Author: NBTC

The total value locked (TVL) in decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols has fallen to its lowest point in over a year, briefly dipping below $70 billion on June 29. According to data from DeFiLlama, this marks a significant 60% decline from the approximately $171 billion recorded in October 2024. The current TVL stands at roughly $70.129 billion, reflecting a sustained downturn in the sector. Market Context and Broader Implications This decline in DeFi TVL is not an isolated event but part of a broader trend of capital rotation and reduced risk appetite within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. The drop from the October…

Sui Network deployed testnet update v1.74.1 with protocol version 128, developed by Mysten Labs. The upgrade significantly reduces gas prices on the network, lowering transaction costs for users and dApp developers. Internal protocol optimizations aim to deliver greater scalability and efficiency ahead of its mainnet deployment. Sui Network launched the v1.74.1 update on its testnet, incorporating protocol version 128. According to a GitHub post by Mysten Labs, the network’s lead developer, the update will deliver significant adjustments to the fee structure and optimizations in the underlying architecture of the protocol. The most important change in this version is the reduction…

EU Regulator Orders Unapproved Crypto Firms to Halt New Clients as MiCA Deadline Looms The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has instructed unauthorized crypto asset service providers (CASPs) to begin winding down their EU operations before the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) transitional period ends on July 1, 2026. The regulator issued the guidance on June 23 as some providers remain without MiCA authorization despite continuing to serve EU clients under national regimes. Firms that fail to obtain authorization should take immediate steps to exit the market in an orderly manner while protecting client assets and reducing risks to…

Virtuals Protocol recently amplified a widely shared post by @ben_grossman, announcing that its AI agents can now trade tokenized stocks via the Treasures platform. This marks a significant development in the integration of artificial intelligence into the trading of crypto assets, potentially reshaping the landscape of tokenized stock trading. Breaking It Down The crypto market is witnessing a notable shift as Virtuals Protocol’s AI agents begin trading tokenized stocks, a move that could enhance the trading efficiency and accessibility of these assets. As of June 26, 2026, this capability is officially live, allowing for automated trading strategies in a previously…

Miller Tabak strategist Matt Maley said that a further decline in Bitcoin from its current levels around $60,000 could put additional pressure on investor sentiment. According to Maley, while Wall Street companies continue to invest in the digital asset space, individual investors, who played a significant role in previous cryptocurrency rallies, have now shifted their focus to AI and technology stocks with high growth potential. Maley noted that the recent significant outflows from Bitcoin ETFs also indicate weakening investor interest. The strategist stated that Bitcoin is signaling a divergence from the stock market, raising concerns that BTC may not benefit…

DeFi lending protocol Edel disclosed a $403,000 exploit that hit the layer where tokenized stocks are trying to become DeFi collateral. Edel said no depositor would bear losses, and the team would absorb the bad debt, restore affected balances one-to-one, and rebuild the protocol’s oracle architecture for a version two release. The attack manipulated the exchange rate between wGOOGLx, a wrapped version of Edel’s tokenized Google stock, and GOOGLx, the token it wraps. Edel said the manipulation pushed wGOOGLx’s collateral value to roughly 78 times its correct level. SlowMist traced the root cause to Edel’s price source, which used latestAnswer()…

On paper, Solana’s [$SOL] July token unlock calendar couldn’t look more bearish. At the macro level, the market is already in a bear phase, with large-cap assets breaking below key support levels and kicking off Q3 with clear capitulation signals. Against that backdrop, Solana’s latest token unlock schedule couldn’t have arrived at a worse time, coming right after $SOL closed June down more than 10%. Fourteen Solana-based tokens will unlock in July, as the chart below shows. PUMP tops the list, with $123.65 million worth of tokens scheduled to enter circulation on the 12th of July, increasing its circulating supply…

Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox-O’Hearn has sharply criticized cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase for aggressively pushing gambling-like features to its user base. On Saturday, Zooko took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his intense frustration over the platform’s tactics. “Talked to a user (a vulnerable, young, unsophisticated, financially poor user) who has the Coinbase app, and it has started prompting them to gamble on sports and the price of Bitcoin,” Zooko stated. “I hate this with a burning passion and it makes me ashamed to be part of this industry,” he added. Defending “financial freedom” Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has made it clear…

In brief Bitcoin clawed its way back to $60,000 Wednesday after falling below $58,000, its lowest level since September 2024. The rebound followed softer-than-expected U.S. jobs and factory data and noncommittal comments from Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, easing fears of further rate hikes. It caps a brutal June in which U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs shed a record $4.5 billion, even as Glassnode data shows long-term holders quietly accumulating. Bitcoin bounced off its lowest level in nearly two years Wednesday, as soft U.S. economic data and noncommittal comments from the Federal Reserve chair gave respite to a battered market. The largest…

Institutional crypto financial services firm Galaxy Digital (Nasdaq: GLXY) has identified a fundamental tension between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) custody regulations and the growing demand for decentralized finance (DeFi) strategies among institutional investors. The firm’s analysis highlights a structural contradiction that is increasingly complicating compliance for Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs). The Core Conflict: Qualified Custodian vs. Self-Custody Galaxy Digital’s report points out that current SEC rules require client assets to be held by a qualified custodian. This requirement effectively excludes self-custody models, which are a cornerstone of many DeFi participation strategies. For RIAs, this creates a practical…