Bitcoin’s Taproot usage is declining, signaling wider concerns around its quantum future, as the leading cryptographers race to solve the quantum threat in 2026. A small but growing group of Bitcoin advocates and crypto fund managers is urging the network to accelerate work on quantum-resistant signatures, arguing that the perception of a future “quantum threat” could become a market risk long before it becomes a practical one. Some supporters are pointing to a draft Bitcoin Improvement Proposal known as BIP-360, which would introduce a post-quantum signature option for Bitcoin addresses that could be vulnerable to future advances in quantum computing. The implementation must be finalized and deployed in 2026, said Charles Edwards, the founder of quantitative Bitcoin (BTC) and digital asset fund Capriole. Read more
ETHGas announced a $12 million seed raise as Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin reignited discussion around onchain gas futures and fee-hedging mechanisms Ethereum blockspace trading platform ETHGas announced it has raised $12 million in a seed round led by Polychain Capital. The funding announcement comes after Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently discussed the idea of an onchain “gas futures” market, arguing that such a product could give users a clearer signal of expected fees and let them hedge future costs. ETHGas argues that Ethereum needs “a reimagination of the way blockspace is allocated on the network” and claims that its newly-launched blockspace trading platform is a step in that direction. The company said the market launched with $800 million in commitments from validators, builders and other participants. Read more
Coinbase expands in Poland with PPro to support Blik, making crypto transactions faster and easier amid stalled local regulations. Major US cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is expanding payment options in Poland by integrating with one of the country’s most widely used mobile payment systems. Coinbase has partnered with European payment processor PPro to enable payments via Blik, a popular Polish mobile payment network with nearly 20 million users. The announcement was made by Coinbase executive and NFT Paris co-founder Côme Prost, who joined the exchange in February 2024 to lead its French operations. Read more