Author: NBTC

Bitcoin perpetual futures trading volume on major exchanges Binance and Bybit has fallen to its lowest level since 2023, according to a recent report by crypto research firm K33 Research. The decline also extends to spot markets, where volume has dropped to levels not seen since February 2024. The data suggests a notable cooling in trading activity across the crypto derivatives market, even as open interest remains relatively elevated. Declining Volume, Persistent Open Interest K33 Research’s analysis highlights a divergence: while trading volumes have contracted sharply, open interest in Bitcoin perpetual futures has stayed comparatively large. This means that many…

World Liberty Financial ($WLFI), the decentralized finance project associated with the Trump family, has appointed Ryan Ballantyne as its chief business officer, according to a report from The Block. Ballantyne, who most recently led corporate client strategy at Coinbase Institutional, will oversee $WLFI’s global business strategy and partnerships. Background and role Ballantyne brings extensive experience in the digital asset space, having spent years at Coinbase where he focused on serving institutional clients. His move to $WLFI signals the project’s ambition to expand its institutional reach and build credibility within the traditional finance sector. $WLFI, launched in late 2024, aims to…

JPYC Inc. raised 6 billion yen ($38 million) in an extension of its Series B funding round to accelerate the expansion of its yen-pegged stablecoin. The investment brings the company’s total raised to $106 million across seven funding rounds since November 2021, according to venture capital data site Tracxn. New investors in the latest round include AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings (9090), a major Japanese logistics company. AZ-COM plans to settle payments in JPYC with its clients, including Amazon Japan. Its network of around 2,300 partners is made up of subcontractors, drivers and so on. The move marked the first large-scale corporate…

Grayscale’s new SEC filing for a Worldcoin ETF reveals that just 100 wallets hold approximately 90% of all circulating $WLD — a concerning level of centralization for co-founder Sam Altman’s “coin for the world.” These numbers contrast with the token’s whitepaper, which outlined a simple goal tied to eyeball-scanning orbs and token giveaways around the globe: “The majority of $WLD tokens will be claimed by individuals simply for being verified unique humans.” It would be bad enough if that were Worldcoin’s only decentralization failure. Unfortunately, the filing also acknowledges the project’s dependence on a centralized sequencer, upgrade functionaries, bridge operators,…

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has criticized the Senate’s proposed Clarity Act. The board has admitted that the legislation would provide long-awaited regulatory certainty for the cryptocurrency industry. However, it has also noted that it contains provisions that could introduce new risks to the U.S. financial system. In an editorial published on Aug. 4, the board acknowledged that the crypto sector has operated in a regulatory gray zone. It also praised the bill for creating clearer rules that distinguish digital assets regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission from those falling under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. According to…

Kiwoom Securities has effectively paused its efforts to acquire a stake in South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb, according to an exclusive report from Byline Network. A company official indicated that internal sentiment has shifted against continuing the deal, citing Bithumb’s complex governance structure and the growing financial burden associated with the transaction. Kiwoom Securities declined to confirm the matter when approached for comment. Background of the Proposed Deal The potential acquisition had been under consideration as part of Kiwoom Securities’ broader strategy to expand into the digital asset sector. Bithumb, one of South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has faced regulatory…

$ENS launched the public Beta of its App and Explorer on Ethereum Sepolia, the final testing phase before mainnet deployment. The Beta introduces the ENSv2 upgrade flow, customizable profile themes, resolver management, and new testnet payment options. An audit competition with Immunefi will begin on August 18, offering a conditional prize of up to $70,000 for security researchers. Ethereum Name Service launched the public Beta phase of its new application and protocol explorer on the Ethereum Sepolia testnet. $ENS begins with this launch the final large-scale testing cycle before the definitive mainnet deployment, introducing for the first time the upgrade…

1inch says liquidity providers should judge fees against impermanent loss, loss-versus-rebalancing, depeg exposure, protocol risk and the economic source of yield. High trading volume and displayed APY can be misleading when arbitrage flow captures stale pricing or token emissions subsidize returns instead of sustainable activity. 1inch Aqua keeps assets in users’ wallets until execution, reducing the specific custody risk of locking funds externally while leaving market and protocol risks unchanged. Liquidity providers are being urged to rethink how they judge returns as 1inch argues that headline APY and trading volume can obscure the risks embedded in automated market making. The…

Uniswap [$UNI] continues drawing renewed attention. This comes after exchange balances recorded their largest decline of 2026. Around 8.4 million $UNI left trading platforms within 24 hours, ending weeks of relatively stable exchange flows. Normally, large outflows from exchanges are indicative of investors moving assets to self-custody or DeFi applications. Therefore, this removes the tokens from the potential for immediate supply. In $UNI’s case, the timing also coincides with renewed focus on its fee and burn narrative, Robinhood Chain launch, tokenized asset support, and Spark’s $150 million v4 liquidity migration. This could encourage longer holding periods. Source: Santiment However, exchange…

On August 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the “Digital Currency and Digital Rights Law,” effectively legalizing the nation’s first crypto regulation framework. Most of its provisions will take effect on September 1, 2026, with full licensing and compliance required by July 1, 2027. Here are the details: Russia’s stance on crypto payments Russia has now banned the use and advertisement of cryptocurrencies as domestic legal tender. The country, however, supports these kinds of payments in international trade and cross-border settlements as a way to bypass Western sanctions. Investor rules The new framework divides crypto users into two cohorts, namely:…