Listed cryptocurrency firm Exodus Movement (EXOD) is suing W3C, the parent company of crypto card and payments specialists Baanx and Monovate, and its chief executive, Garth Howat, to complete its $175 million acquisition of W3C, agreed in November of last year.
A lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery seeks to compel Howat to comply with obligations under the November 24, 2025 Stock Purchase Agreement.
Howat and W3C accepted $80 million worth of loans from Exodus upon signing the deal, with $10 million given to Howat personally, who then declared that they did not need to repay these loans, according to the lawsuit.
“Defendants Garth Howat and W3C are engaged in a blatant, reckless, and improper campaign to escape closing a transaction for the sale of W3C to Exodus that they had promised to complete in a binding agreement,” the lawsuit states.
“They have attempted to pilfer millions of dollars from one of their own subsidiaries. They have falsely backdated documents filed with government authorities. They have purported to summarily dismiss entire boards of directors, as well as the CEO and CFO of their key operating entity, and replace them with lackeys of their choosing, despite being precluded from doing so by the binding agreement,” it said.
Howat did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
W3C companies Baanx and Monovate were behind the Crypto Life digital asset cards business that worked with the likes of Mastercard and MetaMask.
JP Richardson, CEO and Co-founder of Exodus commented, “We have a binding agreement with W3C and expect it to be fully honored. We’re confident in the path forward and anticipate a swift resolution.”
Public infrastructure, regulatory foresight and private-sector dynamism have converged to create one of the most sophisticated and inclusive financial ecosystems in the emerging world. The following looks at Brazil and its unique fintech ecosystem.
As Latin America’s largest economy, Brazil combines industrial depth with natural resource wealth. Its economy, valued at $2.3 trillion, is anchored in a diversified base: agriculture (soybeans, coffee, beef), mining (iron ore), manufacturing, and a dominant services sector that consists of the likes of digital industries and financial services. The services sector accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
In terms of GDP per capita, that is around $10,700, putting the country firmly in the upper-middle-income status. Its growing influence in the world can be seen in the likes of being a member in the BRICS group – which founding and early members include China, Russia, India and South Africa.
Speaking of financial services, the financial gravity is centred in São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city by population and is home to the B3 stock exchange, major banks such as Itaú Unibanco, and the nucleus of Brazil’s fintech ecosystem. Historically, this concentration reinforced financial depth but also exposed gaps in access across the broader population.
Digital economic transformation
Paulista avenue and a lot of buildings around in Sao Paolo IMAGE SOURGE GETTY
Brazil’s digital transformation has been deliberate, shaped by a view that financial infrastructure is a public good. Over the past decade, policymakers, led by the Banco Central do Brasil ((BCB) – Central Bank of Brazil in English)—have embedded digitalisation into wider economic development strategies.
At the core is Pix, the instant payment system launched in 2020 by the Central Bank of Brazil. This year, Pix processes over 6 billion transactions per month, with more than 170 million users, which is around three-fourths of the adult population. In value terms, the system moves roughly $550 billion each month, operating continuously and at minimal cost.
Pix is not merely a payments platform; it is a form of digital public infrastructure (DPI) that underpins economic participation. This scale has transformed economic behaviour. Payments, once costly and fragmented, eare now instant and accessible. Informal workers and small merchants have been brought into the formal financial system, while transaction costs have fallen sharply.
Pix has significantly reduced transaction costs, often to near zero, and enabled real-time payments across the economy. It is credited with bringing over 70 million people into the financial system, accelerating financial inclusion.
This transformation sits within a broader policy framework that includes: Expanding mobile and internet penetration; Encouraging digital identity and data-sharing systems; and Supporting innovation through regulatory sandboxes
Financial services sector: from incumbency to ecosystem
Brazil’s financial services sector has undergone a structural evolution. Historically dominated by a small group of large banks that controlled roughly 70 per cent of assets at its peak, the market is now more competitive and innovation-driven.
The fintech sector itself has grown rapidly, with estimates of up to 1,500 fintech companies operating across payments, lending, insurtech and wealthtech. This makes Brazil one of the largest fintech ecosystems in the developing world.
Digital transformation within the sector has been driven by key forces: mobile-first adoption, alternative credit models and embedded finance.
Several Brazilian fintechs illustrate this evolution and include the likes of Nubank (digital bank serving 110 million customers across LatAm), PicPay (digital wallet that has expanded into lending, insurance and payment infrastructure), PagSeguro (merchange acquiring and digital banking) and StoneCo (payment solutions mainly with small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
In terms of other catalysts and organizations, examples include the Associação Brasileira de Fintechs ((ABFintechs) Brazilian Fintech Association in English).
Central bank leadership: regulation as a catalyst
The role of the BCB has been important, acting both as regulator and infrastructure provider. Its approach has been to enable competition while maintaining stability, positioning Brazil as a global reference point in fintech policy.
Brazil has made inroads with Pix but the BCB and the country as a whole have done other successful progressive things in the wider digital space.
First, there is open finance. Brazil has built one of the world’s most advanced open finance ecosystems; it is regulated by the BCB.
Initially starting off mainly with open banking, it evolved into open finance, incorporating the likes of payments, insurance, and investments, with over 800 institutions with over 60 million active data-sharing consents. This allows consumers to securely share financial data, enabling personalised services and improved access to credit.
Second, there is Drex and digital currencies. The BCB is advancing Drex, which is the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), aimed at enabling programmable payments and tokenised financial assets. A phased rollout is expected through this year and into next year in 2027.
Beyond these initiatives, the central bank has introduced fintech licences, strengthened regulatory clarity, and supported innovation through sandbox environments. The result is a financial system where innovation is structured rather than fragmented.
Despite its progress, Brazil continues to face structural inclusion challenges, particularly in rural regions and among lower-income populations. Historically high fees, limited credit access and geographic barriers excluded millions. The combination of public infrastructure and private innovation has created a self-reinforcing cycle, where increased access drives adoption, and adoption drives further innovation.
Brazil’s fintech journey offers a clear lesson for emerging economies. Financial inclusion is not simply a byproduct of innovation but rather designed and scaled through coordinated policy and infrastructure that promotes wider financial inclusion and economic development.
Richie is a global economic development advisor and Managing Partner of Santos-Diaz LLC, specializing in international trade and foreign direct investment across the UK, Middle East, and North America. With over 15 years of experience and a Masters from SOAS University of London, he has advised high-level governments and multinational corporates while contributing to major outlets like Forbes and the World Economic Forum. Currently based in Dubai, he leverages his background in emerging markets and RegTech to bridge the gap between global policy and private sector growth.
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Executive Economic Development Advisor (Emerging Markets) | Contributor
Weekend panics followed by Monday reversals have become the norm in 2026, and the action over the last 48 hours has continued that pattern.
Down about 4% from late Saturday night into early Monday morning on news that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance had left Pakistan without an Iran peace deal and President Trump’s ordering of a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, bitcoin BTC$73,190.02 erased those losses in Monday U.S. action.
Trading at $73,400 as U.S. stocks closed for the day, bitcoin was higher by more than 3% over the last 24 hours. Ether (ETH), solana (SOL) and XRP (XRP) were also in the green, though posting slightly smaller gains than BTC.
Leading crypto-related stocks higher were Circle (CRCL), up 11%, Gemini (GEMI), up 9%, and MARA Holdings (MARA) and Bullish (BLSH), each up just over 8%.
In traditional markets, the Nasdaq was higher by 1.2%, and WTI crude oil had pulled all the way back to $98 per barrel after topping $105 at one point on Sunday.
No let-up from Strategy
Away from Middle East issues, Michael Saylor’s Strategy (MSTR) continues to hoover up bitcoin at a mighty pace. The company last week bought 13,927 BTC for $1 billion. Interestingly, Saylor and team issued no common stock to fund the purchases, but instead $1 billion worth of their STRC preferred stock, which yields 11.5%.
The action today in STRC suggests more big buys are coming this week. Volume Monday on STRC (when checked just before 3 pm ET) was a record $770 million. With the stock continuing to trade at par, it suggests sizable additional issuance by Strategy, and thus more large bitcoin buys.
Bitcoin (BTC) reclaimed the $72,000 level as bulls attempt to push the price closer to its multi-month range highs. While lower levels are attracting buyers, sustaining the higher levels might pose a challenge.
Coin Bureau founder and market analyst Nic Puckrin told Cointelegraph that for BTC to reach $90,000, the geopolitical tensions must end, bringing oil prices to $80. Additionally, economic data must soften in order to calm investors’ fear that stagflation may hamper the US economy.
Another cautious view came from CoinEx exchange chief analyst Jeff Ko, who told Cointelegraph that the short-term sentiment “remains fragile and heavily macro-driven, especially by oil, the dollar and inflation expectations.” The analyst sounded more confident over the medium term as he does not expect oil prices to remain elevated due to the supply-demand fundamentals.
Crypto market data daily view. Source: TradingView
As far as price levels are concerned, macro analyst Jordi Visser said on the Anthony Pompliano podcast that a sustainable move could begin if BTC trades above $76,000 and Ether (ETH) above $2,400.
Could buyers pierce the overhead resistance in BTC and the major altcoins? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.
S&P 500 Index price prediction
The S&P 500 Index (SPX) gapped up and closed above the 50-day simple moving average (6,761) on Wednesday, indicating that the corrective phase may be over.
The 20-day exponential moving average (6,657) has started to turn up, and the relative strength index (RSI) is in the positive territory, indicating a slight edge to the bulls. Any pullback is expected to find support at the 20-day EMA. If the price remains above the 20-day EMA, the bulls will strive to push the index toward the all-time high of 7,002.
On the contrary, if the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the bears are selling on rallies. That increases the likelihood of a range formation in the near term.
US Dollar Index price prediction
Sellers are attempting to sink the US Dollar Index (DXY) below the 50-day SMA (98.67), but the bulls have held their ground.
The bounce off the 50-day SMA is expected to face selling at the 20-day EMA (99.34). If the price turns down from the 20-day EMA and breaks below the 50-day SMA, it suggests that the index may continue to oscillate inside the large range between 95.55 and 100.54 for some more time.
Contrarily, a close above the 20-day EMA suggests demand at lower levels. The bulls will then again attempt to thrust the price above the 100.54 resistance.
Bitcoin price prediction
BTC pulled back to the 20-day EMA ($70,209), indicating that the bears are fiercely defending the $74,000 to $76,000 zone.
The bounce off the 20-day EMA on Monday indicates that the bulls are buying on dips. That increases the possibility of a retest of the critical $76,000 resistance. Sellers are expected to defend the level with all their might, as a close above $76,000 will complete a bullish ascending triangle pattern. That clears the path for a potential rally to $84,000.
Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will attempt to pull the BTC/USDT pair below the moving averages. If they succeed, the BTC price may drop to the support line. A close below the support line tilts the advantage in favor of the bears.
Ether price prediction
ETH has pulled back to the 20-day EMA ($2,154), which is a crucial support to watch out for in the short term.
If the ETH price rebounds off the 20-day EMA with force, it suggests that the bulls are buying on dips. That improves the prospects of a rally above the $2,386 resistance. If that happens, the ETH/USDT pair may surge toward $2,800.
Alternatively, a break below the moving averages indicates that the bears are active at higher levels. That may signal a consolidation between $1,916 and $2,386 for a while.
BNB price prediction
Buyers are struggling to push BNB (BNB) above the moving averages, indicating that the bears are attempting to retain control.
Sellers will try to strengthen their position by pulling the BNB price below the $570 level. If they manage to do that, the BNB/USDT pair may resume the downtrend toward the next target objective at $500.
On the contrary, if the price turns up from the current level or the $570 support and rises above the moving averages, it suggests that the pair may remain range-bound for a few more days.
XRP price prediction
XRP (XRP) remains stuck between the $1.27 level and the 50-day SMA ($1.37), indicating a balance between supply and demand.
Sellers will attempt to gain the upper hand by pulling the XRP price below the $1.27 support. If they can pull it off, the XRP/USDT pair may descend to $1.11 and thereafter to the support line of the descending channel pattern.
This negative view will be invalidated in the near term if the price turns up and breaks above the moving averages. That opens the gates for a rally to the downtrend line, which is expected to act as stiff resistance.
Solana price prediction
Solana (SOL) turned down from the 50-day SMA ($85) on Sunday, indicating that the bears are selling on minor rallies.
Sellers will strive to pull the SOL price down to the $76 level, which is likely to attract buyers. If the price rebounds off the $76 level, the bulls will again attempt to pierce the 50-day SMA. If they succeed, the SOL/USDT pair may extend its stay inside the $76 to $98 range for some more time.
A close below the $76 level indicates that the bears have seized control. That increases the likelihood of a drop below the $67 level.
Related: Strategy buys 13,927 Bitcoin for $1B, holdings near 800,000 BTC
Dogecoin price prediction
Dogecoin (DOGE) is getting squeezed between the moving averages and the $0.09 support, signaling a potential range expansion in the next few days.
If the DOGE price continues lower and closes below the $0.09 support, it shows that the bears have overpowered the bulls. The DOGE/USDT pair may plummet to $0.08 and subsequently to the $0.06 support.
Time is running out for the bulls. They will have to push and maintain the price above the moving averages to begin a relief rally. The pair may then rise to $0.11 and, after that, to the $0.12 level.
Hyperliquid price prediction
Buyers failed to propel Hyperliquid (HYPE) above the $43.76 overhead resistance on Saturday, indicating that the bears are aggressively defending the level.
A positive sign in favor of the bulls is that they have not ceded much ground to the bears. That enhances the prospects of a break above the $43.76 level. If that happens, the HYPE price may soar to $50.
Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down and breaks below the 20-day EMA, it suggests that the bulls have given up. The HYPE/USDT pair may then slump to the 50-day SMA ($35.99).
Cardano price prediction
Cardano (ADA) plunged below the $0.25 level on Sunday, signaling that the bears are attempting to take charge.
The $0.23 level is the crucial support to watch out for on the downside. If the level breaks down, the ADA price may drop to the Feb. 6 low of $0.22 and later to the support line of the descending channel pattern.
The first sign of strength will be a break and close above the 50-day SMA ($0.26). Sellers will attempt to halt the relief rally at the downtrend line; if the bulls prevail, the ADA/USDT pair could signal a potential trend change.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
Ondo Finance seeks SEC no-action relief for tokenized securities model on Ethereum.
Structure improves utility without altering existing legal framework for securities.
Bitgo custody supports tokenized entitlements on Ethereum for operational processes.
Ondo Finance Advances Blockchain-Integrated Recordkeeping Model
Blockchain integration into regulated securities markets is advancing toward architectures that combine traditional custody with on-chain efficiency. Digital asset firm Ondo Finance submitted a no-action letter request on April 13 to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Trading and Markets tied to Ondo Global Markets (OGM). It seeks assurance that its Ethereum-based model would not trigger enforcement action. The proposal introduces a model in which blockchain is used for recording and administering certain securities entitlements while the existing legal, custody, and recordkeeping framework remains in place.
Positioning the request as a limited operational step, Ondo Finance stressed that the approach does not change how products are structured. The company stated:
“We think this structure can make OGM products more useful without changing the basic legal framework that supports them.”
It further emphasized scope, stating: “It does not ask the SEC to rewrite securities law or approve every form of tokenized security. It asks for confirmation that SEC staff would not recommend enforcement action if we proceed with a specific model for recording and administering certain securities entitlements in tokenized form on Ethereum Mainnet in support of OGM products.” The request noted: “OGM products would remain what they are today: tokenized notes that provide non-U.S. investors with exposure to U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs.”
Rather than altering investor rights or legal classification, the model applies blockchain to how positions are recorded and administered. The structure introduces a tokenized representation alongside existing records without replacing them. By keeping custody, settlement, and ownership unchanged, the design fits within current securities law while enabling more efficient reconciliation and collateral monitoring.
Three-Layer Framework Connects Ethereum With Custody Systems
The filing describes three distinct layers that are kept separate. First, the offshore layer consists of OGM products, which are tokenized notes. These products are sold outside the United States. Second, the collateral layer includes U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs held through the Depository Trust Company system and recorded by Alpaca Securities. Third, the recordkeeping and control layer uses Ethereum Mainnet to support the reconciliation and administration of securities entitlements tied to that collateral.
Ondo explained:
“What changes is that, in a limited set of circumstances, the relevant securities entitlements would also be represented in tokenized form on Ethereum Mainnet and held by our custodian Bitgo to support recordkeeping and operational processes.”
This separation ensures blockchain mirrors ownership claims without replacing the legal record.
Broader implications center on whether public blockchain infrastructure can operate within regulated markets under existing rules. The company stated: “An SEC staff no-action position does not create a new rule. What it can do is create room for a specific, bounded model to move forward without waiting for a longer rulemaking process.” If accepted, the approach could support blockchain-based systems operating alongside traditional financial infrastructure while maintaining compliance standards.
RAVE, the native token of RaveDAO, has surged more than 6,000% over the past month, capping off one of the most explosive rallies in the crypto market this year and reigniting debate about speculative excesses in digital assets.
The token jumped 198% in the last 24 hours alone and more than 5,600% over the past week, briefly pushing it into the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Prices climbed from roughly $0.25 to above $14 in just seven days, drawing widespread attention across trading platforms and social media.
RaveDAO positions itself as a Web3 music protocol aimed at bridging electronic dance music (EDM) culture with blockchain-based experiences. Its pitch includes on-chain ticketing, crypto-enabled payments at live events, and staking mechanisms tied to real-world rave revenues. The project has claimed partnerships with major industry names including Binance and OKX and reported several million dollars in revenue, helping fuel a narrative of real utility behind the token.
However, market observers say the scale and speed of the rally suggest something more complex, and potentially concerning, beneath the surface.
Blockchain data indicates that only about 24% of RAVE’s total supply is currently in circulation, with the overwhelming majority held in a small number of wallets, according to a post on X. Three large wallets, widely believed to be controlled by the project team, reportedly hold roughly 90% of the total supply. When expanded to the top 10 wallets, concentration exceeds 98%, leaving only a thin float available for trading.
That structure can amplify price movements dramatically. The analyst pointed to a sequence of events shortly before the rally, when wallets linked to the project quietly transferred millions of tokens to exchanges while prices were still below $0.50.
Within hours, trading activity surged, open interest in derivatives markets spiked above $200 million, and daily volume approached the token’s entire market capitalization.
At the same time, a heavily short-positioned market—reportedly with a majority of traders betting against the token—set the stage for a large-scale short squeeze. As prices rose, forced liquidations accelerated the rally, with millions of dollars in short positions wiped out in a single day.
Such dynamics, combined with thin liquidity, can create rapid, self-reinforcing price spikes that are not necessarily driven by organic demand.
The episode comes amid broader concerns about ongoing vulnerabilities and questionable practices in the crypto sector, including recent exploits and controversies involving other projects. For some analysts, RAVE’s surge is less a sign of a healthy market recovery and more evidence that speculative froth and opportunistic behavior remain entrenched.
BNB Chain just announced a mandatory fork update before April 28 and extended zero fee stablecoin transactions through the end of the month, yet the Binance Coin Price sits at $604 after losing 22% from its January high. The token holds better than most during this drawdown, but holding up is not the same as delivering returns.
Every cycle produces winners who entered during fear and collected returns during recovery, and that setup is forming right now. Pepeto has gathered over $8.8 million during a Fear and Greed reading of 16, with a senior Binance specialist on the core team and a confirmed listing approaching.
Binance Coin Price Holds $604 as BNB Chain Ships Fork Update and Zero Fee Stablecoins
BNB Outlook and the Presale Built by a Binance Insider
Pepeto
While the BNB outlook depends on capital rotating back into exchange tokens, a decentralized protocol keeps filling from wallets that do not wait for rotations. Pepeto is constructing the core trading layer for the meme coin market, where PepetoSwap lets holders trade without paying a single fee and the risk scorer checks every token before capital enters, so money goes in informed and comes out protected.
The platform works regardless of which direction BNB moves because the confirmed Binance listing is the catalyst, not a fork update or a stablecoin extension. A senior Binance specialist on the core team assembled this alongside the cofounder who carried the original Pepe coin to $11 billion with 420 trillion tokens and zero exchange products behind it.
Every contract passed a full SolidProof audit, and the presale has gathered over $8.8 million with tokens at $0.000000186 during a reading of 16, proving calculated capital, not speculation.
Holders earn 184% APY staking that compounds while the listing approaches, turning the wait into paid time for every wallet inside. Analysts project 100x returns once the Binance listing opens volume, and the Binance Coin Price ceiling is exactly why that math matters more from $604.
Binance Coin Price Prediction
BNB trades at $604 after a 22% drawdown from its January high of $780, according to CoinGecko. The token held up better than BTC and ETH during 2026 but faces resistance near $650 and a larger wall at $873 where institutional desks take profits. Changelly forecasts $616 to $671 for April with an average of $644.
Cryptopolitan projects a maximum of $1,121 for 2026. The RSI sits at 33, showing the market is near oversold but not yet in buying territory. BNB’s quarterly burn continues reducing supply, yet the Binance Coin Price has not reclaimed even half of its drawdown. A recovery to $780 offers roughly 31% from here over months, while the presale delivers its entire return in one listing event.
Conclusion
Every cycle produces winners who entered during fear and collected returns during recovery, and the listing separates the wallets that acted from everyone who reads about them afterward. The same setup is forming around Pepeto right now, where capital builds at a Fear reading of 16 while the Binance Coin Price grinds through resistance that may hold for months.
The Pepeto official website is where that fear capital converts into position before the listing opens, and entering the presale now means joining the group that moved while the entry was still open. Missing it means spending the next cycle watching others celebrate from the entry that was available during the deepest fear since 2022, and that entry remains open until the listing erases it.
Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale
FAQs:
What is the Binance Coin Price prediction for April 2026?
Changelly targets $616 to $671 for April, but resistance at $650 and $873 limits near term recovery from the current $604 level.
Why is BNB holding better than other large caps?
Quarterly token burns reduce supply and the network leads in holders at 322 million, but the Binance Coin Price still sits 57% below its all time high.
Is Pepeto a better entry than BNB right now?
Pepeto offers a confirmed Binance listing with 100x projections and zero fee tools, details on the Pepeto official website, while BNB offers 31% to its January high.
Fellowship, a super political action committee (PAC) that claims to have $100 million in its war chest from crypto-aligned parties ahead of the 2026 US midterms, has begun reporting spending and endorsements for the next election.
According to a filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the Fellowship PAC reported spending $300,000 on advertising for Clay Fuller, a Republican who won a special election for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District to replace resigning congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The spending, reported disbursed on Tuesday, comes about a month before Georgia’s Republican primary on May 19.
Source: Federal Election Commission
Fellowship is just one of several crypto-backed or aligned PACs expected to pour money to support or oppose candidates in another critical US election season. In 2024, the Fairshake PAC spent more than $130 million in media buys in congressional races, possibly influencing the outcomes in key battlegrounds like the US Senate seat for Ohio.
According to the FEC, super PACs may “receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other PACs for the purpose of financing independent expenditures and other independent political activity.”
In addition to its only reported expenditure since the Fellowship PAC’s statement of organization filed in 2025, Fellowship posted endorsements for candidates to its X account on Thursday, signaling support for Republicans in races across five states. The candidates included Alan Wilson for South Carolina governor, Blake Miguez for Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District, Mike Collins for the US Senate in Georgia, Julia Letlow for the US Senate in Louisiana, Pete Ricketts for the US Senate in Nebraska and Nate Morris for the US Senate in Kentucky.
Related: Chainlink and Anchorage Digital back launch of crypto-aligned PAC
Fellowship announced its launch in September, claiming to have “over $100 million” from undisclosed backers aligned with the crypto industry. On April 1, it said that Tether’s head of government affairs, Jesse Spiro, would chair the PAC, signaling support for candidates with pro-crypto views.
US lawmakers are still stalled on crypto market structure bill as midterms approach
The CLARITY Act, legislation passed by the US House of Representatives in July, has faced several delays in the Senate with no clear path forward on passing the legislation as of Monday.
Reports over the weekend signaled that the Senate Banking Committee, one of the two bodies needed to approve the bill in the chamber before a vote, was planning to hold a markup on the legislation, but the event was not on the committee’s calendar at the time of publication.
The bill, expected to be one of the most comprehensive pieces of legislation affecting the crypto and banking industries, has faced pushback from lawmakers to address ethics, stablecoin yield, tokenized equities and other potential issues.
Magazine: Should users be allowed to bet on war and death in prediction markets?
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Why dormant Bitcoin addresses are vulnerable to quantum threats
The common narrative surrounding the impact of quantum computing on Bitcoin focuses on a doomsday scenario in which the entire network collapses at once. However, this perspective overlooks a critical distinction in how the risk is actually distributed.
Bitcoin’s quantum vulnerability is not a blanket threat. It is concentrated in dormant addresses with exposed public keys. This includes many of the oldest coins from the “Satoshi era” and lost wallets.
While modern Bitcoin (BTC) addresses use stronger security layers, these legacy holdings could become the primary targets of the first generation of powerful quantum machines. These wallets offer attackers time, scale and minimal resistance. That combination makes them the most likely starting point for any future quantum-driven disruption.
Ultimately, this does not point to a sudden networkwide failure. Instead, it suggests a tiered risk model in which a specific segment of the supply is far more exposed than the rest.
The quantum debate is not just about how powerful computers become. It is also about which parts of Bitcoin are already structurally exposed and which can still adapt in time.
Did you know? Dormant Bitcoin wallets may hold coins secured by older cryptographic methods, making them potential targets if quantum computers ever break current encryption standards.
What quantum computers could actually attack in Bitcoin
Bitcoin relies on two broad cryptographic components: hash functions (SHA-256) for mining and block security and public-key cryptography (ECDSA/Schnorr) for transaction signatures.
Quantum computers affect these components differently.
Hash functions are relatively resilient. While Grover’s algorithm could theoretically weaken them, it would not render them useless. It would only reduce their effective security level.
Public-key cryptography is a different story. Using Shor’s algorithm, a powerful quantum computer could derive a private key from a known public key. In Bitcoin’s context, that means any coin with an exposed public key could be spent by an attacker.
The key distinction: On-spend vs. at-rest attacks
To understand why dormant wallets matter, it is important to distinguish between two types of quantum attacks:
On-spend attacks
They occur when a user broadcasts a transaction.
The public key becomes visible during the transaction process.
The attacker must derive the private key within a short window, roughly one block interval, or about 10 minutes.
At-rest attacks
They target coins whose public keys are already exposed on-chain.
The attacker has extended time, potentially days, weeks or longer, to compute the private key.
No immediate transaction trigger is required.
This timing difference is crucial. On-spend attacks are constrained by speed, while at-rest attacks are constrained only by computational capability.
Why dormant wallets could be more exposed than active ones
Dormant wallets combine three characteristics that make them uniquely vulnerable: no defensive action, long exposure windows and high-value concentration.
No defensive action: Active wallets can move funds to new addresses, adopt better practices or migrate to future quantum-resistant formats. Dormant wallets cannot. If the owner has lost access or is no longer active, those coins remain permanently exposed.
Long exposure windows: If a wallet’s public key is already visible, attackers can work offline without time pressure. This removes one of Bitcoin’s natural defenses: the short transaction confirmation window.
High-value concentration: Many dormant wallets belong to early Bitcoin users who mined or accumulated coins when they had little value. Today, some of these wallets may hold BTC worth tens of thousands of dollars. This creates a high-value, low-resistance target profile.
Did you know? Coins in inactive wallets cannot upgrade their security, which means quantum-resistant fixes may protect only active users, not untouched early Bitcoin holdings.
Which Bitcoin wallets are most exposed
Not all Bitcoin addresses are equally vulnerable. The most exposed categories include the following:
Old P2PK (Pay-to-Public-Key) outputs
They were common in Bitcoin’s early years.
Public keys are directly visible on-chain.
They have no additional layer of protection.
Address reuse
This happens when a user spends from an address and continues using it.
The public key becomes visible after the first spend.
Any remaining funds become vulnerable.
Certain modern script types
Some newer formats, such as Taproot outputs, include public keys directly.
While they were designed for efficiency and privacy, they may still fall into “at-rest” exposure under quantum assumptions.
Even relatively safer formats can lose that advantage if users reuse addresses.
The scale of the problem: Dormant coins dominate the risk
Quantum risk is not just theoretical. It is also measurable in terms of exposure.
Estimates suggest the following:
Bitcoin worth millions of dollars remains in addresses with exposed public keys.
A significant portion of these holdings comes from early-era mining rewards.
Many of these coins have not moved for more than a decade.
A large share of these holdings consists of 50 BTC block rewards from Bitcoin’s early days, often associated with miners who are no longer active.
This creates a structural imbalance:
In other words, the largest quantum targets are also among the largest Bitcoin holdings.
Did you know? Some of the largest Bitcoin holdings have not moved in more than a decade, creating a silent pool of assets that could be exposed to future quantum attacks.
A deeper challenge: Dormant wallets and network governance
Dormant wallets introduce more than a technical problem. They also raise governance and policy questions.
If quantum attackers begin targeting these coins, the Bitcoin ecosystem could face difficult choices:
Should such coins be claimable if the cryptographic conditions are met?
Should protocol changes attempt to freeze or protect long-dormant funds?
How should the network treat assets that are likely lost but still technically spendable?
This raises broader debates around property rights, immutability and digital salvage. Unlike active users, dormant wallets cannot participate in any migration or upgrade process, which makes them a unique edge case in protocol design.
Why this doesn’t mean Bitcoin is broken
It is important to distinguish between Bitcoin’s long-term structural risk and any immediate threat.
There is currently no widely accepted evidence that quantum computers capable of breaking Bitcoin’s cryptography exist today. The development of such systems is expected to take years, and possibly decades, of engineering progress.
Moreover:
The risk is expected to develop gradually.
The ecosystem has time to research and deploy mitigation strategies.
Active users can adapt more quickly than dormant wallets.
This means the first effects of quantum advances, if and when they arrive, may be selective rather than universal.
What can be done in the meantime
To reduce the vulnerability of dormant Bitcoin wallets to quantum attacks, holders can take a few steps:
Minimizing public-key exposure: Reducing address reuse and limiting when public keys are revealed remains a foundational practice.
Migration readiness: Developing pathways for users to move funds into future quantum-resistant formats will be critical.
Protocol research: Ongoing work is exploring how Bitcoin could integrate quantum-resistant cryptography without compromising its core properties.
These measures primarily benefit active participants, which reinforces the gap between movable and immovable coins.
Tom Duff Gordon, the vice president of international policy at U.S.-listed cryptocurrency platform Coinbase (COIN), has left the firm for pastures green.
Duff Gordon, who had been with Coinbase for close to 4 years, left the exchange to join OpenAI as head of EMEA Policy, a Coinbase spokesperson said via email.
Duff Gordon had previously spent 8.5 years working as a banker at Credit Suisse. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
An expert on crypto regulations, Duff Gordon recently pointed out that U.K. banks are blocking millions of customers from accessing legal and compliant services, by failing to distinguish between Financial Conduct Authority-registered firms with low fraud rates and higher-risk operators.
