Author: NBTC

The debate over CEX vs Self-Custodial Wallets has resurfaced after X user MASTR published a database listing dozens of centralized cryptocurrency exchanges that have shut down over the past decade. The list includes exchanges that ceased operations following bankruptcies, hacks, seizures, disappearances, or planned closures. Among the latest entries are BitMEX, which is scheduled to close on September 23, 2026, BitMart on January 31, 2027, and AscendEX, which ended operations on July 1, 2026. CEX vs Self Custodial Wallets Return to Focus According to the database shared by MASTR, exchange closures span from MyBitcoin in 2011 to recently announced shutdowns…

Bitcoin has fallen back toward $65,000 after renewed tensions involving Israel and Lebanon tempered optimism surrounding a potential U.S.-Iran agreement, while traders also reduced risk ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy decision. According to crypto.news market data, Bitcoin (BTC) price dropped from an intraday high near $66,900 on June 16 to a low around $65,400 before stabilizing near $65,700 at press time. Bitcoin price retreated following reports that Iran’s military accused Israel of violating the ceasefire in southern Lebanon dozens of times since the U.S.-Iran deal was announced, warning of a “harsh response” if attacks continue. The decline interrupted a…

Liquidity management in decentralized finance has always come with a trade-off: convenience often means giving up some control over your own assets. 1inch, the decentralized exchange aggregator known for hunting down the best token swap prices across platforms, is betting that its new feature, Aqua, can close that gap. The 1inch Aqua liquidity tool lets users build and manage liquidity positions across more than a dozen blockchains while keeping their tokens in their own wallets the entire time. Key takeaways 1inch has launched Aqua, a feature designed to simplify how users create and manage liquidity positions in DeFi. Aqua supports…

Historically, bitcoin has exhibited relatively low correlations with traditional asset classes over full four-year crypto cycles. While those relationships have evolved as cryptocurrencies have become more integrated into financial markets through futures, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and ETPs, bitcoin has generally maintained diversification characteristics distinct from many traditional assets. The question becomes more complicated when investors move beyond bitcoin. Ether and $SOL are generally less liquid and more volatile than bitcoin. Since the start of 2026, ether and $SOL have exhibited volatility approximately 35% and 44% higher than bitcoin, respectively. Diversification within crypto therefore often increases volatility. Whether that improves diversification…

Bitwise has released its latest Staking Report, showcasing important insights about $NEAR Protocol. The report covers $NEAR’s revenue growth, stable staking despite halved inflation, and increasing momentum in $NEAR Intents. This analysis could prove significant for investors looking to understand the evolving landscape of staking in the crypto market. For more details, refer to the original tweet. Breaking It Down The $NEAR Protocol continues to make strides in the competitive crypto landscape, as highlighted in Bitwise’s latest Staking Report. The report emphasizes $NEAR’s stable staking performance, even amidst a backdrop of halved inflation rates and increasing revenue. While trading volumes…

Maine’s new virtual-currency unclaimed-property rules take effect July 29 with a five-year dormancy clock, while the State Treasurer’s current reporting manual still shows three years. The mismatch leaves businesses that hold customer crypto without published transition instructions as the statute becomes effective. Public Law Chapter 675, approved April 13, creates section 2067-A of Maine’s Revised Unclaimed Property Act. The Legislature identifies July 29 as the general effective date for nonemergency laws passed during its 2026 Second Regular Session. The new section presumes virtual currency abandoned five years after an apparent owner’s last indication of interest. If a holder sends first-class…

A New Way to Trade the Biggest US Stocks The launch covers 77 contracts in total, i.e. 55 standard-sized futures, each representing 100 shares of the underlying stock, and 22 micro-sized contracts covering 10 shares apiece. The lineup spans mega-cap technology names such as Alphabet, Meta and Tesla alongside the recently public SpaceX, plus household names including Micron, Pfizer and Walmart, according to CME Group’s own announcement. All contracts are cash-settled against the underlying stock’s closing price and follow a quarterly expiration structure, similar to CME’s existing equity index futures. Tim McCourt, CME Group’s global head of equities, FX and…

Bitcoin miner Sphere 3D has up to $10.3 million of amended at-the-market stock-sale capacity for working capital, while its standing policy also permits mined Bitcoin sales for working capital or growth. At the assumed $2.35 share price in its July 31 prospectus supplement, full use of the facility would add 4,382,978 common shares and expand the company’s basic share count by 50.9%. That sale would lift basic shares outstanding from 8,619,150 to 13,002,128. The amended facility replaced Sphere 3D’s prior ATM prospectus. It is authorization, not a completed issuance: A.G.P. and Maxim are not required to sell a minimum amount,…

Crypto markets have already priced in a steady hand at the Federal Reserve. The first FOMC meeting led by new Chair Kevin Warsh is set to begin on June 16, and prediction markets on platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi assign a 99% probability that rates will stay put, according to the Santiment update from Monday. That removes a major variable that has kept risk assets on edge for months. The immediate market focus has shifted. No longer is the question whether the central bank touches borrowing costs, but rather what Warsh signals about the months ahead. Investors are now treating…

The DeFi curated vault market has witnessed a notable expansion over the year. This denotes a key shift in the allocation of capital across diverse lending protocols. As the latest report from Sentora points out, the value of the DeFi-based assets that are organized via curated vaults shows a spike to $7.18B across fifty-five risk curators throughout the year. This is a significant surge in comparison with the earlier year’s $4.75B. The curated vault market has grown to $7.18B across 55 tracked risk curators, up from $4.75B a year earlier.Over the same period, total lending TVL declined 36%.Capital is moving…