Author: NBTC

When Zero Network announced it was shutting down last month, the reaction across crypto was weary: Another Ethereum layer-2 just bit the dust. The closure joined a growing list of struggling rollups and came amid renewed debate about whether Ethereum’s sprawling layer-2 ecosystem has become too crowded. At the same time, Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin has urged developers to rethink the network’s long-term scaling roadmap, while several major projects have shifted away from marketing themselves as general-purpose blockchains and toward more focused applications in payments, stablecoins and tokenized assets. To many observers, the developments have revived a familiar question: Has…

Rather than wait for the regulatory environment to shape itself, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has gotten directly involved in funding AI technology, lobbying for the rules, and helping choose the people who write them. On the same day that reports surfaced that a16z had become the largest donor in the 2026 U.S. midterm election cycle, AI defense technology Anduril also revealed that it received billions in investments from the firm. $115 million in political donations from a16z Andreessen Horowitz’s checkbook (a16z) has been busy as one of the largest political donors of the 2026 midterms, also confirmed a massive investment into…

Ripple Middle East Limited has been incorporated as a company within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The license granted by the DFSA allows for the provision of monetary services, investment management, and custody of crypto tokens. The DIFC legal framework is based on English common law and requires strict compliance controls and prevention of money laundering. The recent approval of the license in Dubai’s DIFC for Ripple heated up the debate on $XRP’s regulatory status and its integration into traditional financial systems. The company’s regional subsidiary finalized its incorporation process in this strategic economic zone, granting it authorization to…

The U.S. House Armed Services Committee has introduced a provision in the annual defense authorization bill that would prohibit military personnel and Department of Defense employees from betting on prediction markets using non-public information, according to a report from CNN. The measure comes in direct response to the recent indictment of a U.S. special forces member who placed a large wager on the prediction platform Polymarket shortly before a military operation targeting Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. New Rules Target Non-Public Information The proposed language, embedded within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), extends beyond classified intelligence. It explicitly bars the…

Travala, the cryptocurrency-native travel booking platform, has launched a new protocol that enables artificial intelligence agents to search, book, and pay for hotel accommodations autonomously. The Travala Travel MCP, built on the Base blockchain, introduces a direct payment pipeline that bypasses traditional credit card networks and reduces transaction costs to roughly one cent per booking. How the protocol works The Travala Travel MCP leverages the x402 payment standard, a framework designed for microtransactions on Base. This allows AI agents to initiate and complete hotel bookings using $USDC without incurring gas fees. Settlement is near-instantaneous, a significant departure from conventional online…

So, it turns out “decentralization” is just a word we use to feel superior until someone offers us a 75% pump and 6x lower fees. Last month, when the Arbitrum Security Council pulled an emergency “freeze” on $71M in exploited ETH, the community acted like the sky was falling. Criticism was high and on socials we saw people screaming, for instance it was a “governance crisis,” a “betrayal of trustless code,” and a red flag for the entire L2 ecosystem. But fast forward to this week, and Pavel Durov announces Telegram is basically annexing the $TON blockchain and replacing the…

South African financial regulators have clarified that cryptocurrencies and stablecoins are not legal tender. Key Takeaways: On June 2, 2026, the SARB and FSCA declared that crypto assets and stablecoins are not legal tender. Wider adoption of crypto could risk NPS disruption and system stability, per economists. Next, the IFWG will analyze local currency stablecoins by late 2026 to draft new policy responses. Crypto Still Excluded From Legal Tender Status South African regulators have reiterated that cryptocurrencies and stablecoins are neither money as defined in the country’s National Payments System Act nor funds, and are therefore not legal tender. In…

Kraken has launched a proprietary trading program that allows crypto traders to access firm capital after completing an evaluation. It marks the exchange’s entry into the growing funded trading segment. The new service, dubbed Kraken Prop, enables traders to operate with up to $200,000 in company-backed funds while keeping up to 90% of generated profits. Introducing Kraken Prop ⚡Trade with Kraken’s capital and keep up to 90% of your profitsYour downside is capped at a one-time evaluation feeThe upside is based entirely on how you performhttps://t.co/Q7T52CH1Da pic.twitter.com/FIzaXZ6CwC — Kraken Pro (@krakenpro) May 27, 2026 The move now extends Kraken’s product…

Visa has launched a proof-of-concept initiative with stablecoin infrastructure provider Brale to evaluate private, blockchain-based settlement for institutional payment flows using the SBC stablecoin on the Canton Network. Key Takeaways: Visa and Brale launched a 2026 SBC stablecoin settlement proof of concept. Canton Network privacy features target institutional payment and compliance needs. Visa, active in stablecoins since 2021, is evaluating additional settlement options. Visa Expands Stablecoin Strategy The collaboration centers on SBC, a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin issued by Brale, and will examine whether privacy-enabled blockchain infrastructure can support faster and more programmable settlement while helping institutions protect sensitive transaction data.…

Veteran investor Jordi Visser, a guest on Anthony Pompliano’s program, assessed recent developments in the global economy and offered critical warnings and predictions for investors. Visser stated that if assets like silver and Dogecoin experience a breakout, Bitcoin will follow suit, and he expects this major upward wave to occur before the end of the summer. Visser stated that while three interest rate cuts were expected in the markets at the beginning of the year, now interest rate increases are being discussed, and argued that the main factor behind this rapid change is inflation. He stated that tensions, particularly those…