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Showing posts with the label security

BlackRock Flags Quantum Computing as Emerging Bitcoin Threat

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Quantum computing Bitcoin threat warnings have escalated as BlackRock quietly updated its iShares Bitcoin Trust filing in May 2025, and this marks the first direct SEC institutional warning about quantum technology potentially breaking Bitcoin’s cryptographic security. The world’s largest asset manager now officially acknowledges that advanced quantum computing could undermine Bitcoin’s viability, also adding urgency to cryptocurrency discussions alongside Bitcoin halving countdown live events and currency substitution debates with the United States dollar. Blackrock iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF SEC Application – Source: SEC,gov Also Read: BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Soars as Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong Investors Pump Over $1 Billion Can Cryptocurrency Survive a Quantum Leap That Breaks Bitcoin? The quantum computing Bitcoin threat has moved from theoretical to documented institutional concern, and BlackRock’s filing specifically states that quantum computing could ...

How Privacy-Focused Cryptocurrencies Like PIVX Fit into DeFi

How Privacy-Focused Cryptocurrencies Like PIVX Fit into DeFi? Decentralized Finance (DeFi) has been one of the most revolutionary developments in the cryptocurrency space, creating an ecosystem where traditional financial systems are replaced by blockchain technology and smart contracts. Within this landscape, privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, like PIVX (Private Instant Verified Transaction), play a significant yet often overlooked role. Their emphasis on confidentiality aligns well with the growing demand for privacy in financial transactions, presenting unique opportunities and challenges in the DeFi space. The Importance of Privacy in DeFi DeFi is known for its transparency, where every transaction is recorded on public blockchains like Ethereum and Bitcoin. While this transparency is essential for security and trust, it comes at the cost of user privacy. In a world where personal financial data is often a target for hackers and data brokers, the demand for private financial solutio...

Kidnapped WonderFi CEO released after paying $720k ransom

Dean Skurka is the president and CEO of WonderFi, a Canadian crypto company Skurka was forced into a vehicle in downtown Toronto during rush hour He said that client funds and data remain safe and weren’t impacted by the kidnapping The kidnapped CEO of Canadian cryptocurrency company WonderFi has returned safely after electronically transferring CAD$1 million ($720,000) to his captors. On Wednesday, at around 6 p.m. during rush hour, Dean Skurka, the president and CEO of WonderFi, was forced into a vehicle in the area of University Avenue and Richmond Street W. in downtown Toronto, reports CBC. Skurka was ordered to pay the ransom demand of CAD$1 million. He was later released in Centennial Park in Etobicoke, according to a source close to the investigation. Speaking about the kidnapping, Skurka said: “The safety and security of all of WonderFi’s employees are paramount. Client funds and data remain safe, and were not impacted by this inci...

Platypus DeFi loses $2.2M in another flash loan exploit

The attack marks the third time that Platypus was exploited in 2023, with one incident taking $8.5 million in February and another taking $157,000 back in July. Decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Platypus has lost over $2 million in assets after suffering another flash loan exploit on its platform. The protocol suspended all of its pools in response to the attack.  According to the blockchain security platform CertiK, the DeFi platform suffered three attacks, with $2.23 million taken in total across the exploits. On Oct. 12, the first attack took place, taking $1.2 million from the platform. A second attack occurred hours later, stealing $575,000 worth of assets from the platform. Just a minute later, the third attack had taken place, with $450,000 in assets lost. Due to suspicious activities in our protocol, we have taken the proactive measure of temporarily suspending all pools. Further updates will be communicated to the community in a timely manner. Thank you for your patien...

Bitcoin needs Ethereum VM to reach its full potential — Web3 exec

Botanix Labs founder Willem Schroé argues a “huge amount of value” from real-world assets will be captured on Bitcoin, provided it connects to the Ethereum Virtual Machine. Mainstream Bitcoin (BTC) adoption won’t happen until it bridges to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) — the first point of entry for many real-world assets moving on-chain, a Web3 executive argues. Speaking to Cointelegraph, the founder of cross-chain infrastructure firm Botanix Labs, Willem Schroé, claimed Bitcoin “needs to start playing in the EVM world” for it to build real-world use cases to increase its adoption and utility. “Bitcoin is the most technologically secure and truly decentralized protocol [and] the EVM has proven itself to be the application layer for the global financial system,” Schroé said. Our Botanix Protocol positions Ethereum as a Layer-2 solution on top of #Bitcoin. We've added Ethereum onto the Bitcoin Network's secure foundation to harness the security of its Proof-of-Work mechani...

Ripple case: SEC appeal unlikely as it gains from 'current confusion' — Haun Ventures CEO

An immediate appeal could potentially jeopardize the SEC’s “entire enforcement agenda” if it ends up losing, said Katie Haun of Haun Ventures. A former federal prosecutor turned chief executive of a crypto-focused venture capital fund says she would be “surprised” if the United States securities regulator lodges an immediate appeal against the Ripple case ruling, as it current ly benefits from lack of “legal clarity.” On July 13, Judge Torres granted a partial summary judgment in favor of Ripple Labs regarding XRP’s status as a security. At the time, a few commentators warned that an appeal from the SEC would be a possibility. However, in a July 15 Twitter thread, Haun Ventures CEO Katie Haun explained that the securities regulator will likely stay quiet as it benefits from the “current confusion” and that losing an appeal could jeopardize its future enforcement actions. Some non-legal advice musings on the Ripple decision, including two main takeaways: 1/ The Court drew a reasonabl...

This L1 network creates a secure and efficient interoperable network with Bitcoin, Ethereum and more

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A new layer-1 blockchain seeks to establish secure connections between different chains — including smart contract chains like Ethereum and non-smart contract chains like Bitcoin. In a world of different blockchains, interoperability is becoming an increasingly important issue. While many solutions are already connecting the numerous chains, they don’t come without risks. Different layer-1 blockchains aim to solve this interoperability problem by creating a network with integrated bridges between chains and asynchronous message passing. Using a cross-chain bridge, it’s possible to move value from one chain to another. However, this raises several issues for developers and users. One major issue is the potential for bridge hacks, which have caused billions of dollars in damage in recent years. In addition, a fragmented blockchain landscape leads to inefficiencies and complexity, exposing additional vulnerabilities. Trading across chains can be costly with rising gas prices and slippag...

Ripple case is concluding, but the fight for clarity must 'continue' – Brad Garlinghouse

In a video posted to Twitter, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse opined that the U.S. financial watchdog acted in "bad faith, plain and simple." He warned that it is only the beginning of the battle for "so many other" crypto firms. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has warned that even though Ripple's legal battle against the United States financial watchdog is coming “to a close,” it is only the beginning of a larger battle and the fight for clarity “has to continue .’ Following a lengthy back and forth between Ripple and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Hinman documents were finally unsealed on June 13. Garlinghouse has long argued for the unsealing of these documents, which pertain to the 2018 speech delivered by Hinman stating that Ethereum (ETH) is not a security. Garlinghouse believed thiscould bolster his argument that Ripple’s token, XRP (XRP), is not a security too. In a recently published video to Twitter on June 17, Garlinghous...

Are stablecoins securities? Well, its not so simple, say lawyers

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One lawyer said that while stablecoins are meant to be stable, buyers may possibly profit from a range of arbitrage, hedging, and staking opportunities. Recently reported planned enforcement action against Paxos by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over Binance USD (BUSD) has many in the community questioning how the regulator could see a stablecoin as a security. Blockchain lawyer s told Cointelegraph said that while the answer isn't black and white, there exists an argument for it if the stable coin was issued out in the expectation of profits or are derivative of securities . A report from the Wall Street Journal on Feb. 12 revealed that the SEC is planning to sue Paxos Trust Company in relation to its issuance of Binance USD, a stablecoin it created in partnership with Binance in 2019. Within the notice, the SEC claims that BUSD is an unregistered security. don't hate me but custodial stablecoins are probably all securities I have said this consist...

DeFi security losses rose 47.4% in 2022 to hit $3.64B: Report

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Over $1.40 billion worth of stolen DeFi funds was reportedly laundered via Tornado Cash during that period. According to a Jan. 5 report published by Chinese Blockchain security firm LianAn Technology, decentralized finance (DeFi) exploits across blockchains worldwide totaled $3.64 billion in 2022. This represented a rise of 47.4% compared with the loss of $2.44 billion in 2021. The incidents increased in quantity despite a steep 80% loss in the total value locked in DeFi during the year.  DeFi losses by quarter in 2022. Source: LianAn Technology; Footprint Analytics Out of the 2022 amount, funds lost during cross-chain bridge Hacks amounted to $1.89 billion across 12 incidents — the highest in the category. Overall, attacks on Ethereum, BNB Chain and Solana accounted for the majority of exploits. Out of the 167 notable incidents in 2022, 51.5% of breaches occurred in audited projects, while 48.5% of breaches occurred in non-audited projects. In total, LianAn said 38.7%, or $1.40 b...