SHRINCS BIP published: Quantum-secure Bitcoin comes with a catch

Blockstream co-founder and CEO Adam Back has a reputation as a quantum computer skeptic who believes the technology is so immature the threat wont materialize for decades.  Which makes it all the more fascinating that his company is one of the leaders in researching practical solutions to the issue. Back told Cointelegraph earlier this year “the safe thing” is to prepare for the threat well in advance.  Blockstream has already proven its experimental post-quantum signature scheme called SHRINCS works in production on its Liquid sidechain and a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal for SHRINCS was published earlier today.  Blockstream Research‘s Jonas Nick called it “the first concrete proposal for a post-quantum signature scheme designed specifically for Bitcoin.” But he added that SHRINCS is not intended to be Bitcoin’s ‘final’ signature scheme, and it is not optimal along every axis.  “I do think it is a very good trade-off among the options we have now,” he said.Source: Jonas Nick  While the timeline is hotly debated, scientists agree that sufficiently advanced quantum computers will be able to reverse engineer private keys from public keys, thereby undermining Bitcoin‘s security and enabling the theft of billions. That’s why the race is on to develop ways to upgrade Bitcoin to make it

Yesterday 09:43Industry

Bitcoin dips below $78K as stocks, gold fall on higher US PCE Inflation data

Bitcoin (BTC) slipped under $78,000 following Wednesdays Wall Street open after US inflation data came in above expectations.  Key points:Bitcoin sees further downside after US PCE inflation data came in 0.1% higher than expected in July.Markets await Nvidia Q2 earnings release as Wednesdays next potential volatility catalyst.BTC price analysis warns over 25% weekly gains forming a bear market relief rally.  Higher-than-expected PCE data pressures Bitcoin  Data from TradingView tracked up to 1% daily BTC price losses, with US stocks also opening lower and gold breaking below $4,600 per ounce.BTC/USD one-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView  The downside came after the July print of the US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE), known as the Federal Resrves “preferred” inflation gauge, hit 3.7% year-on-year, above the anticipated 3.6%.  “From the preceding month, the PCE price index for July increased 0.2%. Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index also increased 0.2 %,” the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) official release confirmed.US PCE index data (screenshot). Source: BEA  Markets appeared disappointed by the results following Junes unexpected drop in PCE gains, which included their first month-on-month decrease in six years.  “US inflation continues to run at nearly double the Feds 2.0% target,” trading resource The Kobeissi Letter responded in a post on X.  The PCE

Yesterday 09:43Industry

US state banking groups plan nationwide blockchain network for 2027

Thirty-nine US state banking associations have formed the BankChain Alliance to build a nationwide, industry-owned blockchain network for banks, targeting a 2027 launch.  On Tuesday, the alliance announced that the network intends to support smart payment tools, tokenized deposits, stablecoins and automated settlement. BankChain said it plans for the network to be interoperable with other blockchains and said it was selecting a technology partner.  The participating associations represent thousands of financial institutions across the US. BankChain said it will invite banks nationwide to take ownership of stakes. However, the announcement did not mention individual banks that have committed to joining or disclose how the network will be governed or funded.  BankChain joins several US bank-led networks announced or advanced since late 2025, spanning major, regional and community lenders building shared infrastructure for moving deposits and payments onchain within the regulated banking system.  Cointelegraph reached out to BankChain for more information but did not receive a response before publication.  US banks build shared onchain payment networks  In June, The Clearing House announced an onchain money initiative supported by JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citi, BNY and Wells Fargo. The proposed network would clear and settle tokenized deposits between banks and connect blockchain activity with its existing payment

Yesterday 09:43Industry

WTI slips below $81.50 amid Middle East diplomacy

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price depreciates after registering modest gains in the previous day, trading around $81.30 per barrel during the Asian hours on Thursday. Crude oil prices decline amid signs of diplomatic progress in the Middle East.  Iran and Oman reached an agreement over each country‘s share of the Strait of Hormuz’s waters and related revenues, although Tehran cautioned that reopening the crucial waterway would require more than an agreement with Oman.  Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said 10 million barrels of oil had passed through Hormuz on Tuesday, while reiterating claims that mines in the waterway had been cleared.  Discover more  Compare Exchange Rates  Finance  Take Economics Courses  Oil prices have also come under pressure this week after fresh US economic sanctions on Iran proved less aggressive than markets had feared, with the White House so far sparing Irans trading partners from tougher measures.  Oil prices pared early losses after official data showed US crude inventories rose by less than expected last week. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), crude inventories increased by 95,000 barrels to 428.9 million barrels for the week ended August 21. This was significantly lower than the 597,000-barrel build analysts had forecasted in a Reuters poll.  Compounding market tightness, supply disruptions

Yesterday 09:13Industry

Mastercard to Sponsor XRP Ledger Hackathon in New York

Mastercard will sponsor an upcoming XRP Ledger hackathon in New York, bringing major payments expertise into the developer event. The 36-hour competition will run October 24–25, shortly before Ripples annual Swell conference. Developers will build projects that explore new applications for the XRP Ledger across several financial use cases.  Developers Target New Financial Applications  The hackathon will feature four tracks covering protocol innovation, agentic finance, lending, and borrowing. Further, teams having an existing product can add XRP Ledger elements to their projects.  Mastercard‘s participation could provide developers with greater access to real-world payment systems. In addition, the company’s growing strategy toward the blockchain opens the door to projects related to stablecoin settlements and tokenized assets.  Mastercard is deepening Ripple Connection  The partnership between Mastercard and Ripple has grown with various blockchain projects. In 2025, Ripple entered into a partnership with Mastercard, WebBank, and Gemini regarding its stablecoin RLUSD.  Significantly, Mastercard announced in June that its network would support regulated stablecoin settlement. The company included the XRP Ledger among supported blockchain networks.  Furthermore, Ripple joined Mastercard‘s CBDC Partner Program in 2023. In May, both companies participated in an XRP Ledger pilot involving Ondo Finance’s tokenized US Treasury fund.

Yesterday 09:12Industry

Euro holds gains above 1.1650 on hawkish ECB bias

The EUR/USD pair edges higher to around 1.1655 during the early Asian session on Thursday. A hawkish stance of the European Central Bank (ECB) provides some support to the Euro (EUR) against the US Dollar (USD). Traders will closely monitor the Jackson Hole Symposium event later on Friday for fresh impetus.  The ECB is anticipated to raise the key interest rates in September, after tightening in June to contain price pressures amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. Markets are now pricing in nearly a 25% odds of the ECB deposit rate reaching 3.0% by March 2027 and about a 60% chance by September, according to Reuters.  ECB Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel said on Wednesday that borrowing costs will need to rise further as the lengthy conflict in the Middle East and surprisingly strong euro-zone economy pose upside risks to inflation.  Across the pond, the Feds preferred inflation gauge came in line with expectations, with the core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index inflation held steady at 3.3% YoY in July, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) showed on Wednesday.  Additionally, the headline PCE Price Index remained unchanged at 3.7% YoY in July, above the consensus of 3.6%. On a monthly basis, the PCE Price

Yesterday 08:58Industry

Bitcoin is trapped between $75,000 and $80,000 ahead of a massive Friday derivatives settlement

Bitcoin is trading between $80,000 and $78,000, and faces two option strikes that could shape dealer hedging into Friday.  Related Asset Bitcoin #1 BTC · $78,653.71 24-hour change: down 0.19% 24H Down 0.19% 7D Up 13.54% 30D Up 24.57%  Reported call exposure at $75,000 and $80,000 creates a test of whether those positions dampen Bitcoins next move or add force to a break.  Roughly 81,700 Bitcoin options representing about $6.4 billion in notional are scheduled to settle on Deribit at 08:00 UTC on Aug. 28.  A refresh of Deribits BTC options data placed its Bitcoin reference price near $78,514. Applied to 81,700 one-Bitcoin contracts, that gives about $6.415 billion in notional.  Related Company Deribit Cryptocurrency Futures & Options Trading  The $75,000 call strike carried about $236 million in reported notional, while the $80,000 call strike held about $157 million. Those are call-side open-interest concentrations, worth a combined $393 million or 6.1% of the reported $6.44 billion expiry.  Deribit data shows 81,700 Bitcoin options contracts expiring Aug. 28, with more than $500 million concentrated near the $75,000 and $80,000 call strikes.The Bitcoin hedge path can split two ways  Options dealers adjust hedges as Bitcoin moves and an options sensitivity to the underlying price changes. Near expiry, those adjustments can

Yesterday 08:40Industry

Avalanche Treasury doubles down on its strategy to build shareholder value after a $44 million hit

Avalanche Treasury Corp approved a $10 million Class A share-repurchase program after reporting a $44.7 million second-quarter loss, with about $35.7 million attributed to losses linked to AVAX.  Related Asset Avalanche #26 AVAX · $7.34 24-hour change: down 0.54% 24H Down 0.54% 7D Up 8.61% 30D Up 14.84%  Management described the program as one tool to create shareholder value while it sees a market disconnect.  The companys Aug. 26 results release discloses the boards approval and contains no disclosure of completed purchases, and its immediate effect is a statement of management intent.  The company said the $35.7 million reflected fair-value changes, realized digital-asset losses, and impairments. That mix includes accounting adjustments and realized losses, making it distinct from a measure of cash expenditure during the period.  Fair-value and impairment charges can move reported earnings without carrying the same cash effect as a realized loss.  At June 30, AVAT held 15,312,363 AVAX with a reported fair value of $99,989,818, according to its quarterly filing. Subsequent price moves and treasury activity can change both the value and the balance, while the filing establishes the scale of the exposure behind AVATs earnings volatility.  Avalanche Treasury Corp infographic shows a $44.7 million Q2 net loss, 15.3 million AVAX treasury holdings, and

Yesterday 07:30Industry

How a $35M AVAX hit sent one companys earnings into a tailspin

Avalanche Treasury Corp approved a $10 million Class A share-repurchase program after reporting a $44.7 million second-quarter loss, with about $35.7 million attributed to losses linked to AVAX.  Related Asset Avalanche #26 AVAX · $7.46 24-hour change: up 1.16% 24H Up 1.16% 7D Up 7.97% 30D Up 16.11%  Management described the program as one tool to create shareholder value while it sees a market disconnect.  The companys Aug. 26 results release discloses the boards approval and contains no disclosure of completed purchases, and its immediate effect is a statement of management intent.  The company said the $35.7 million reflected fair-value changes, realized digital-asset losses, and impairments. That mix includes accounting adjustments and realized losses, making it distinct from a measure of cash expenditure during the period.  Fair-value and impairment charges can move reported earnings without carrying the same cash effect as a realized loss.  At June 30, AVAT held 15,312,363 AVAX with a reported fair value of $99,989,818, according to its quarterly filing. Subsequent price moves and treasury activity can change both the value and the balance, while the filing establishes the scale of the exposure behind AVATs earnings volatility.  Avalanche Treasury Corp infographic shows a $44.7 million Q2 net loss, 15.3 million AVAX treasury holdings, and

Yesterday 07:30Industry

World Liberty Financial launches USD1 natively on Canton Network

World Liberty Financial has launched its USD1 stablecoin natively on the Canton Network, allowing institutions to use it to settle transactions involving tokenized real-world assets.  The stablecoin can be used as the cash leg for transactions including derivatives collateral, institutional lending, asset issuance and redemptions, according to a Tuesday announcement.  Native issuance allows USD1 to settle alongside tokenized assets in the same transaction while using Cantons privacy and permissioning controls.  USD1 has a market capitalization of about $4.05 billion, making it the sixth-largest stablecoin, according to DeFiLlama data. The stablecoin is issued by BitGo Bank & Trust, which manages its reserves and processes mints and redemptions, according to World Liberty.  World Liberty Financial is a Trump family-backed crypto venture launched in 2024. USD1 debuted in March 2025 and is backed by reserves including short-term US Treasurys, government money market funds and dollar deposits, according to the company.  Canton, a public, permissionless blockchain designed for institutional finance, says it processes and issues more than $9 trillion in tokenized assets each month, with more than $350 billion in onchain US Treasurys moving across the network daily.  The integration follows another Canton expansion announced last week, when Digital Asset and former US House Speaker Paul Ryans American Idea Foundation

Yesterday 07:15Industry
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