Author: NBTC

VanEck, a prominent fund manager overseeing more than $118 billion in assets, is seeking SEC approval to launch a new ETF called “Onchain Economy ETF” that would invest heavily in digital asset transformation companies and digital asset instruments like crypto ETPs. The proposed fund, which would trade under the ticker NODE, targets allocating at least 80% of its net assets to “Digital Transformation Companies” and “Digital Asset Instruments,” according to prospectus materials submitted on Jan. 15. “Digital Transformation Companies” include firms involved in various aspects of the digital asset ecosystem, such as crypto exchanges, firms providing payment gateways, mining operations,…

Ronin, a blockchain project designed for Web3 games, has teamed up with Virtuals Protocol to introduce an AI agent to its platform. Virtuals Protocol, a platform that combines artificial intelligence (AI) with decentralized frameworks, claims to simplify the creation and deployment of AI agents. These agents, which operate on-chain or in a digital environment, are said to take on the roles of social media characters, on-chain traders, or in-game non-player characters (NPCs). The flagship product of the collaboration is Jaihoz, an AI agent modeled after Jeffrey Zirlin, the co-founder of Sky Mavis, the studio behind Axie Infinity. Virtuals reportedly designed…

The non-fungible token (NFT) market faced its worst performance in four years in 2024, with trading volumes and sales dropping by 19% and 18%, respectively. 2024 NFT Trading Volumes Fell to a Quarter of 2022 Levels The non-fungible token (NFT) market experienced its worst performance in four years in 2024, with trading volumes and sales down 19% and 18%, respectively. Dappradar data shows that while the 2024 NFT trading volume of $13.7 billion dwarfs the $74 million recorded in 2020, it’s four times less than the $57.2 billion registered in 2022. Interest in NFTs has gradually declined since peaking in…

Deribit, Europe’s largest crypto options exchange, has revealed details of sophisticated prime brokers that facilitate trades against customers on its platform, its affinity for tax-haven jurisdictions like Dubai and Panama, odd disclosures about where it holds assets, and its historical relationship with the pro-Tether leader of Cantor Fitzgerald, Howard Lutnick. Yesterday, Bloomberg reported that Deribit has received preliminary acquisition interest from entities like Kraken and has hired Financial Technology Partners LLC to assess bids. That headline renewed interest in Deribit’s finances generally. Researchers soon unveiled a labyrinth of entities that profit from Deribit customers. After alleging ties to liquidation proceedings…

0G, the pioneer decentralized AI operating system (dAIOS), has announced a new partnership with Alibaba Cloud. The partnership aims to boost infrastructure and innovation in Web3 and decentralized AI realms within the Asia-Pacific zone. The advanced cloud storage and computing capabilities of Alibaba Cloud will complement 0G’s expertise in decentralized AI. This inclusive blend of the strengths of both platforms will focus on offering>0G.ai And Alibaba Cloud Bridging Web3 and Web2 Sectors in APAC 0G.ai disclosed that the partnership with Alibaba Cloud denotes a mutual vision to fill the gap between Web3 and Web2 technologies. Additionally, both entities are promoting…

This is a segment from the Forward Guidance newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe. The December CPI report shows some prices are coming down more than expected while the cost of other goods and services continue to rise. Today’s release was enough to satisfy investors, though. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite indexes were trading 1.8% and 2.3% higher, respectively, at 2 pm ET Wednesday. The mid-week rally helped pare losses from earlier in the week. The Nasdaq Composite is now flat for the past five trading days while the S&P 500 has edged into the green, now up 0.5%…

This is a segment from the Lightspeed newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe. Here’s a look back at all of the innovations, milestones, and wins that made Solana’s 2024 unforgettable. Grab a glass of your favorite holiday cheer, and let’s raise a toast to another year of SOLid progress. Resilient market performance Talk about the comeback! SOL didn’t just bounce back in 2024 — it took flight from the ashes, soaring from around $40 a year ago to an all-time high of over $260 in recent days. Critics who doubted the network’s reliability? Silenced. Solana proved its chops, clocking near-perfect…

Solana Optimistic Network (SOON) has collaborated with CARV to co-launch the initial AI chain based on Solana Virtual Machine (SVM). The project targets to provide efficient performance on SVM, paving the way for a revolutionary future of blockchain and AI technologies. The company took to social media to disclose this launch. Pleasure to co-launch the first SVM-based AI chain with @carv_official, offering it with the top performance only possible with SVM, powered by SOON Stack.The future of AI, with SOON SVM Underneath. https://t.co/JJaW0OF4jV — SOON – Solana Optimistic Network (Alpha Mainnet) (@soon_svm) January 13, 2025 SOON and CARV Co-Launch the…

MARA Holdings said Thursday it had completed a $1 billion offering of zero-interest convertible senior notes. The majority of the net proceeds will be used to fund its future Bitcoin purchases. $1 Billion. 0% interest. MARA has completed the largest convertible notes offering ever amongst BTC miners. The mission, as always: Provide value. Acquire #bitcoin. pic.twitter.com/BIFckTaial — MARA (@MARAHoldings) November 21, 2024 The offering included an initial principal amount of $850 million, with an additional $150 million exercised under an option granted to initial purchasers. Following strong investor demand, MARA decided to increase the total offering from its original target…

Tokenization for real-world assets (RWA) is gaining significant momentum, with industry projections indicating some $50 billion in value will be reached this year. At the outset, RWA tokenization represents real-world assets such as bonds, real estate, or private credit as digital tokens on a blockchain, enabling these traditionally illiquid assets to be traded and managed more efficiently. In effect, tokenization allows traditional financial institutions to fractionalize ownership, automate compliance, and access markets around the clock. “RWA tokenization has made significant strides recently. The real question for 2025: How many assets will integrate into this system, and how quickly will global…