Author: NBTC

The Japan Blockchain Foundation has announced plans to issue a Japanese yen-pegged stablecoin, EJPY, on both the Japan Open Chain (JOC) and Ethereum networks, according to a report by The Block. The foundation will act as the settlor for the trust-based stablecoin, and discussions are reportedly underway with potential trustees. What is EJPY and How Will It Work? EJPY is designed as a trust-based yen stablecoin, meaning its value is backed by Japanese yen held in trust accounts. The Japan Blockchain Foundation will serve as the settlor, responsible for establishing the trust, while trustees will manage the underlying assets. This…

AI’s surging demand for power-hungry data centers is turning listed Bitcoin miners into strategic infrastructure plays, with Bernstein flagging nearly $90 billion of announced AI partnerships that could redraw the sector’s economics. Bernstein’s latest research argues that the AI data center build‑out is colliding head‑on with a constrained U.S. power grid, elevating Bitcoin (BTC) miners from “speculative hash‑factories” to critical gatekeepers of large‑scale compute. In the report, seen by The Block, analysts say miners are “surprise winners in the AI infrastructure boom” because they already control huge, energised sites in power‑rich regions. Bernstein tallies over $90 billion in AI infrastructure…

Aptos is not a typical crypto startup. It was built by former Meta engineers who spent three years working on the Diem blockchain (formerly Libra) before spinning out as an independent network. Co-founders Mo Shaikh and Avery Ching took the Move programming language, the parallel execution engine, and the research investment that Meta poured into its failed crypto project and used it to build a general-purpose Layer 1. Now Aptos is narrowing its focus. After experimenting across web3 gaming, culture, and other trends, the network is zeroing in on two areas where it sees the clearest opportunity: trading and AI…

According to data released by the Central Bank of Brazil, stablecoin purchases comprised $6.8 billion of the $6.9 billion in cryptocurrency purchased abroad by Brazilians during Q1. This represents an increase of over 100% compared to the same period last year. Key Takeaways: Brazil’s Central Bank reported a Q1 2026 crypto volume of $6.9B, with stablecoins driving 98% of trades. President Lula da Silva paused stablecoin taxes, boosting Brazil to TRM Labs’ 5th-largest global market. Fernando Rocha expects new crypto exchange regulations to yield more robust transaction data by H2 2026. Brazilians Purchased $6.8 Billion Worth of Stablecoins in Q1…

Crypto exchange MEXC plans to increase its Guardian Fund to $500 million over the next two years while adding 1,000 bitcoin to its reserves. The move is aimed at strengthening user protection and reinforcing confidence amid continued market expansion. Key Takeaways: MEXC plans to expand its Guardian Fund to $500M over two years, along with a 1,000 $BTC reserve. MEXC logged $270M inflows by May 11, reflecting demand for stronger reserve safeguards. MEXC will add on-chain $BTC and $USDT proof-of-reserves to boost transparency and trust. $BTC and $USDT to Serve as Dual Reserve System for Market Stability Crypto exchange MEXC…

Bitcoin miner Hut 8 committed $16 million to expand water capacity in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, as part of development plans for its River Bend AI data center campus. According to a Tuesday announcement, the investment includes a new water well, about eight miles of water main and other system upgrades. Hut 8 said the assets will be transferred to the parish after completion, which is expected in the second half of 2026, at no cost to taxpayers. Hut 8 said Phase 1 of the River Bend campus represents a multibillion-dollar capital investment and is expected to support about 1,000…

Coinstancy built a Polygon-based stablecoin savings product for mainstream users, managing over $1 million in deposits and connecting fiat access to $USDC settlement. Coinme provides the regulated US access layer, Polygon handles settlement, and Coinstancy delivers the savings experience through deposit, tracking and withdrawal flows. The design emphasizes near-instant, lower-cost $USDC settlement, user segmentation, portfolio tracking and risk protection to make onchain savings feel like everyday finance. Coinstancy built a stablecoin savings product on Polygon for mainstream users, designed to make onchain savings feel closer to a payment app than a crypto workflow. The platform manages over $1 million in…

JPMorgan says tokenization could change how the funds industry operates, including the exchange-traded fund market. Ciarán Fitzpatrick, JPMorgan’s global head of ETF product, said tokenization may affect ETFs and wider fund products over time. “We believe tokenization will certainly drive how the market changes, not just for ETFs but across the funds industry as a whole,” Fitzpatrick said in a post published Friday. ETF tokenization could improve settlement Fitzpatrick said firms continue to test tokenized ETFs because the model could improve creation and redemption. It could also support “near-instant settlement” and round-the-clock access for some products. He said tokenization may…

The stablecoin sector continues to expand rapidly due in large part to increased regulatory compliance by companies involved, and many institutions are now investing in this area because of the incentives provided. A major milestone has been reached with the release of Global USD ($USDG) on OSL’s StableHub, which completes OSL’s stablecoin product roadmap. A US dollar-pegged, MAS-regulated stablecoin issued by Paxos Digital Singapore, $USDG gives users access to the rewards ecosystem. OSL launched the $USDG listing on StableHub on May 15, 2026. “Using StableHub, key players will be able to perform low-friction conversions of major USD-pegged assets.” Zero-Fee Swaps…

A Russian court has sentenced Vladimir Smerkis, the former head of Binance Russia, to five years in prison on fraud charges, according to a report from Bits.media. The case centers on allegations that Smerkis accepted approximately $110,000 from a crypto blogger for promotional services that were never delivered, instead using the funds for personal expenses. Background of the Case Smerkis led Binance’s operations in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) from early 2022 until September 2023. During his tenure, Binance navigated a complex regulatory environment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to increased Western sanctions and scrutiny…