Author: NBTC

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.

ZK proofs hitting escape velocity — and ETH may be feeling it

Vitalik Buterin thinks Ethereum’s ZK proving stack is turning a corner, and wants the ecosystem to use that momentum to eliminate one of its most persistent UX roadblocks: week-long L2 withdrawals on optimistic rollups. Fraud proof windows — a requirement for canonical bridging from rollups like Base back to Ethereum — are “simply far too long for people,” Buterin wrote in a post on X last week. “This creates large incentives to instead use solutions with unacceptable trust assumptions (eg. multisigs/MPC) that undermine the whole point of having L2s instead of fully independent L1s,” he said. The centrality of Ethereum…

BlockchainAug 13

China’s Z.ai Scoffs at US Sanctions, Launches Supercharged AI With $1.5B War Chest

Beijing-based Z.ai, recently added to the U.S. Entity List and backed by $1.5 billion in fresh funding, has released two open-source AI models that outperformed most Western counterparts in global benchmarks, challenging U.S. sanctions as it prepares for a Hong Kong listing. The startup, formerly known as Zhipu AI, is listed on Washington's Entity List, a trade restriction tool that identifies foreign individuals, companies, and other organizations the government believes are involved in activities contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests. Rubbing salt on the wounds, Z.ai dunked on San Francisco-based OpenAI in a blog post earlier on…

RegulationAug 13

Ripple Scores Major Win as SEC Lifts “Bad Actor” Ban

SEC waives Ripple’s “Bad Actor” ban, restoring Regulation D fundraising rights. Bill Morgan says it unlocks institutional capital and boosts bank charter bid. Supports Ripple’s plans for RLUSD stablecoin and broader expansion. Ripple has scored a significant victory after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officially waived its “Bad Actor” disqualification. This decision restores Ripple’s ability to conduct exempt securities offerings under Regulation D, giving the company access to one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to raise capital from accredited investors without undergoing full SEC registration. The waiver lifts a five-year fundraising restriction imposed in 2024 following…

LegalAug 13

Bithumb halves crypto lending leverage, slashes loan limits by 80%: Report

South Korean exchange Bithumb tightened rules on its month-old crypto lending service, halving leverage and sharply reducing loan limits to address investor risk concerns. On Monday, the exchange said it resumed its crypto lending service after suspending it on July 29 over “insufficient lending volume,” according to a report from the South Korean newspaper Kookmin Ilbo. “After a comprehensive review of the entire service, some adjustments have been made to protect investors and improve service quality,” Bithumb reportedly said. It reduced the maximum leverage ratio from 4x to 2x and cut the maximum lending amount from 1 billion won ($726,000)…

ExchangesAug 13

Bitcoin Hashrate Cools After Record as Difficulty Bites

Four days ago, Bitcoin’s hashrate hit an all-time high of 976 exahash per second (EH/s), but it has since cooled, settling in the 900 EH/s range. Mining Metrics Flash Mixed Signals as Block Times Stretch to 11:04 On Aug. 8, 2025, the network’s computing power reached a whopping 976 EH/s based on the seven-day simple moving average (SMA). As of today, the hashrate sits near 900 EH/s—down 76 EH/s over four days—coinciding with a 1.42% difficulty increase at block height 909216. Notably, the estimated revenue for 1 petahash per second (PH/s) of SHA256 output is higher. Bitcoin total hashrate using…

MiningAug 13

How BNB Chain and XRP Ledger Are Outpacing Ethereum and Solana in Real-World Assets

BNB Chain and XRP Ledger (XRPL) have positioned themselves as frontrunners in the Real World Asset (RWA) sector. Both reported substantial increases in RWA value, leading growth in August. However, this growth comes amid a broader sector decline, with RWAs still trailing behind other blockchain sectors. BNB Chain and XRPL Lead RWA Growth Amid Broader Sector Decline According to data from RWA.xyz, over the past 30 days, the value of RWAs on the BNB Chain has surged 1,540%, making it the highest gainer. Following the network was the XRPL, which has seen a 52.2% rise. In contrast, the top protocols…

BlockchainAug 13

Moonbirds Cross 3 ETH on Token Speculation

Non-fungible token collection Moonbirds has been one of the digital collectible market’s standout performers over the last quarter. The collection crossed the 3 ETH threshold this morning after a tweet from Mike Dudas, a crypto investor and co-founder of The Block, said that holders can expect a “token soon.” The collection, which was originally launched by Kevin Rose in the Proof ecosystem in 2021, has a colorful past, perhaps best represented by its floor price volatility — the price of a Moonbirds NFT reached 40 ETH shortly after its mint in 2022, and fell as low as 0.5 ETH earlier…

NFTAug 12

ETH Jumps 7% to $4,200, Highest Since December 2021, as Analysts Forecast What’s Next

Ether (ETH) jumped to $4,200 on Binance early Saturday, its highest since December 2021, after a two-day rally fueled by heavy trading and $207 million in short liquidations. The move followed Friday’s breakout above $4,000 for the first time since December 2024, a technical milestone that drew in fresh buying and set the stage for Saturday’s push higher. Miles Deutscher said these forced buybacks helped accelerate the rally. In an earlier post, he described an “on-chain wealth effect”: as ETH’s price rises, both large holders and retail investors see their positions turn profitable, prompting them to reallocate capital into smaller,…

EthereumAug 12

Korea’s Stablecoin Bills, Interactive Brokers Plans and More

Welcome to the Asia Pacific Morning Brief—your essential digest of overnight crypto developments shaping regional markets and global sentiment. Grab a green tea and watch this space. South Korea advances stablecoin regulation through competing parliamentary bills, Interactive Brokers explores customer stablecoin services, China’s money supply surge signals inflation risks, and PayPal revolutionizes cross-border payments with comprehensive crypto integration. Korea’s Stablecoin Legislative Race Heats Up South Korea’s parliament witnessed competing stablecoin bills accelerating regulatory momentum. Democratic Party’s Ahn Do-geol proposed comprehensive legislation requiring 5 billion won issuer capital. His bill emphasizes monetary-foreign exchange characteristics through inter-agency coordination. The framework establishes collaborative…

RegulationAug 12

Binance Wallet Unveils Exciting Launch on August 14

The crypto world is buzzing with anticipation as Binance Wallet prepares to host a significant event: the Cherry AI TGE. This isn’t just another token launch; it marks the 33rd Token Generation Event facilitated by Binance Wallet, underscoring its pivotal role in the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. Set for August 14, this event introduces Cherry AI (AIBOT) to the broader market via PancakeSwap, a leading decentralized exchange. For enthusiasts and investors alike, understanding the implications of this AIBOT token launch is crucial. What is the Cherry AI TGE All About? A Token Generation Event (TGE) is essentially the public debut…

ExchangesAug 12