Author: NBTC

Prospects of interest rate rises are no longer just the U.S. story. Traders are now betting the Bank of Japan (BoJ) could tighten too as the resource-scarce nation faces inflation risks from the ongoing Iran war. Traders see a roughly 69% chance of the BoJ raising its benchmark borrowing cost at the April 28 meeting, according to data tracked by Bloomberg. Action in options tied to U.S. interest rates shows traders expect the Fed to raise borrowing costs in the coming weeks. BoJ’s policy meeting summary released Monday showed one member calling for a bigger rate hike in response to…

Florida-based crypto firm Goliath Ventures has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following the arrest of its chief executive, Christopher Delgado, who is facing federal charges of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with an alleged Ponzi scheme that siphoned at least $328 million from more than 2,000 investors. According to a recent filing with the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida, the firm’s liabilities may reach as high as $500 million, with between $1 million and $10 million available for repayment. A number of major companies are being subpoenaed in connection with the Goliath Ventures…

Stripe’s billion-dollar stablecoin subsidiary Bridge Ventures Inc. has apparently been listed on documents as having sold 12 Mitsubishi trucks to a company in Venezuela with ties to the family of former president Hugo Chávez. The stablecoin company, which Stripe acquired for $1.1 billion, appears, along with its exact street address, suite number, city, state, and zip code, on a shipment slip that sent trucks through a New Jersey port to a company in Venezuela. At the time of the shipment, Venezuela was under broad US sanctions that covered many companies connected to the Chávez regime’s state-owned oil company PdVSA, and…

Ethereum reclaims liquidity dominance This shift becomes clearer as user activity and liquidity stop moving together across layers. The L2-to-$ETH Daily Active Addresses (DAA) ratio rose from about 2 in early 2023 to over 15 by mid-2024, showing users moved quickly to L2s for cheaper transactions. However, this growth did not last, as the ratio dropped to around 10–11 by 2026, showing user activity has slowed. This decline suggests L2 usage is weakening rather than expanding. Source: X Capital shows a different trend, as the L2-to-$ETH stablecoin ratio peaked near 0.30 before settling around 0.20–0.22, meaning that liquidity is holding…

In his recent statements, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell highlighted the uncertainties in the current economic outlook, signaling that a cautious stance in monetary policy will continue. Powell stated, “We don’t yet know what the effects of the current situation will be on the economy,” adding that global developments and geopolitical risks, in particular, are creating uncertainty. In his assessment of the inflation outlook, Powell stated that expectations remained largely stable. “Inflation expectations appear strong and anchored,” said the Fed chairman, adding that the institution remains committed to achieving its 2% inflation target. However, he noted that tariff-induced inflation would…

The parliament in Turkey has removed provisions introducing cryptocurrency taxation from a massive bill designed to regulate a range of matters related to tax collection and government spending. The texts, which proved contentious as they envisaged imposing a levy on all transactions through crypto platforms, were withdrawn after a strong pushback from opposition lawmakers and stakeholders. Crypto tax provisions dropped from Turkish law Members of Turkey’s legislature have withdrawn provisions aimed at taxing cryptocurrency transactions following talks between the parliamentary majority and other factions. The articles were part of a sweeping bill covering not just tax policy, but other economic…

Abraxas Capital built up a short position on Brent oil in the past few days. The fund carries $135M in notional value, betting on a decline in oil despite the mounting geopolitical tensions. Abraxas Capital kept expanding its perpetual futures position on crude oil. The fund bet on a downturn for the Brent contract as represented on HIP-3. Abraxas Capital carries $2B in assets under management and specializes in using traditional finance strategies through all available crypto markets. Abraxas used two main wallets to short both Brent and WTI light crude oil through Trade[.]XYZ. Both wallets contain a Brent short…

Ethereum ($ETH) continues to trade in a highly volatile environment along with the rest of the crypto market. Recently $ETH had an attempt to begin regaining bullish momentum after briefly returning to a major support area; however, it subsequently fell through that level again. Traders and analysts alike are questioning where $ETH will go next after this latest move. Daan Crypto Trades brought this “failed break above” to light, indicating that trading interest has now been neutralized until all prices return to defined target zones. Technical Breakdown – The Battle for $2,100 Ethereum’s recent decline below $2100 is viewed by…

Tokenized stocks just crossed $1 billion in total value locked, and crypto strategist Tanaka thinks most people in the market are still underestimating what that number actually signals. “If you ask me what the next market trend is, I would say tokenized stocks,” Tanaka wrote in an X post, framing the thesis around a problem that doesn’t get enough attention: access. In the last three weeks alone, the SEC formally approved tokenized securities trading on Nasdaq, and Congress held one of its most significant tokenization hearings to date. The Access Problem Driving Real Demand For investors outside the United States,…

Law and Ledger is a news segment focusing on crypto legal news, brought to you by Kelman Law – A law firm focused on digital asset commerce. This Week in Crypto Law The opinion editorial below was written by Alex Forehand and Michael Handelsman for Kelman.Law. This week in crypto law highlighted a growing reality: legal and regulatory uncertainty is no longer just a compliance issue. Rather, it is actively shaping markets, business decisions, and global policy. From stalled U.S. legislation impacting price forecasts to aggressive enforcement actions abroad, the legal landscape continues to define the trajectory of digital assets.…