A Singapore court ordered OneKey founder Wang Lei and an X user to stop threatening or defamatory claims tied to a dispute over the 2025 Resupply exploit.
A Singapore court has ordered two crypto industry figures to stop making threatening or defamatory statements against a Curve-linked contributor following a dispute tied to a 2025 decentralized finance exploit.
In a March 24 order seen by Cointelegraph, Singapore’s Protection from Harassment Court prohibited crypto wallet OneKey’s founder Wang Lei and the user behind the X account “web3feng” on X from posting statements alleging fraud or spreading false information about the claimant, identified in court documents as the pseudonymous Curve contributor known as “Haowi Wong” on X.
The development follows online accusations that emerged after the June 2025 exploit of stablecoin protocol Resupply, which resulted in about $9.6 million in losses. Those accusations ended up in formal legal action being taken.
The court order bars threatening, abusive or insulting communications and requires the respondents to pay a total of 2,500 Singapore dollars (about $1,900) in compensation and costs by April 7.
Curve Finance told Cointelegraph on Tuesday that disputes in the crypto sector can cross “the line between legitimate and well-founded criticism and outright falsehoods and defamation,” adding that distorted claims can undermine trust and harm participants in the ecosystem.
Wang Lei and the user behind @web3feng did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Excerpt from the court order. Source: Singapore State Courts
Dispute follows Resupply exploit and online allegations
Resupply confirmed in June 2025 that its wstUSR market was exploited through a price manipulation vulnerability, allowing an attacker to drain millions of dollars from the protocol.
The incident drew attention across the DeFi sector, with some market participants associating the exploit with Curve-related infrastructure due to the use of cvcrvUSD and vault integrations. However, Curve founder Michael Egorov previously said there was no Curve personnel working on the project.
Related: Quantum computers need fewer qubits to crack crypto than thought: Google
In a statement sent to Cointelegraph on Tuesday, Curve community member Haowi Wong said that the situation intensified following the exploit. He said it led to continuous attacks and serious allegations from Wang Lei and the user behind “web3feng.”
“In an industry where trust is of fundamental importance, the repeated spread of misinformation carries real consequences.” Haowi Wong said.
Magazine: Nobody knows if quantum secure cryptography will even work
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Bitcoin reclaimed $68,000 as President Trump hinted at ending the Iran War even if the Strait of Hormuz remained partially closed.
Bitcoin derivatives data show high fear, with put options at a premium and low demand for bullish leveraged trades.
Bitcoin (BTC) rallied to $68,000 on Monday following the gains in the S&P 500 after US President Donald Trump suggested that the administration may consider ways to end the US and Israel-Iran war without a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, Bitcoin traders have kept a bearish stance according to derivatives metrics, indicating little confidence that the $66,000 level will hold for much longer.
S&P 500 futures (left) vs. Bitcoin/USD (right). Source: TradingView
Bitcoin’s momentary dip to $66,000 occurred on the same day that Google research analysts claimed that the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem (ECDLP) could be cracked with 20 times less quantum computing power. However, some traders quickly realized that the entangled logical physical qubits needed for a successful attack remain far-fetched, given the equipment currently in existence.
The Bitcoin monthly futures contracts annualized premium relative to regular spot markets stood at 2% on Tuesday, flat from the prior week. Numbers below 4% indicate a lack of demand for bullish leverage as shorts (sellers) typically demand a premium to compensate for the longer settlement period. More importantly, not even the price rally above $71,000 on Wednesday was able to make investors feel bullish.
Bitcoin derivatives show limited demand for bullish leverage
Bitcoin price signaled strength by holding above $66,000 for the past week while the S&P 500 plummeted to its lowest level in 7 months on Monday. Crude oil prices surged above $100 on Friday and this act cautiously. Expectations for monetary policy easing in the US dropped sharply over the past month as the pressure on fuel prices drove inflation upward.
Interest rate target probabilities for the July FOMC meeting. Source: CME FedWatch Tool
Traders now anticipate less than 10% odds of interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve by July, down from 75% one month ago, according to CME FedWatch Tool data. A higher cost of capital favors fixed-income investments, holds back consumer spending and reduces incentives for companies to grow. This situation puts an extra burden on the already weakened US job market.
To understand if professional traders are leaning bearish, one should look at the Bitcoin options market.
Bitcoin 30-day options delta skew (put-call) at Deribit. Source: Laevitas.ch
On Tuesday, Bitcoin put (sell) options traded at a 17% premium compared to call (buy) options. This level is usually linked to extreme fear of price drops. A range of -6% to +6% is expected in balanced markets, which last happened in mid-January. Whales and market makers are clearly not comfortable holding downside risk, even though Bitcoin has already declined 23% so far in 2026.
Related: Hyperliquid whale opens $53M Bitcoin short–Should traders take notice?
Bitcoin’s resilience near $67,000 suggests that the quantum computing fears were quickly dismissed, but something else might be behind the lack of excitement. Traders could be expecting economic stimulus packages as recession risks emerge. In the early stages, such packages often support the stock market more than they support Bitcoin.
Currently, most people see Bitcoin as a risky asset rather than a haven, which explains the bearish mood in Bitcoin derivatives. Therefore, one should not assume that traders are waiting for prices below $60,000 just because there is weak demand for bullish leveraged positions.
This article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. All investments and trades carry risk; readers are encouraged to conduct independent research before making any decisions. Cointelegraph makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, including forward-looking statements, and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content.
Bitcoin’s first-quarter slump capped an unusual run: nearly six months of underperformance against U.S. equities, a stretch that has no precedent.
“That’s never happened,” said Mark Connors, founder of Risk Dimensions, pointing to data showing bitcoin lagging stocks consistently since early October. The trend has raised fresh questions about whether the asset is behaving more like a risk trade than a hedge.
Bitcoin fell roughly 22% in the first quarter of 2026, following a 25% decline during the final three months of 2025. Over a similar period, the S&P 500 declined far less, leaving a wide performance gap. Connors said the duration of that gap, not just the size, stands out. Previous pullbacks have been sharper but shorter.
The weakness came amid broader market struggles. U.S. equities logged their worst quarter in four years, with the Nasdaq down more than 10% from recent highs. The combined decline across stocks and crypto erased much of the rally that followed the 2024 election.
Policy progress has been uneven. A new SEC chair has helped clear a path for more crypto ETFs, and lawmakers have advanced measures such as the GENIUS Act. Trump also signed an executive order in August that would make it easier for 401(k) plans to include alternative assets such as cryptocurrencies, private equity and real estate, which the Labor Department proposed a rule in response to on Monday.
March Shows Signs of Stability
Despite the weak quarter, bitcoin held up better in March than many expected.
The early March escalation between the U.S. and Iran sent shockwaves through global markets, driving oil prices and the U.S. dollar higher as investors reacted to supply risks and rising costs.
The volatility triggered sharp moves across asset classes. Gold, often treated as a safe haven, saw extreme swings as margin calls and urgent liquidity needs forced selling by both institutional investors and sovereign entities. The scale of the move ranked among the most severe short-term dislocations in decades.
Bitcoin, however, did not experience the same level of forced unwinding. The crypto rose about 1% in March, while gold fell 11% over the same period. “It really hung in there,” Connors said.
(Source: Risk Dimensions)
He attributes that stability in part to earlier liquidations that cleared out leveraged positions. Bitcoin’s ability to move quickly across borders may also limit forced selling compared with physical assets.
Outlook: A “Coiled Spring”?
Looking ahead, Connors pointed to bitcoin’s extended stretch of underperformance relative to equities as a factor that could shape what comes next. Rolling 63-day data shows the asset has lagged the S&P 500 since October — the longest such period on record — an imbalance that has historically preceded reversals.
If that pattern holds, bitcoin could be entering a phase where relative weakness gives way to renewed demand, particularly as macro pressures tied to debt and currency expansion continue to build in the background.
The timing, however, may depend less on market structure and more on geopolitics. The trajectory of the Iran conflict and its impact on energy markets, liquidity and global risk appetite could determine how quickly sentiment shifts.
“It’s either two months or two years,” Connors said.
Nearly half of Canadians use online or challenger banks, as support for digital money movement strengthens.
New research from the CPPO, the nonprofit organization fueling the growth of the $14 billion open-loop prepaid economy, shows Canadians are expanding how they manage, move, and grow their money by combining traditional and digital-first providers that better align with their lifestyles.
The shift reflects a significant growth in Canada’s fintech sector. As consumers look for more personalized, digital-first financial tools, the Canadian fintech market is projected to reach $18.84 billion by 2033, showing the pace of innovation across payments, banking and embedded financial services. The research suggests that growth is being reinforced by consumers who are more cost-conscious and more focused on day-to-day money management.
The research findings identify a clear rise in “multi-banking,” with 47% of Canadians using online or challenger banks and 41% having relationships with both traditional and digital providers. Those who use digital banks increase to 52% among consumers between 18-64. Canadians cite practical benefits as primary motivators for using neobanks, including lower fees or better rates (42%) and stronger mobile experiences (29%). Similarly, 48% said they prefer financial apps that help them budget and manage money better.
In parallel, Canadians want public-sector payments to reflect how they already transact. Nearly seven in ten (69%) believe governments should stop mailing cheques and modernize payment and disbursement methods, with 81% citing direct deposit as their preferred way to receive government payments. Respondents see modernization as an opportunity to improve efficiency, equity, and accessibility.
“As Canadians create a multi-banked lifestyle, prepaid technology has emerged as the underlying infrastructure making it possible,” said Jennifer Tramontana, the CPPO’s Executive Director. “Consumers are building a financial system that works for them by choosing tools that prioritize convenience, lower costs, and stronger money management. The opportunity now is to keep momentum going by supporting the right environment for Canada’s fintech builders to keep improving these products for Canadians.”
Key findings from the research include:
Economic pressure is shaping financial behavior: 80% say better money management tools are important given economic uncertainty, and 75% say avoiding banking fees has become more important over the past year.
Canadians are dialing back reliance on credit: 44% are actively trying to use their credit card less for everyday purchases.
Younger Canadians are leading adoption: Adults aged 18–34 are more likely to increase reloadable prepaid usage compared to older Canadians.
Consumers strongly support prepaid’s practical value for consumers managing finances:
Among prepaid users, 45% identify spending limits or budgeting tools as the most helpful feature
40% cite convenience as their primary reason for use, 39% cite the ability to set spending limits, and 33% cite security
44% prefer prepaid cards over credit or debit for online shopping
A public version of the release is available at cppo.ca.
Join us at Symposium 2026, taking place April 23, 2026, at The Globe and Mail Centre to connect with the organizations building Canada’s digital financial ecosystems. Join industry leaders for a full day of strategic conversations on navigating prepaid’s competitive edge in Canada’s multi-rail reality, AI’s opportunities and threats, regulatory evolution, and where smart capital is flowing in fintech 2.0.
Bitcoin’s (BTC) price action has been pinned between $60,000 and $70,000 over the past two months as leverage-dominant trading, weak spot market demand, and consistent losses from short-term holders have prevented rallies from sustaining their momentum.
Combined, these market events create the current fragile setup, where Bitcoin price stability depends more on futures positioning than fresh capital inflows and this explains why BTC price remains volatile within its current range.
Bitcoin futures lead the price trend
According to Wintermute, the perpetual futures market activity continues to outweigh spot participation across the major exchanges. The perp-to-spot volume ratio has climbed to 15 times (15X), pointing to a price control largely by leveraged positioning. The funding rates oscillate between positive and negative without holding a trend, showing a lack of directional bias among futures traders.
Bitcoin perpetual/spot ratio chart. Source: Wintermute/X
Meanwhile, the funding rate volatility has compressed to 2.9%, down from the 5% range in 2025, signaling smaller swing trades in futures positioning. The traders are still using leverage, but without any strong conviction.
Together, these point to a coiling market structure, where the traders rotate within tight ranges and the funding lacks a sustained bias. This reflects indecisive and short-term leverage flows as the dominant force in the market.
Funding rate and volatility. Source: Wintermute/X
Related: Is $450B in Bitcoin vulnerable to the quantum threat? Analysts weigh in
Lack of BTC spot market demand pressures short-term holders
Bitcoin spot market demand has not picked up and this is contributing to the lack of price stability. The 30-day apparent demand metic sits at -60,000 BTC, meaning more coins are moving out than being accumulated.
Stablecoin inflows into spot exchanges are often used as a sign of future buying power, and the metric is currently near $452 million. The level is close to a two-year low, showing limited new capital entering the market.
All stablecoins exchange inflows on spot exchanges. Source: CryptoQuant
The short-term holders are adding another layer of pressure to BTC. The cohort’s realized price, or its average entry cost, is around $85,800. With Bitcoin trading far below that level, many recent buyers are holding unrealized losses.
Bitcoin researcher Axel Adler Jr explained that two metrics show how this affects their behavior. The short-term holder spent output profit ratio (SOPR) tracks whether coins are sold at a profit or a loss.
A value below 1 means coins are being sold at a loss. Currently, the STH SOPR has stayed below 1.0 for over 110 days, showing consistent loss-taking.
Bitcoin STH SOPR 7-day average. Source: Axel Adler Jr.
At the same time, the short-term holder realized price year-on-year (YOY) has dropped to -5.35%, the first negative reading since the 2022 bear market. This confirms that losses are not short-lived and have persisted over the past few months.
When traders are underwater, the tendency to sell into small rallies and exit positions increases pressure and limits the upside, keeping the overall BTC market structure fragile.
Related: Bitcoin whale selling cools as $60K becomes the focus for BTC price
This article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice or recommendations. All investments and trades carry risk; readers are encouraged to conduct independent research before making any decisions. Cointelegraph makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, including forward-looking statements, and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on this content.
On the final day of March, bitcoin navigated another volatile session, oscillating between $66,200 and a peak just around $68,500 before retracing to sub-$66,000 levels during the morning session. As has been the case recently, bitcoin’s price action remains tethered to geopolitical developments in the Middle East; headlines suggesting a potential ceasefire have fueled intermittent rallies, while threats of escalation continue to exert downward pressure.
Since Monday of last week, market sentiment has been particularly sensitive to President Donald Trump’s rhetoric regarding negotiations between Washington and Tehran. However, on Tuesday, a Wall Street Journal report indicating Trump’s willingness to pause military operations provided a synchronised boost to both traditional risk assets and bitcoin. Overtures from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, suggesting a readiness to engage in talks, also contributed to the market rebound.
Market data reveals that after bottoming at $65,926, bitcoin commenced an ascent that culminated in an intraday high of $68,517 by 1:15 p.m. EST. This surge briefly pushed bitcoin’s market capitalization above $1.37 trillion, a 2.2% increase within a 24-hour window. The heightened volatility triggered $157 million in liquidations across leveraged positions, with short bets on the top cryptocurrency accounting for the lion’s share at $93 million.
Quarterly Outlook
Meanwhile, bitcoin’s almost last-minute recovery positioned it to close March in the green, marking a decisive reversal from the double-digit declines witnessed in January and February. This marginal monthly gain has bolstered the narrative that the asset has established a local bottom, sparking optimism that the second quarter could see a return to the record highs last seen at the start of the year.
Some observers, such as Lacie Zhang, a research analyst at Bitget Wallet, expect this rebound to gain momentum in April, even as geopolitical uncertainty persists. Zhang noted that bitcoin and stablecoins remain vital channels for regional capital flight, maintaining a relatively low correlation to traditional assets while providing ample room for institutional accumulation. This underlying demand remains structurally supportive despite the headline-driven turbulence.
Bitcoin Stalls as Geopolitical Realities Overpower Early Morning Gains
Bitcoin’s Monday rally fizzled as geopolitical tensions overshadowed early gains. After climbing above $68,000, prices retreated to around $66,800, leaving…
Read Now
Bitcoin Stalls as Geopolitical Realities Overpower Early Morning Gains
Bitcoin’s Monday rally fizzled as geopolitical tensions overshadowed early gains. After climbing above $68,000, prices retreated to around $66,800, leaving…
Read Now
Bitcoin Stalls as Geopolitical Realities Overpower Early Morning Gains
Read Now
Bitcoin’s Monday rally fizzled as geopolitical tensions overshadowed early gains. After climbing above $68,000, prices retreated to around $66,800, leaving…
However, according to Zhang, “a meaningful de-escalation will likely act as a catalyst for broader risk assets by easing oil prices and reducing inflationary pressure, allowing sidelined capital—particularly stablecoinliquidity—to re-enter the market.”
Zhang also highlighted the relatively low leverage currently present across the crypto ecosystem as a constructive indicator for the month ahead.
“A more balanced setup suggests that upside potential now outweighs downside risk in the near term,” Zhang noted. “Against this backdrop, bitcoin is expected to trade within a $60,000 to $84,000 range through April, with progress on geopolitical stability and sustained institutional inflows acting as the primary drivers toward the upper end of that corridor.”
FAQ ❓
What drove bitcoin’s volatility in late March? Geopolitical headlines from the Middle East kept price swings sharp.
How did Trump’s stance affect markets? Reports of his pause on military action lifted both bitcoin and risk assets.
What were the key trading levels? Bitcoin ranged between $65,926 and $68,517, briefly topping $1.37T in market cap.
What’s the outlook for April? Analysts expect a $60K–$84K range, with upside tied to stability and institutional inflows.
Coinbase’s Layer 2 shifts focus to tokenizing every major asset class and scaling stablecoin payments.
Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain Base published its 2026 mission, vision, and strategy on Tuesday, narrowing its focus to three pillars: building global markets for tokenized assets, scaling stablecoin payments, and positioning the chain as the default home for onchain builders, including AI agents.
The roadmap consolidates last year’s five-pillar playbook around a thesis that the current phase of crypto is fundamentally about upgrading the financial system into a global, 24/7 onchain economy.
Base touted significant 2025 traction to justify the pivot: $17 trillion in stablecoin volume across 26 local currencies and 17 countries, the top onchain venue for BTC spot trading, the Base App live in 140+ countries, and 50+ teams funded through Base Batches. The chain overtook Ethereum and BNB Chain in weekly DEX volume earlier this year and currently holds $4 billion in TVL, making it the largest Layer 2 network.
Every Asset, Every Market
The first pillar targets tokenization of all major asset classes on Base, from equities and commodities to predictions and perpetuals, with “purpose-built market infrastructure at the chain level,” new token standards, and sub-second settlement at sub-cent cost.
The push aligns with a broader industry wave. Tokenized RWAs surged 260% in 2025 to over $23 billion, the DTCC received SEC clearance for a three-year pilot to tokenize Russell 1000 stocks and Treasury bonds, and industry forecasts suggest RWAs could reach $50 billion by year-end.
Base wants the Base App — formerly Coinbase Wallet, rebranded as an “everything app” — to serve as the primary interface for trading millions of tokenized assets.
Stablecoin Payments
The second pillar doubles down on stablecoins as the “money layer of the internet,” with chain-level upgrades including privacy primitives, native account abstraction, stablecoin gas payments, and protocol-level support for memos and rewards. Base aims to host stablecoins for every major currency with deep liquidity for trading, borrowing, and lending.
The ambition comes as B2B stablecoin payments grew over 730% year-over-year in 2025 and total supply surpassed $308 billion. Visa and Bridge recently announced stablecoin-linked cards across 100+ countries, and Meta is reportedly exploring a stablecoin revival with Stripe.
Agents as First-Class Builders
The most forward-looking piece is Base’s plan to build “agent-native” infrastructure — smart accounts, documentation, and CLI+MCP access designed to let AI agents transact using standards like x402.
The race to become the default payment layer for AI agents has intensified. Coinbase’s x402 recently expanded to support any ERC-20 token, competing with Stripe and Tempo’s Machine Payments Protocol, while MoonPay released the Open Wallet Standard backed by PayPal, Circle, Base, and others.
The strategy also outlines ERC-8021 builder codes, analytics dashboards, and growth programs to measure and incentivize ecosystem contributions.
This article was written with the assistance of AI workflows. All our stories are curated, edited and fact-checked by a human.
In Latin America, fintech is no longer about putting a shiny digital layer on top of old financial rails. It is about making payments work for people’s real lives: for the migrant who sends money home every month, for the gig worker who needs flexible cash flow, and for the young consumer who expects finance to be as intuitive as their favourite app.
Alejandro del Río, Regional Director for Latin America, Paymentology
In 2026, the region is entering a new phase where innovation is measured less by how fast money moves, and more by how seamlessly technology, trust and lifestyle come together in every transaction. The opportunity now is to turn each payment into a moment of value creation and inclusion, not just a line on a bank statement, by Alejandro del Río, Regional Director for Latin America, Paymentology
Stablecoins and remittances: from lifeline to value chain
Remittances have long been one of Latin America’s quiet economic engines, moving over 160 billion US dollars every year and supporting millions of households. Yet for too many people, sending money across borders still means opaque fees, delays and uncertainty about how much will actually arrive.
Stablecoins are starting to change that equation. By combining the stability of fiat with near‑instant settlement, they are emerging as a bridge between traditional remittance corridors and the digital economy, helping to reduce costs, improve traceability and protect families from currency volatility. In markets with high inflation or weak local currencies, that can be the difference between preserving value and watching it erode in days.
However, technology alone is not enough. A recent study by Paymentology and iupana, a specialised regional media outlet, shows that only 19 per cent of financial institutions in the region communicate remittance costs and commissions clearly to their users. At the same time, 78 per cent of transfers already arrive in less than 24 hours. In other words, speed has become the norm; transparency and experience are now the true differentiators.
Regulation: pushing innovation with transparency
The rapid growth of digital payments, cross‑border flows and crypto‑linked products is forcing regulators across Latin America to move faster than ever. From open finance frameworks to sandboxes for digital assets and instant payments, the region is experimenting with ways to expand access while keeping the system safe.
The real challenge is not whether to regulate, but how to design rules that encourage responsible innovation. There is a window of opportunity before regulatory frameworks fully harden, and the institutions that invest today in governance, risk controls and data transparency will be best positioned to scale tomorrow. These are the players that will turn compliance into a competitive advantage rather than a roadblock.
For processors like Paymentology, this means building infrastructure that can adapt to different regulatory realities without slowing down innovation. Multi‑cloud deployments, rich real‑time data and local market expertise are no longer “nice to have”, they are essential building blocks for any institution that wants to play across borders while staying firmly on the right side of the rules.
Tokenization, AI and the rise of “agentic commerce”
The next wave of innovation in Latin American payments will be driven by the convergence of tokenization and artificial intelligence. In simple terms, tokenization replaces sensitive card data with secure tokens, while AI helps make smarter decisions in real time. Together, they open the door to what we call agentic commerce: payments initiated, authorised and adjusted by trusted digital agents acting on behalf of the user.
Imagine a parent in Bogotá setting spending rules on a teenager’s card that adjust automatically based on time, location or merchant type. Or a gig worker in São Paulo whose card limits and benefits adapt to their daily income, with AI‑driven nudges to save or pay down debt. Behind the scenes, verified digital identities and programmable cards allow these agents to execute instructions securely, in milliseconds.
This is far from science fiction. The foundations are already in place, quietly shaping how the industry evolves day by day. The work now is to connect them in ways that respect local realities –patchy connectivity in some areas, low financial literacy in others– while keeping the user firmly in control. In that sense, Latin America can leapfrog by designing agentic experiences that are intuitive first, and sophisticated second.
Click to Pay and the battle for everyday convenience
As ecommerce continues to grow across the region, one question keeps coming up among banks and fintechs: how do we make digital payments as effortless as messaging a friend? Technologies like Click to Pay are a big part of the answer. By allowing consumers to pay online without manually entering card details, using token‑based authentication in the background, Click to Pay delivers a smoother checkout and a significant reduction in fraud.
For Latin America, where cash still plays a major role and many users are making their first online purchases, this matters. A fast, secure and low‑friction experience can turn a first‑time buyer into a repeat digital customer. Combined with richer, real‑time data from advanced processors, issuers can better understand behaviour, tailor offers and intervene quickly when they spot risk signals.
The region is also seeing a hybrid reality: 42 per cent of institutions operate with a mix of physical and digital channels. That means the best experiences will be those that connect both worlds – where a user can start a journey in cash, move seamlessly into digital, and still feel fully in control of their money.
From premium plastic to connected lifestyles
At the top end of the market, Latin America is redefining what “premium” means in payments. The old model –a shiny metal card plus airport lounge access– is quickly giving way to more personalised ecosystems that combine travel, experiences, sustainability and real‑time financial tools.
Programmable cards are becoming central to modern wealth management, allowing high‑net‑worth clients to integrate spending controls, loyalty benefits and access to curated experiences in a single, dynamic instrument. The real luxury is not exclusivity for its own sake, but the fluency of the experience: how easily a client can move between currencies, countries and channels without friction.
For providers, this shift demands infrastructure that can support highly tailored products at scale. In practice, that means the ability to launch and iterate new card propositions quickly, run sophisticated reward logic in real time, and feed rich transaction data into advisory, insurance and investment services. In 2026, the convergence of wealthtech, insurtech and fintech will only accelerate this trend.
Building the next chapter of Latin American finance
What ties all these threads together (stablecoins, remittances, regulation, agentic commerce, Click to Pay, premium ecosystems) is a simple idea: payments are becoming the connective tissue of people’s financial lives. In Latin America, that connectivity has enormous potential to drive inclusion, resilience and growth.
At Paymentology, we see our role as the “silent engine” behind this evolution, providing the processing power, local expertise and data‑driven intelligence that banks, fintechs and telcos need to serve their customers better. If we get this right, the story of Latin American payments in the years ahead will not just be about technology, but about trust, and about millions of people feeling that every transaction, from a remittance to a premium purchase, is working in their favour.
In 2010, long before quantum computing became a mainstream concern in crypto circles, Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, was already sketching out how the network might respond if its underlying cryptography were ever compromised.
The premise was simple but consequential: Bitcoin’s security assumptions are not permanent. They can be replaced.
In early Bitcointalk discussions, Satoshi outlined a scenario in which the system’s cryptographic primitives — whether hashing or digital signatures— could eventually weaken. If that happened gradually, the network could coordinate a transition: a protocol upgrade would introduce stronger algorithms, and users would migrate their holdings by re-signing coins into new address formats.
Even in the case of widespread signature failure, Satoshi suggested the system could still recover if there was time to agree on a transition path.
At the time, it was an abstract exercise in future-proofing. Now, it is becoming a live design question.
Satoshi Nakamoto in 2010 on quantum computers: “If it happens gradually, we can still transition to something stronger.” pic.twitter.com/UoFk1tNRDQ
New research from Google’s Quantum AI division has reignited debate over how soon quantum machines could threaten modern cryptography, including the elliptic curve signatures securing Bitcoin.
In updated estimates published this week, researchers say the computational requirements for breaking elliptic curve cryptography may be significantly lower than previously believed — potentially requiring fewer than 500,000 physical qubits under optimized conditions. That marks a roughly 20-fold reduction compared to earlier projections.
More importantly, the research suggests that once sufficiently advanced systems exist, they may be capable of executing attacks within Bitcoin’s operational time frame (roughly ten minutes per block) enabling so-called “on-spend” attacks that target transactions while they are still unconfirmed in the mempool.
While no such cryptographically relevant quantum computer exists today, the updated models have compressed the perceived distance between current hardware and theoretical breakpoints.
Some industry participants now describe the shift as moving risk from the mid-2030s into the late 2020s window.
Google has also publicly targeted 2029 as a milestone for broader post-quantum cryptography migration across systems
A stress test of Bitcoin’s upgrade philosophy
The renewed attention to quantum risk has placed Bitcoin’s original design philosophy under a new lens. Unlike centralized financial systems, Bitcoin cannot be upgraded unilaterally. Any migration to quantum-resistant cryptography would require voluntary coordination across miners, developers, exchanges, wallet providers, and users.
That dynamic makes Bitcoin structurally slower to adapt, but also more resilient against unilateral changes.
Satoshi’s early framing anticipated this tension. The proposed solution was not prevention, but migration: if cryptography weakens, users would re-sign coins into a new scheme, effectively moving value forward into a stronger security system.
The blockchain itself would persist, but ownership proofs would evolve. What was less clear in 2010 to Satoshi was the scale and coordination challenge such a migration would require in a global, trillion-dollar network.
Recent analysis tied to Google’s findings highlights a more nuanced threat model than earlier “break Bitcoin” narratives. The concern is not only long-term key recovery, but short-window exploitation, where a sufficiently fast quantum system could derive private keys from exposed public keys during transaction broadcast and confirmation.
This introduces a distinction between dormant and active funds. According to estimates cited in the research, a substantial portion of Bitcoin supply may already have exposed public keys on-chain, increasing theoretical vulnerability once quantum capability reaches a threshold.
Industry response
The response across the digital asset industry has been divided but serious.
Some researchers argue the timeline remains comfortably distant, emphasizing that quantum systems capable of breaking modern cryptography still require breakthroughs in both hardware scale and error correction.
Others, including contributors to Google’s research ecosystem, suggest the slope of progress has steepened enough to warrant immediate preparation.
Galaxy Digital’s head of research, Alex Thorn, noted that while the probability of near-term compromise remains low, the direction of progress is difficult to ignore, and that work on post-quantum migration should be treated as precautionary infrastructure planning rather than reactive crisis response.
“Google Quantum AI’s new paper describes much more efficient circuits that significantly reduce the requirements for a quantum computer to be capable of breaking classical cryptography, such as those that secure blockchains like Bitcoin,” Thorn wrote to Bitcoin Magazine.
“No such computer exists today. And Google’s researcher Craig Gidney gives 10% odds that a quantum machine capable of breaking cryptography will be built by 2030,” Thorn added.
Others find this threat feasible, but far away.
“Quantum computing represents a genuine engineering challenge for the cryptocurrency industry, but it is far from an existential threat in the current form,” Bitfinex analysts shared with Bitcoin Magazine.
Satoshi’s assumption meets real-world constraints
The key tension in 2026 is that Satoshi’s migration model assumes time: time to detect a weakening primitive, time to agree on a replacement, and time for users to move funds safely.
Google’s updated analysis compresses that assumption.
If quantum capability develops gradually, Satoshi said that Bitcoin could theoretically transition as originally envisioned. But if capability crosses a threshold rapidly, especially with advances in “on-spend” attack feasibility, the window for orderly migration could narrow significantly.
That is the scenario now driving discussion across protocol developers: not whether Satoshi’s Bitcoin can survive quantum computing in principle, but whether its coordination mechanisms can respond quickly enough in practice.
Analysts expect Bitcoin’s price consolidation to tilt toward $60,000, but technical charts favor a liquidation rally toward $82,000.
Bitcoin’s (BTC) consolidation extended into a fifth week since making a major low at $60,000 on Feb. 6, but the daily chart shows the range tightening as the price swings between its daily highs and lows narrow.
Some analysts may view the pattern of higher lows and lower highs as proof of a pending breakout, especially when considering positive developments like the resumption of buying from institutional investors, Morgan Stanley’s announcement of its soon-to-launch spot BTC ETF and a wave of hefty purchases by Strategy, but Bitcoin’s market structure is still in favor of the bears.
In a Monday Telegram post, independent market analyst filbfilb described the market read as “still bearish overall on outlook, but the 50 DMA and diagonal resistance are nicely placed to prove that wrong should it be the case.”
The analyst added:
“BTC currently making a reversal back to previous support, the 50 DMA as suspected. The 50-DMA currently sits at $68.8K give or take and is critical to watch IMO.”
MN Fund founder Michael van de Poppe also forecast a resumption of the bearish trend in the short-term. In an X post, van de Poppe said,
“It’s probably better to ask ‘when’ instead of ‘if’ we’re going to see the price of Bitcoin fall. It looks quite clear that every bound upwards is slammed back down.”
BTC/USD price action. Source: Michael van de Poppe / X
Related: Bitcoin price dips below $66K ahead of US Defense Department briefing
Bitcoin’s recent strength may defy analysts’ predictions
Bitcoin’s price action since the start of the week conflicts with analysts’ bearish short-term view. BTC has shown strength in the $67,000 to $68,000 range despite oil rallying above $105 on Monday and the overnight military escalation in Iran, casting doubt on the odds of a ceasefire.
If BTC can flip $68,879, which is aligned with the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level, a rally to $82,000 could be in order. This view is further confirmed by the volume profile visible range (VPVR) gap on the daily chart and BTC/USDT liquidation heatmap data showing short liquidity clusters at $68,500 to $70,000 and $72,000 to $74,000.
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