Author: NBTC

The interest in crypto was up 300% compared to the preceding five years. At least, according to the popularity of the search term “crypto” on Google Trends. In the long-run, the baseline popularity of crypto has grown fourfold, even as the price of Bitcoin [BTC] struggles to break out of a downturn that began last October. This popularity can be explained by the rise of institutional investment, spot exchange-traded funds [ETFs], and developments such as real-world assets being onboarded onchain through tokenization. Increasingly, crypto is seen as an attractive investment option. The Charles Schwab 2025 Modern Wealth Survey found that…

The memecoin “cult” that encouraged a raid on Punch the monkey’s enclosure at Ichikawa Zoo has offered a $50,000 bounty to anybody willing to skydive into a 2026 World Cup match and invade the pitch. This outlandish request was part of a new bounty program launched by memecoin platform Pump Fun. The bounty, uploaded by thememecoincult, had a 30-day deadline and offered $40,000 to anybody willing to skydive into an ongoing World Cup match while dressed as a mascot for $MEMECOIN. It also offered takers an extra $10,000 if they could run around the pitch for 30 seconds after they…

The president of France’s National Gambling Authority instructed the country’s internet service providers to block access to Polymarket on July 16, according to a statement issued by the authority on Friday. The order escalates France’s November 2024 action, when regulators barred financial transactions from French accounts to the site. Even that did not stop traffic. According to the ANJ, Polymarket drew 578,751 visits and 205,057 unique visitors from France in June, French media reported. Advertising, by any means whatsoever, in favour of an unauthorised betting or gambling site is a criminal offence, with fines reaching €100,000 ($114,000). – ANJ France…

Amid expectations of a more hawkish Fed after the last meeting and growing concerns about Strategy’s $BTC sale, Bitcoin is currently stuck in a narrow range. While these factors negatively impact $BTC’s rise, there is also the risk of a bearish flag formation. According to one analyst, $BTC is forming a bearish flag pattern and could fall to $54,000. According to CoinDesk, crypto analyst Dr. Profit, using a pseudonym, argues that Bitcoin is forming a bearish flag pattern on its daily chart. According to the analyst, the bearish flag formation in $BTC could initially lead to a drop to the…

Ethereum price remained under pressure as social sentiment across major crypto platforms dropped to one of its weakest levels in recent weeks. However, historical data shared by Santiment showed that similar periods of growing pessimism have previously been followed by short-term price recoveries. At the same time, separate market data highlighted that institutional ETF demand continued to rise beneath the surface. Ethereum Price Sentiment Turns Bearish Again Santiment reported that Ethereum’s positive-to-negative social commentary ratio turned bearish for the third time within the past month. The data tracked discussions across X, Reddit, Telegram, and other crypto communities while comparing sentiment…

Stripe, the global payments infrastructure giant, is in discussions to acquire OpenRouter, a marketplace for AI models, at a valuation of approximately $10 billion, according to a report from Cointelegraph. The talks are ongoing, and sources familiar with the matter have indicated that no final decision has been reached. What OpenRouter Brings to the Table OpenRouter operates as a platform that aggregates access to various large language models and AI services, allowing developers to compare pricing, performance, and capabilities across providers. The marketplace simplifies the process of integrating AI into applications by offering a single API endpoint for multiple models.…

Helium’s HNT token is down 96%, and CEO Amir Haleem decided to quit yesterday. He spent over a decade talking about the reasons someone should be bullish about HNT. Checking the chart, they would have been better off never listening to him. Helium issued three crypto tokens, MOBILE, IOT, and HNT, to incentivize operators of its once-faddish networking devices. Over the past five years, those three tokens have declined 76%, 87%, and 96%, respectively. Haleem announced his resignation by quote-tweeting a video by his replacement, Mario Di Dio. He’s stepping aside as chief executive of Nova Labs, the company behind…

Russia is preparing to tighten oversight of foreign stablecoins through a new cryptocurrency regulation bill that would limit who can purchase the assets. The government’s final draft introduces a separate legal framework for stablecoins, separating them from traditional cryptocurrencies and restricting access for most retail investors. The proposal comes in addition to a separate initiative from the Central Bank of Russia to place all stablecoin transactions under state supervision. Final Bill Separates Stablecoins From Cryptocurrencies The current version of Bill No. 1194918-8, titled On Digital Currencies and Digital Rights, changes how stablecoins are classified under Russian law. Earlier drafts treated…

Circle has integrated its Gateway and Circle Payments Network with Fireblocks, giving institutional customers new ways to manage $USDC across blockchains and settle cross-border payments. The services are now available directly through Fireblocks’ existing infrastructure, including its transaction controls, approval systems and audit records. The integration targets trading firms, neobanks and payments companies that use stablecoins for treasury operations and international settlement. According to Fireblocks, stablecoins accounted for 69% of all digital asset transaction volume on its platform during the second quarter of 2026. The company also said $USDC became its leading stablecoin earlier this year. Circle Gateway allows institutions…

The recent Ethereum ($ETH) price rally has lost momentum, but five key on-chain metrics suggest the network may be entering the early stages of a recovery. After climbing from $1,796 to a recent high of $1,933, Ethereum retraced to around $1,876 on July 23. While the price has stalled, on-chain data from CryptoQuant indicates that activity on Ethereum’s base layer is showing early signs of improvement. Ethereum Fee Activity Begins to Rebound For much of the past three months, Ethereum’s fee environment has remained subdued. Median transaction fees have stayed more than 82% below their 90-day average, while median priority…