Quantum Security Concerns Emerging as Economic Risk
The debate over quantum computing's threat to Bitcoin is moving beyond technical concerns into economic territory. While US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have accumulated more than $104 billion in net assets, uncertainty about Bitcoin's long-term security could discourage institutional investment, according to Muneeb Ali, founder of Bitcoin layer-2 project Stacks.
Ali warned that Bitcoin needs a credible roadmap for quantum resistance, with meaningful progress required by 2028 and transition completion targeted for 2030, based on guidance from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He cautioned that Bitcoin's history of slow and contentious upgrades leaves little room for delays.
For institutional investors viewing Bitcoin as a hedge against currency debasement, doubts about its security could complicate the investment thesis. Even the uncertainty alone could undermine investor confidence, Ali argued, with potential consequences for the broader cryptocurrency market if quantum computing achieves a breakthrough capable of compromising Bitcoin.
Ripple Wins Final Federal Banking Charter
Ripple has received final approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish a national trust bank, completing the regulatory process after securing conditional approval in December 2025.
The Ripple National Trust Bank will operate under federal supervision, manage reserves backing the company's RLUSD stablecoin, serve as a collateral trustee for tokenholders, and provide digital asset custody. RLUSD will continue to be issued by Standard Custody & Trust Company, regulated by the New York Department of Financial Services.
The approval follows similar final authorization for Circle in July, while Coinbase, Crypto.com, and Stripe-owned Bridge remain at the conditional approval stage. Unlike traditional commercial banks, national trust banks generally cannot accept deposits, issue loans, or carry Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation coverage.
USDC Surpasses Tether in European Trading
Circle's USDC has overtaken Tether's USDt in stablecoin trading against the euro as European Union regulations reshape competition between the world's two largest dollar-backed stablecoins.
According to Kaiko data, USDC now accounts for 56% of euro-denominated stablecoin trading, up from 10% in January 2024. The shift accelerated after major cryptocurrency exchanges restricted USDt trading for European Economic Area customers to comply with the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).
USDC's euro order books are approximately 40% deeper than USDt's, indicating stronger liquidity for traders. However, USDT remains the dominant stablecoin globally, with circulating supply approximately 2.5 times larger than USDC's. The European Banking Authority designated USDC as the bloc's first "significant e-money token," subjecting it to additional regulatory oversight.
VanEck Adds Bitcoin to Multi-Asset ETF
VanEck, a $244 billion asset manager, launched an actively managed exchange-traded fund combining traditional stocks and bonds with real assets and Bitcoin exposure.
The VanEck Wealth Builder ETF targets a 2% Bitcoin allocation, ranging from 1% to 5%, gaining exposure through a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded product rather than holding Bitcoin directly. The launch expands VanEck's existing Wealth Builder model portfolios into a single ETF.
