Author: NBTC

On Thursday, the Bank of Japan decided not to raise interest rates, choosing to leave its monetary policy unchanged due to the war America and Israel started in the Middle East. Investors are always scared for the BOJ to hike interest rates, thanks to the fateful day of August 5, 2024. So them holding off and giving us a bit of a breather is very much appreciated. We’ve certainly got too much on our plate already. Anyway, at Japan’s Monetary Policy Meeting, where board members voted 8-1 to keep the guideline for money market operations unchanged for the period between…

In brief Ben Delo’s £4m donation was made prior to a new cap on overseas contributions. Reform UK has positioned itself as the most crypto-aligned party in Britain. The BitMEX co-founder was previously convicted in the U.S. over the exchange’s AML failures. BitMEX co-founder Ben Delo has revealed that he donated $5.4 million (£4 million) to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, saying he was motivated to become politically active for the first time by what he described as a failing UK political system. Delo, who is based in Hong Kong, wrote in a Daily Telegraph op-ed that he made the…

$ETH, the native cryptocurrency of smart contract giant, Ethereum, shows an insignificant loss of 0.54% during the opening bell of Thursday’s U.S. market hours. The shallow downtick follows geopolitical instability and the fragility of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. Despite the sentiment pressure on Ethereum price, the on-chain data records a massive spike in Wrapped Ethereum (WETH) activity, creating community speculation on potential institutional inflows or unannounced protocol integrations. Will price recovery follow? WETH Adoption Jumps Despite Weak Market Sentiment On April 9th, the crypto market witnessed low volatility trading across the majority of major digital currencies. The uncertainty can be linked…

Samson Mow, CEO of Jan3, a Bitcoin-focused technology company, made statements that sparked debate in the cryptocurrency market. Mow argued that Ethereum is incapable of fulfilling the function of “money,” while Bitcoin successfully takes on this role. Commenting on the issue via the social media platform X, Mow pointed out that the Ethereum Foundation occasionally sells $ETH. Criticizing this practice, Mow argued that even individuals connected to the Ethereum ecosystem don’t receive their salaries in $ETH, suggesting that this indicates the asset’s limited use as a medium of exchange. In contrast, Mow stated that the situation is different in the…

In brief Joe Schiarizzi, an anti-Trump Ethereum developer, is running for Congress in Virginia as a Democrat. He argues crypto should focus on public-good use cases, and reject political profiteering. He also criticized pro-crypto lawmakers as opportunistic and lacking genuine interest in the technology. November’s hotly anticipated midterms are poised to bring a new wave of legislators to Washington for the first time—including, potentially, America’s first crypto developer-turned-congressman. Joe Schiarizzi, a longtime Ethereum developer, launched a campaign Thursday to run as a Democratic House candidate in D.C.’s Virginia suburbs. Schiarizzi plans to run in Virginia’s 7th congressional district, which, pending…

Galaxy Digital has been named an approved validator for BlackRock’s iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB), the firm’s first crypto exchange-traded product designed to generate staking rewards, according to a Thursday press release. Launched last month, ETHB is expected to follow in the footsteps of BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, which has grown into a top-performing digital asset fund since 2024. As of April 8, the fund had over $435 million worth of assets under management, with $339 million in staked $ETH. The ETF will stake a majority of its Ether holdings through institutional validators, including Figment, Attestant, and Galaxy, with rewards…

If lawmakers ultimately ban stablecoin rewards under the proposed CLARITY Act, Coinbase (COIN) could lose one tool it uses to attract users to hold digital dollars on its platform — though analysts say the impact on the exchange’s business may be limited. As lawmakers debate the future of stablecoin regulation in Washington, one unresolved question in the proposed CLARITY Act could have significant implications for Coinbase and other stablecoin partners’ business model: whether companies will be allowed to share yield with stablecoin holders. The bill, which has been stalled in Congress since January, seeks to establish a regulatory framework for…

In a move that reshapes access to European digital assets, the bank clearbank europe has secured a crucial regulatory milestone for its expansion strategy. ClearBank Europe completes MiCAR notification and secures Dutch AFM approval ClearBank Europe has become the first Dutch credit institution to complete a notification under the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR), marking a key precedent in the region’s regulatory landscape. The bank received confirmation from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) on its status as a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) on 9th April 2026, formally enabling it to offer digital asset services within…

In brief TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating for Bitcoin treasury firm Strategy, despite cutting its price target. The company initiated coverage on Ethereum treasury company Sharplink, also calling it a “buy.” Analysts said that Ethereum staking rewards should cover all of Sharplink’s operating costs, even if the price of ETH stays down. TD Cowen analysts initiated coverage of Sharplink with a “buy” rating on Thursday, while reducing the investment bank’s price target for Bitcoin-buying Strategy. The analysts, led by Lance Vitanza, penciled in a $16 price target for Sharplink shares, which changed hands around $6.42 in after-hours trading, according…

Cryptocurrencies have moved far beyond niche internet forums and early adopters. Today, they sit at the intersection of finance, technology, and regulation. However, their legal status still varies significantly depending on where you are. While most major economies now recognize crypto as legal, the way it’s regulated and how it’s used differs from region to region. Below is a breakdown of key markets and the real-world use cases shaping crypto adoption globally. United States In the United States, cryptocurrencies are legal but operate under a complex and evolving regulatory framework. Oversight is shared between agencies like the SEC and CFTC,…