Author: NBTC

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde is considering leaving before her eight-year term ends in October 2027, the Financial Times reported, citing a person “familiar with her thinking.” Lagarde, who took office in November 2019, is said to be weighing an early exit ahead of France’s April 2027 presidential election so that outgoing President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz can agree on a successor, the FT reported Wednesday. An ECB spokesperson pushed back on the report, telling Cointelegraph: “President Lagarde is totally focused on her mission and has not taken any decision regarding the end of her…

The Bank of Russia has proposed allowing banks and brokerage firms to obtain licenses to operate crypto exchanges, a move that would place traditional financial institutions at the center of the country’s future regulated digital asset market. The proposal was outlined by Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina at an annual meeting with credit organisations. According to the regulator, existing financial institutions already have compliance infrastructure that could be used to supervise crypto transactions. “We hope that the vast experience of banks in AML/CFT and fraud prevention will help protect your clients in the crypto market,” Nabiullina said. Under the proposed…

Gate, a renowned cryptocurrency exchange, has announced its historic partnership with Bank Frick, a Liechtenstein-based bank, to launch on-ramp and off-ramp fiat services for institutional clients across various jurisdictions. The purpose of this integration is clear: they aim to deliver 24/7 currency exchange services with seamless access worldwide. Gate partners with Bank Frick to launch institutional-grade fiat on & off ramps.Seamless access between traditional finance and digital assets.🔹 Multi-currency fiat deposits & withdrawals🔹 Direct fiat-to-crypto execution🔹 24/7 near-instant settlement via xPULSE🔹 Fully… pic.twitter.com/b7cusQaKhR — Gate (@Gate) March 11, 2026 Both platforms have a unique place in the world market after…

Jack Yi, the founder of LD Capital, who had consistently expressed optimism about Ethereum ($ETH) until the beginning of February despite the declines that began in October, has finally given up hope on $ETH. Yi stated that he was one of those who felt the most pressure during the drop in early February, and admitted that being prematurely optimistic about Ethereum was a mistake. Now, LD Capital founder Jack Yi has said he’s fully invested after his venture into Ethereum. JackYi stated in a post from his X account that all of his money is invested, but did not specify…

US tax filers may see bigger refunds in 2026 compared with previous years, a development one Wall Street strategist said may boost risk appetite for digital assets and tech stocks preferred among retail investors. In a note cited by CNBC, Wells Fargo analyst Ohsung Kwon said the coming refund wave may help bring back the so-called “YOLO” trade, with as much as $150 billion potentially flowing into equities and Bitcoin (BTC) by the end of March. Kwon said the extra cash could be most visible among higher-income consumers. “Speculation picks up with bigger savings…we expect YOLO to return,” wrote Wells…

Italian regulators are rethinking their tools for supervision just as the OAM crypto database, long used in the fight against money laundering, is being dismantled. Alfonso reflects on the end of the OAM registry An observatory years in the making Law enforcement access and consumer protection Cooperation among authorities after the end of the database Alfonso reflects on the end of the OAM registry ROME, March 2, 2026, 15:14 – There is a “bit of regret” but no desire for polemic over the shutdown of a fundamental information hub built by the OAM in recent years. The registry collected granular…

Artemis and a16z analysts have put out data to temper the enthusiasm around x402 payments and agentic AI commerce, calling attention to data from stakeholders in the AI agent space that appear to inflate activity and growth rate. Data analysis compiled and shared by a16z crypto partner, Noah Levine, turned the spotlight on the apparent inaccuracy in the x402.org data that Bloomberg featured in a March 7 report about stablecoin firms “building payments systems for a future with autonomous AI agents that transact in stablecoins.” Artemis supported the sentiment by recalling an earlier analysis by its in-house analyst, Lucas, who…

The blockchain trilemma reared its head once more at Consensus in Hong Kong in February, to some extent, putting Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, on the back foot – having to reassure attendees that hyperscalers like Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure are not a risk to decentralisation. The point was made that major blockchain projects need hyperscalers, and that one shouldn’t be concerned about a single point of failure because: Advanced cryptography neutralizes the risk Multi-party computation distributes key material Confidential computing shields data in use The argument rested on the idea that ‘if the cloud cannot see the…

Nasdaq-listed SharpLink Gaming Ltd. (NASDAQ: SBET) has achieved a significant milestone in cryptocurrency investment, generating $36 million in cumulative $ETH staking rewards through strategic Ethereum accumulation. The company announced this achievement on March 15, 2025, revealing that its Ethereum holdings have produced 15,464 $ETH in staking income since beginning its focused accumulation strategy. This development highlights the growing institutional adoption of proof-of-stake blockchain networks for generating passive income. SharpLink’s $ETH Staking Rewards Achievement SharpLink’s recent announcement provides concrete evidence of Ethereum’s income-generating potential for institutional investors. The company reported earning over $1.1 million from staking its $ETH holdings in just…

LatAm splits: El Salvador tokenizes SMEs, Brazil eyes $BTC reserves, Argentina curbs wallet wages. Summary El Salvador targets $100m in tokenized SME funding via COIN–Stakiny, using EVM tech, biometric wallets, and CNAD oversight for equity tokens. Brazil’s RESBit bill would let the state buy $BTC up to 5% of FX reserves, store in cold wallets, and accept $BTC for taxes with income-tax breaks on digital assets. Argentina’s Senate dropped digital wallet salary deposits after banking lobbying, keeping wages in bank accounts despite strong wallet usage amid inflation and past freezes. Three Latin American countries have adopted contrasting approaches to cryptocurrency…