Author: NBTC

Evernorth CEO Asheesh Birla linked $XRP to a potential U.S. payments shift as policymakers weigh limited Federal Reserve account access for stablecoin issuers. The proposal frames $XRP as a possible dollar movement rail if $RLUSD qualifies under the structure. Key Takeaways: Evernorth’s CEO said limited Fed account access could reshape stablecoin settlement infrastructure. $XRP could serve as a dollar movement rail after Federal Reserve settlement occurs. Regulatory proposals and Evernorth’s $1 billion raise add a public-market layer to the $XRP strategy. Federal Reserve Access Debate Shapes Stablecoin Role A policy discussion shared April 30 by Evernorth CEO Asheesh Birla on…

The European Commission is seeking industry feedback on whether to extend its Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation to cover decentralised finance, non-fungible tokens, staking, lending, prediction markets, and tokenized deposits which are currently outside MiCA’s scope. While MiCA currently exempts fully decentralized services from regulation, policymakers are increasingly concerned that the rapid growth of DeFi has outpaced the assumptions underlying that exemption. A key obstacle is the lack of consensus on how to define decentralization and identify protocols that genuinely operate without centralized control. Regulators are weighing how to determine whether the protocols are truly decentralized and whether crypto firms should…

Bitcoin ($BTC) dropped to $76,000 during the early Asian trading hours on Monday as US-Iran tensions resurfaced. Key takeaways Bitcoin falls to $76,500 as bearish momentum becomes increasingly tied to geopolitical developments. Over $607 million in long positions have been liquidated in the last 24 hours. Bitcoin traders say support at $76,000 should hold to avoid a $BTC price drop to $65,000. Bitcoin hits three-week lows with 7% drop Data from TradingView showed $BTC price dropped as much as 7% over the last three days to three-week lows of $76,500, erasing all the gains made since May 1. $BTC/USD one-hour…

Ripple and $XRP are drawing fresh attention after crypto investor Santiago, who has backed over 150 companies, shared a detailed take on how the firm is positioning itself beyond crypto and into global finance. In a podcast, Keith & Ben talk to Santiago Santos, who highlighted Ripple’s biggest advantage, mainstream recognition. “You walk around the street… people won’t say Solana or Ethereum. They’ll tell you, Ripple. Without a doubt.” He argued that Ripple has captured attention better than almost any project except Bitcoin, effectively “memeing itself into existence.” In his view, this level of brand recall plays a major role…

Kalshi said it will start requiring some users to disclose their employers as part of a broader push to crack down on insider trading and market manipulation on its prediction-market platform. The federally regulated exchange said Tuesday the new policy will apply to markets it considers at higher risk for insider activity or abuse. Those traders may be screened before being allowed to place trades. The company said the changes take effect immediately and follow recommendations from an independent Surveillance Audit Committee that reviewed Kalshi’s enforcement systems, monitoring tools, and trading controls. “For markets with heightened insider or manipulation risk,…

Bitcoin fell below $77,000 on May 18 as selling pressure spread across the crypto market. crypto.news reported that U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded more than $1 billion in net outflows last week, while more than $661 million in crypto positions were liquidated within 24 hours. The pullback erased part of Bitcoin’s CLARITY Act rally. Earlier reports said the bill cleared the Senate Banking Committee in a 15-9 vote and briefly pushed BTC above $82,000. That move faded as traders shifted back to macro risks, ETF exits and forced selling. Fed minutes and jobs data enter focus The U.S. calendar gives…

The United Arab Emirates is leaving OPEC. After nearly six decades of membership, the Gulf state announced its departure from the oil cartel, effective May 1, 2026. The UAE was OPEC’s third-largest producer, sitting on spare capacity estimated at 3 to 3.5 million barrels per day. A feud decades in the making The tension between the UAE and Saudi Arabia over oil policy isn’t new. It has roots stretching back to the 1950s Buraimi dispute, a territorial conflict over a desert oasis suspected of containing vast oil reserves. The late journalist David Holden documented how Saudi Arabia attempted to bribe…

Pi Network has officially activated Protocol 22 on April 27, 2026, marking a major backend upgrade aimed at boosting scalability and preparing the network for advanced functionality. Built on Stellar Core 22, the update required all node operators to upgrade to version 0.5.4 or face disconnection, making it a critical synchronization step. According to crypto analyst Dr. Altcoin, this signals Pi’s shift from a social mining experiment into a fully functional blockchain infrastructure. After years of focusing on its 70M+ user base, the network is now laying the technical “road” to support real utility. Protocol 23: The Real Turning Point…

Cryptocurrencies and digital assets have evolved from a niche financial market into a critical battlefield for the upcoming elections. According to a comprehensive new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Digital Currency Group (DCG), American voters are sending a clear directive to Washington: Congress must establish clear rules for the nascent industry. The poll, which surveyed 1,874 registered voters between May 8 and May 18, 2026, shows that political support for crypto has more than doubled since 2024. Privacy as a voter priority A staggering 84% of Americans believe that individuals, rather than corporations, should own their…

In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin’s approach to critical price levels has raised a scenario that could trigger large-scale liquidations in leveraged trading. According to recent data shared by the on-chain data platform Coinglass, if the Bitcoin price rises above $80,634, approximately $1.77 billion worth of short positions could be liquidated on major centralized cryptocurrency exchanges. Analysts say that breaking above this level could create a strong “short squeeze” effect in the market. A short squeeze occurs when a sharp upward move in price forces short sellers to close their positions. This creates additional buying pressure, potentially accelerating Bitcoin’s rise. On…