said it continues to work closely with top universities across APAC to support student initiatives by providing the tools, funding, and…

Bitcoin (BTC) rose above $111,000 after its rally last week. While strengthening the expectation of a new record rise, Tom Lee, the co-founder of Fundstrat Global Advisors, known for his bold predictions for Bitcoin, announced his new expectation for Bitcoin. Tom Lee, who shared from the X account, said that Bitcoin is about to enter the banana zone phase where it has high growth potential. Lee used analysis shared by Julien Bittel, head of macro research at Global Macro Investor, in his forecast. According to Bittel’s chart, Bitcoin has gone through four major market cycles since 2011. And each cycle…

Interconnections between centralized and decentralized crypto lending are heightening systemic risk, Galaxy Digital’s research arm said in a June 4 report on first-quarter borrowing data. The report estimated that as of March 31, over $39 billion in crypto-collateralized debt was outstanding across decentralized lending apps, centralized lenders, and crypto-backed stablecoin issuers. DeFi protocols accounted for 45.3% of the total, centralized venues accounted for 34.6%, and collateralized stablecoins accounted for 20.1%. According to the report, many centralized desks raise short-term liquidity on DeFi rails, then lend the funds off-chain. This duplication causes the same debt obligation to appear in both on-chain…

Based on the most recent figures, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) generated approximately $474 million in sales throughout May, marking a 21.25% decline compared to April’s total. NFT Market Declines in May NFT sales maintained their downward trajectory in May, with monthly figures falling short by $127.9 million compared to the prior month. Although the number of NFT buyers climbed by 16.45% and sellers edged up by 1.57%, based on data from cryptoslam.io, total sales told a different story. Ethereum-based NFTs held the lead with $140.39 million in sales, accounting for roughly 29.63% of May’s total volume. Source: cryptoslam.io Despite topping the…

As top cryptocurrencies look to break above key levels amid fresh market optimism, ether.fi, the liquid staking protocol on Ethereum, saw its native token soar more than 21% to hit two-week highs. The price of ether.fi (ETHFI) outpaced most top altcoins, including Ethereum (ETH) that surged over 5% amid adoption news as SharpLink Gaming announced plans to buy $425 million of Ethereum. ETHFI also outpaced Bitcoin (BTC), with the decentralized staking protocol’s 21% spike to above $1.51 outshining Bitcoin’s modest 0.7% gain as BTC hovered near $110,000. Notably, the $2.5 billion fundraising announcement from Trump Media to acquire Bitcoin had…

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s Democratic Party submitted a bill to parliament that would allow qualifying companies to issue stablecoins, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The Digital Asset Basic Act is aimed at improving transparency and encouraging competition in cryptocurrency, Bloomberg said. Companies would be able to issue their own stablecoins provided they have at least 500 million won ($368,000) in equity capital and can guarantee refunds through reserves as well as receiving approval from the Financial Services Commission. Lee, voted in as president last week, made a number of promises to South Korea’s crypto industry during his election campaign, appealing…

USD1-paired meme tokens have surged in popularity on the BNB Chain, dominating the bulk of their trading activity. Between May 20 and 24, these tokens have accounted for nearly 90% of all meme token trading volume on the network. According to on-chain data and TK Research, CapitainBNB, TUT, and CA were the most active in this movement, drawing thousands of wallets and millions in volume. USD1: The Stablecoin Behind the Meme Token Surge In what analysts call the “USD1 Meme Boom,” the third week of May saw a rise in USD1-paired meme coin activity on BNB Chain. A tweet by…

HeLa Labs, the renowned L1 blockchain devoted to offering cutting-edge DeFi solutions, has commenced its latest partnership with DragonMaster, a popular blockchain-powered Metaverse game. The collaboration aims to advance Web3 gaming sector with the inclusion of multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), real-time strategy (RTS), play-to-earn gameplay (P2E), and collectible mechanics. The platform disclosed this joint effort in a recent post shared on its official X account. We’re excited to announce our newest collaboration with @dragonmaster_co!DragonMaster is the first blockchain-based Metaverse game that blends RTS, MOBA, Collection, and Play-to-Earn gameplay.Together, we’re pushing the boundaries of Web3 gaming and immersive strategy! 🐉🎮🌐……

What sets RLUSD apart is not just its technical design or regulatory adherence, but its expanding use cases within government-level systems. A striking example of this came with the recent announcement that RLUSD is being integrated into Dubai’s land registry system. As stablecoins continue to mature, a new chapter is being written in the world of programmable finance—and at the center of this transformation is RLUSD. No longer confined to crypto-native payment rails, RLUSD is stepping into the role of sovereign-grade infrastructure, signaling a significant shift in how governments and institutions view digital currencies. Originally conceived as a stablecoin solution…

Verasity, the video-focused blockchain platform known for its Proof of View (PoV) technology, today announced a strategic partnership with WORLD3 AI, an emerging AI and blockchain protocol dedicated to building AI Autonomous Worlds (AI-AW). 📢 PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT 📢We’re thrilled to share that we’ve partnered with @WORLD3_AI, a next-generation AI and blockchain platform shaping the future of AI Autonomous Worlds (AI-AW).As part of this partnership, WORLD3 will adopt the VeraPlayer infrastructure to power… pic.twitter.com/s7dvIoRMPF — Verasity (2025 ⏩) (@verasitytech) June 9, 2025 Both companies have agreed that WORLD3 AI will use Verasity’s VeraPlayer infrastructure to broadcast their wide collection of videos,…