Author: NBTC
Bitcoin BTC$68,845.75 slipped below $69,000 on Thursday as a broader pullback in risk assets gathered pace, with early optimism around Iran-U.S. peace and easing Middle East tensions fading. The largest crypto lost more than 3% from its overnight high above $71,000, while major altcoins ether (ETH), $XRP ($XRP), Solana’s $SOL ($SOL) and Cardano’s $ADA ($ADA) plunged 4%-5% during the same period. Oil prices remain the barometer for the broader market. Crude oil futures rose about 4%, reversing earlier declines and reinforcing concerns about inflation and supply disruptions tied to the Iran conflict. U.S. stocks were at session lows just after…
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Illinois and various state officials on Thursday over the state’s efforts to shutter prediction market providers. Illinois sent cease-and-desist letters to some prediction market providers, arguing that the companies were offering sports gambling products that should be regulated under state law. The CFTC has argued that prediction markets are offering swaps products, which are regulated under the federal Commodity Exchange Act and therefore are under the “exclusive jurisdiction” of that regulator. In the lawsuit, the CFTC continued this argument, saying Illinois’s efforts “intrudes on” the CFTC’s…
Over the last year, Aster has transformed from a single-product derivatives venue into a broader trading platform, with aster chain at the core of its new infrastructure strategy. From Perp DEX challenger to ecosystem builder Over the past year, Aster has shifted from a standalone perpetual trading product into a dual-focus project centered on trading and infrastructure. Moreover, this evolution has been defined by three clear turning points that reshaped its trajectory. First, during the rapid rise of the Perp DEX sector, Aster identified the right niche and captured structural opportunities. Trading volume continued to grow, repeatedly posting new highs…
China has been sparing no effort in dealing with users involved in illegal Bitcoin mining activities. It recently hit two men in the Heilongjiang Province with heavy prison sentences, a few weeks after a prominent industrial operator was hit with millions in liability. Amid all that drama, $BTC mining difficulty has stayed around all-time high levels, and the industry has responded with sharp pivots, while corner-cutting stunts are being punished harshly by authorities in China and areas under embargo in Russia. Heilongjiang Province sentences duo to 14 years China’s officials have been cracking down hard on underground Bitcoin miners in…
Caxton Associates has seen its flagship $9 billion macro fund lose more than $1.3 billion in March after the Iran conflict sent oil, bond and commodity markets into violent dislocations. The London-based firm, led by CEO Andrew Law, is one of at least ten major hedge funds caught on the wrong side of the Gulf crisis trade. The losses highlight how a single geopolitical shock can cascade through TradFi and reshape risk sentiment across asset classes, including crypto. Caxton Leads the Pain, but the Damage Is Widespread Caxton’s drawdown began with a $600 million loss in the first week of…
The Nigerian central bank has launched a pilot program to supervise anti‑money laundering and counter‑terrorism financing compliance among crypto and fintech firms. Six VASPs Tapped for New Supervisory Pilot The Central Bank of Nigeria has officially launched an anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism supervisory pilot program. The new pilot is designed to align Nigeria with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations 15 and 16—specifically the travel rule, which requires virtual asset service providers to share originator and beneficiary information for transactions. Only a few years ago, the Nigerian crypto landscape was defined by friction. In February 2021, the…
Leading derivatives marketplace CME Group has confirmed a key date for crypto futures traders. In a tweet, CME Group mentioned May 29 as the date traders will be able to trade crypto futures and options 24/7, pending regulatory review. In a non-stop market, a strategy that sleeps is a strategy that misses opportunities. Get ready to trade our Crypto futures and options 24/7, beginning May 29.* ↪️ https://t.co/iqALvVJT5c*Pending regulatory review pic.twitter.com/4a9dyp74Wb — CME Group (@CMEGroup) April 2, 2026 Announcing this information, CME Group stated: “In a non-stop market, a strategy that sleeps is a strategy that misses opportunities.” Starting from…
The CLARITY Act entered Washington as a bid to impose a durable market structure on crypto. It now sits at the center of a four-way fight over who gets to define that structure, who gets paid inside it, who supervises it, and how much of the existing financial rulebook survives the rewrite. The bill still includes broad language for jurisdictional clarity, with the Senate Banking Committee majority outlining a framework that draws lines between the SEC and the CFTC while adding tailored disclosures and anti-fraud protections. Around that frame, the coalition has fractured into four camps with different definitions of…
In a significant strategic pivot for one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, Tron founder Justin Sun declared on social media platform X that the $HTX token is now the exclusive platform token for the $HTX exchange, marking the end of a dual-token era with $TRX. This decisive move, announced on March 21, 2025, signals a new chapter of independence and focused growth for the exchange, with potential ripple effects across the broader crypto ecosystem. $HTX Token Secures Exclusive Role in Major Exchange Overhaul Justin Sun’s announcement clarifies a multi-year evolution for the $HTX exchange. Previously, both the native $TRX…
At a time when interest in privacy-focused assets is reigniting in the cryptocurrency markets, Cypherpunk Investment Manager Will McEvoy painted a very optimistic picture for Zcash ($ZEC). Speaking on Jennifer Sanasie’s show, McEvoy assessed Zcash’s potential in the current market conditions. McEvoy stated that with the increase in digital surveillance and restrictions on financial privacy worldwide, users will turn to technologies like Zcash to protect themselves. According to McEvoy, Zcash’s “Zero-Knowledge Proofs” technology is the most fundamental element that distinguishes the project from other cryptocurrencies. During the program, McEvoy discussed Zcash’s price movements, stating that considering the asset’s past performance…