StarkWare researcher Avihu Levy has tested quantum-resistant transactions on Bitcoin mainnet, protecting 10,000 satoshi using a Quantum Safe Bitcoin scheme that combines hash-based one-time signatures with computational searches. The test marks an early practical step toward hardening Bitcoin against future quantum computing threats.
On August 27, Blockstream published a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal for SHRINCS, a post-quantum signature scheme designed to reduce signature size by 13.23 times compared to hash-based alternatives. Jonas Nick of Blockstream Research said the tradeoff is sound: “I do think it is a very good trade-off among the options we have now.”
Quantum-resistant transactions currently cost between $150 and $200 each. SHRINCS signatures are 9 times larger than Bitcoin’s existing signatures, but the scheme represents a practical path toward quantum readiness without abandoning Bitcoin’s core architecture.
Solana Validators Approve Disinflation Acceleration
Solana validators have approved a proposal to double the annual disinflation rate from 15% to 30%, cutting the timeline to reach 1.5% terminal inflation to 2.8 years from the previous 5.7 years. The vote saw 67% support, with 25.16% voting against and 7.84% abstaining, across a 60.7% participation rate of eligible stake.
The change will cancel 18.9 million SOL over six years. In July, Solana processed a record 4.2 billion transactions, a 13.5% increase from June and a 91% jump since December.
Bitcoin Rally Gains Momentum Amid Institutional Inflows
Bitcoin has rallied 23% over the past week to $78,420, a 1.1% weekly gain. Bitcoin ETFs recorded $3.3 billion in inflows during August. Mining stocks surged sharply, with Canaan, American Bitcoin, and Cango rising 41% to 67%, while CoreWeave gained 21%, Nebius 17%, and IREN 15%.
Ki Young Ju, CEO of onchain analytics firm CryptoQuant, stated: “The Bitcoin bear cycle is over.” The firm’s Bull/Bear indicator stood at 0.042 as of August 26, up from a cycle low of -1.244 on February 5 when Bitcoin traded at $60,000.
Bernstein’s Bitcoin Forecast
Wall Street analyst firm Bernstein has issued a bull case for Bitcoin peaking at $500,000 in this cycle, with a base case of $300,000 in 2029 and a floor forecast of $125,000. The projections come as total crypto market cap reached $2.64 trillion.
Trump Crypto Ventures Tally Investor Losses
Investors have suffered an estimated $4.7 billion in losses across Trump-linked crypto ventures. The Official Trump memecoin accounted for $3.2 billion in losses, World Liberty Financial governance token losses reached $1 billion, Trump Media’s digital asset treasury lost $450 million, and Trump NFT trading cards generated $9.3 million in losses.
Real Trump Coins posted on X: “Trump Coins has not authorized and will not launch, promote, or authorize any digital token.” The statement clarified the entity’s stance amid confusion over multiple Trump-branded crypto projects.
Broader Market Movement and Regulatory Sentiment
Ethereum gained 0.6% weekly to $2,469. XRP fell 8.7% to $1.38. Among altcoins, VeChain rallied 18.5% and SPX6900 gained 17.3%, while Aptos declined 16.4% and Morpho fell 13.6%.
A survey by The National Institute on Retirement Security, conducted October 24 to November 14, 2025, found that 77% of Americans view cryptocurrency in retirement plans as risky, with 46% calling it very risky. Among 1,203 respondents, 53% opposed employers offering crypto as an investment option.
Revolut has rolled out its stablecoin offering to 2 million customers in an initial phase. Bridge, a Luxembourg-based stablecoin infrastructure company owned by Stripe, continues expanding its platform. Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, has raised concerns about stablecoin adoption without adequate regulatory guardrails.
