Author: NBTC

In brief A 47-year old man from the Seattle area helped defraud investors of nearly $100 million, prosecutors said. Victims thought they were investing in oil and gas, but funds were quickly transferred to bank accounts or crypto exchanges and never returned. For his role in laundering funds tied to the scheme, Geoffrey K. Auyeung was sentenced to five years in prison. Geoffrey K. Auyeung, a 47-year old man from the Seattle, Washington area, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in a crypto fraud scheme that defrauded victims…

Vladimir Putin told the world on May 9, 2026, that he believes the war in Ukraine is winding down. The statement came during Russia’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow, an event that this year looked noticeably smaller than its predecessors. “I think that the matter is coming to an end,” Putin said, referring to a conflict that has now ground on for more than four years. A scaled-back parade and a fragile ceasefire Victory Day marks the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany, a date that carries enormous symbolic weight in Russia. This year marked the…

French-based publicly traded company Capital B announced it has added another 192 Bitcoins to its portfolio, continuing its strategy of increasing Bitcoin reserves. According to the company’s official statement, this purchase cost approximately €13 million. With this latest acquisition, the company’s total Bitcoin holdings have risen to 3,135 BTC. The statement indicated that the company’s return on Bitcoin investments since the beginning of the year has reached 1.82 percent. This performance once again demonstrates Capital B’s placement of digital assets at the heart of its long-term institutional reserve strategy. The company is among the leading publicly traded firms in Europe…

The US Treasury is drawing a line in the sand for foreign banks doing business with Iran, and two Chinese financial institutions are already feeling the heat. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued a formal warning on April 15 directed at countries engaging in commerce with Iran, making clear that their financial institutions could face secondary sanctions from the United States. Two Chinese banks have reportedly received direct notifications that sanctions will follow if Iranian financial transactions are identified flowing through their operations. The enforcement mechanism The legal muscle behind this move comes from Executive Order 14114, which expanded the Office…

Solana has officially launched the Solana Research Institute (SRI) in Switzerland, marking a pivotal move to penetrate Europe’s institutional finance market. This new facility aims to help companies evaluate and adopt public blockchains under evolving regulations like the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework and the U.S. $GENIUS stablecoin bill. The initiative signals a strategic shift toward compliance-driven blockchain adoption in the region. Solana Research Institute: A Gateway to European Compliance The Solana Research Institute, based in Switzerland, represents a calculated effort to bridge blockchain technology with institutional requirements. Switzerland’s neutral regulatory stance and its alignment with MiCA provide an…

In brief Active-duty U.S. Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke is now scheduled for a December trial in Manhattan. Van Dyke allegedly abused classified military intelligence regarding Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s capture. Van Dyke, who pleaded not guilty to five federal charges in April, is accused of insider trading on Polymarket. A tentative trial date was set on Monday in Manhattan for the U.S. Army soldier accused of abusing classified military intelligence to place winning wagers on Polymarket. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, the 38-year-old who pleaded not guilty in April to five federal crimes including commodities fraud, is set to…

Iran has put a peace plan on the table, and it comes with a list of conditions that reads less like an olive branch and more like a negotiating position from someone who knows they have leverage. The proposal includes lifting sanctions, maintaining Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, and continuing future talks through written exchanges rather than face-to-face meetings. What Iran is actually asking for The core of Iran’s counter-proposal rests on three pillars. First, the removal of economic sanctions that have strangled the country’s ability to participate in global financial systems for years. Second, continued sovereignty over…

$BTC Acquired: 24,869 $BTC Total Cost: Approximately $2.01 billion Average Price: Approximately $80,985 per $BTC Total Holdings: 843,738 $BTC Total Cost Basis: Approximately $63.87 billion Average Acquisition Price: Approximately $75,700 per $BTC Latest Bitcoin Purchase Details Strategy Inc. (Nasdaq: MSTR), formerly known as MicroStrategy, has announced the acquisition of an additional 24,869 Bitcoin for approximately $2.01 billion, at an average purchase price of roughly $80,985 per $BTC, according to a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The purchase was disclosed through a Form 8-K filing and highlights the company’s continued commitment to Bitcoin as its primary treasury…

Intel just had the kind of day most companies dream about. Shares of the chipmaker surged between 10% and 19% on May 8, 2026, after reports surfaced that Intel Foundry had reached a preliminary agreement to manufacture processors for Apple devices. The rally wasn’t contained to a single ticker. Intel’s explosive move helped push both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to fresh record highs, with robust earnings from AI chip makers providing additional fuel for the broader market’s climb. The deal that changed everything (maybe) This isn’t a done deal in the traditional sense. The agreement between Intel and Apple…

The Cardano Foundation presented its proposal evaluation framework for the 2026 governance budget cycle. The system incorporates structured scoring by strategic pillars, dual independent review, and tracking of 2025 delivery history. Proposals surpassing 67% off-chain approval will advance to on-chain voting through Cardano network Treasury withdrawal actions. The Cardano Foundation published the details of its new budget proposal review framework for 2026, a system designed to organize and bring transparency to the governance process that defines how funds are allocated from the network’s Treasury. The document outlines the criteria, the voting logic, and the lessons learned from the previous cycle.…