Author: NBTC

Singapore fintech Nium has selected Coinbase to integrate $USDC payments into its global network to send, receive and convert stablecoins to fiat across more than 190 countries through a single platform. According to a Tuesday announcement, the integration uses Coinbase’s infrastructure for custody, liquidity and wallet services, enabling Nium’s customers to fund cross-border payouts in $USDC and settle in either stablecoins or local currencies without relying on prefunded accounts. Nium said the setup supports just-in-time settlement, allowing funds to be deployed at payout rather than held across multiple jurisdictions, and includes options to link stablecoin balances to card programs for…

In brief Bitcoin and broader financial markets rose on reports that the US and Iran are discussing a potential ceasefire that could end the war. Over $200 million in crypto shorts were liquidated—four times more than longs—signaling a textbook short squeeze. Analysts warned that a rally is contingent on the Strait of Hormuz reopening; failure could send Bitcoin to $60,000. Bitcoin and broader financial markets climbed in early Asian and London trading Monday after reports emerged of potential ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran. The leading crypto hit a weekly high of $69,350 Monday morning, and is currently trading…

An onchain trader previously flagged by analysts at Lookonchain as the wallet behind a profitable Apecoin insider trade has expanded a Lido DAO long position to 10.26 million $LDO, valued at approximately $4.58 million. Key Takeaways: The wallet linked to the APE insider trade now holds 10.26 million $LDO worth $4.58 million, per Lookonchain. The accumulation follows $LDO’s April 20 sell-off, when the token dropped roughly 19% amid KelpDAO-linked decentralized finance contagion. $LDO has recovered approximately 5% in the past 24 hours as broader sentiment across DeFi stabilizes. Same Wallet, New Position The wallet first drew attention when Lookonchain analysts…

Ethereum price started a fresh increase and remained stable above $2,365. $ETH is now consolidating and might aim for more gains if it clears $2,400. Ethereum started a steady increase above the $2,365 zone. The price is trading above $2,370 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There was a break above a contracting triangle with resistance at $2,320 on the hourly chart of $ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken). The pair could continue to move up if it stays above the $2,330 zone. Ethereum Price Aims for Fresh High Above $2,420 Ethereum price managed to stay above the $2,320 support and…

The volatility created in global energy markets by the war with Iran in the Middle East could complicate the Fed’s interest rate cut plans. Rising oil and natural gas prices, creating new pressure on inflation, have significantly weakened expectations for an interest rate cut. Economists expect the Fed to keep its policy interest rate unchanged at its March 18 meeting. However, many analysts had previously predicted a first rate cut in June. The war with Iran, however, has rapidly increased energy prices, leading to a reassessment of these predictions. According to Wall Street analysts, the increase in energy costs could…

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson stepped into a dispute between Emin Gün Sirer from Avalanche and Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, mocking one of the main fan slogans of the $XRP ecosystem. The trigger was an April Fools’ post by Emin Gün Sirer. The head of Ava Labs jokingly “announced” that banks are massively choosing Ripple’s technology but clarified a minute later that it was a joke. The joke was not accidental. Sirer has long criticized Ripple’s centralized model and its plans to launch a stablecoin, calling them “a step backward” for the industry. Garlinghouse, in response, said that Ripple sits…

SoFi Brings $XRP to the Mainstream as Crypto Access Expands SoFi is steadily becoming a major bridge between traditional banking and crypto, and its latest move pushes that role further. The bank has expanded its platform to support full $XRP deposits and portfolio tracking, placing $XRP alongside Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Solana ($SOL) for millions of everyday users already on the app. For a nationally chartered U.S. bank serving millions, this goes far beyond a routine token listing. It reflects a clear shift in crypto adoption, moving out of niche exchanges and into everyday banking apps used for checking…

Bitcoin traded above $69,000 at press time on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump pushed back his deadline for Iran from Monday to Tuesday night, while continuing to warn of possible strikes on critical infrastructure. Trump said the U.S. would “blow everything up” if Iran fails to reach a deal by 01:00 GMT on Wednesday. The latest extension represents the fourth adjustment to Washington’s timeline for potential military action, even as the Strait of Hormuz remains shut. For Iran’s part, the nation has dismissed any reports of ongoing peace negotiations and issued threats toward neighboring oil-producing nations within OPEC. Besides…

Institutional players have signaled their unwavering confidence in DeFi infrastructure, backing the ecosystem to maintain its stranglehold on the future of FinTech, according to Morpho co-founder Paul Frambot and an April report by Bitcoin Suisse. The comments by Frambot came as the dust settled on the KelpDAO hack that led to about $292 million in initial losses and more than $15 billion leaving the DeFi ecosystem in the days that followed. Bitcon Suisse published its report in April 2026, covering data from Hyperliquid’s L1 from November 2024, around the time it launched its Assistance Fund program, until February 2026. However,…

Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), the ether ($ETH) treasury firm helmed by Chairman Thomas “Tom” Lee, bought 101,901 $ETH through last week, pushing its total holdings above 5 million tokens of the second-largest cryptocurrency. The purchase lifted the firm’s $ETH treasury to 5,078,386 tokens, or about 4.21% of ether’s circulating supply, according to a Monday update. Bitmine reached that milestone in roughly 10 months, since it pivoted to a digital asset treasury strategy company from a bitcoin miner in June. “Bitmine $ETH holdings crossed 5 million this past week,” Lee said. “This is a major milestone as the company moves towards…