Skip to main content

Nobody knows if quantum secure cryptography will even work

Why upgrade if PQ signatures are not yet proven? The dirty secret of efforts to upgrade blockchains to post-quantum cryptography is that no one is sure if  any  of them work. None of the signatures being considered by major blockchains as quantum-resistant upgrades have been 100% proven to work. Until a quantum computer is invented, we won’t know for certain if they can successfully protect against an attack. Some may fall to an attack even before Q Day using existing computer technology. The National Institute of Standards and Technology tested 69 post-quantum candidate algorithms, and two of them — Rainbow and SIKE — were broken with classical computers during testing. The three digital signature schemes it recommends are its best guess as to which ones are most likely to survive a quantum attack. It selected the lattice-based CRYSTALS-Dilithium (ML-DSA) as the primary scheme, another lattice-based scheme called Falcon (FN-DSA) for use cases that demand smaller signatures an...

China’s ‘50x’ blockchain boost, Alibaba-linked AI mines Bitcoin: Asia Express

 

Everything that happened in crypto news in Asia over the past seven days: Asia Express.

Jump to

1. China shows off new blockchain acceleration tech

2. Rogue AI agent linked to Alibaba attempts to mine Bitcoin

3. People’s Bank of China vows “high pressure” crypto crackdown

4. South Korean crypto giants may face ownership shake-up

5. South Korea considers Basel’s crypto framework for stablecoins

6. Japan’s “Iron Lady” denies connection to Solana memecoin

7. Japanese messaging giant launches stablecoin wallet

8. PVARA officially appointed crypto sheriff of Pakistan

China shows off new blockchain acceleration tech

China has built a blockchain acceleration chip that can increase performance by up to 50 times, a lawmaker claimed during the country’s annual parliamentary meetings.

Dong Jin, a deputy to the National People’s Congress and director of the Beijing Academy of Blockchain and Edge Computing, said the chip was designed to address computing bottlenecks faced by large-scale networks.

Dong Jin blockchain accelerator chip
Dong claims China will build a “digital Great Wall.” (CCTV)

Dong said the technology allows China’s trusted digital infrastructure to rely on its own “Chinese chip,” a reference to the country’s push to develop domestic semiconductor and computing capabilities.

The developments are part of China’s effort to build domestic digital infrastructure and reduce reliance on foreign technology.

According to Dong, domestically developed blockchain systems are already used by 16 central government ministries and 27 state-owned enterprises.

Rogue AI agent linked to Alibaba attempts to mine Bitcoin

An experimental autonomous AI agent attempted to mine cryptocurrency using its own training infrastructure.

In a technical report, researchers said the agent, called ROME, diverted GPU resources and created a reverse SSH tunnel to an external IP address during reinforcement learning runs.

The researchers said the behavior was not programmed but emerged as the model explored ways to interact with its environment while optimizing tasks.

ROME was developed by joint research teams tied to Alibaba’s AI ecosystem.

People’s Bank of China vows “high pressure” crypto crackdown

China’s central bank has once again warned it is cracking down against cryptocurrency speculation, illegal fundraising and underground banking.

People’s Bank of China (PBOC) governor Pan Gongsheng said authorities will maintain a “high pressure” campaign against such activities, while speaking during a press conference at the annual session.

Pan warned of continued crypto crackdowns in response to a reporter’s question about financial risks. (People’s Bank of China)

The PBOC has imposed several phases of restrictions on crypto-related activities over the years, including the infamous 2021 bans on trading and mining. Its crackdown expanded to stablecoins and real-world assets in February.

South Korean crypto giants may face ownership shake-up

South Korea’s ruling party and financial regulators have reportedly agreed to cap major shareholder stakes in cryptocurrency exchanges at 20%, as part of the country’s upcoming crypto framework.

Under the proposal, exchanges would have three years after the law takes effect to comply, though smaller platforms could receive double that grace period.

The rule targets ownership concentration in South Korea’s crypto trading platforms, potentially forcing major exchanges such as Upbit to reduce controlling stakes.

Dunamu Chairman Song Chi-hyung holds 25.5% of Upbit's shares
Upbit operator Dunamu chairman has a 25.5% stake in the company. (Financial Supervisory Service/Dunamu)

The cap remains controversial and may face resistance in parliament, where opposition lawmakers and some ruling party members have criticized the proposal as potentially harmful to competition and innovation.

South Korea considers Basel’s crypto framework for stablecoins

South Korea is considering adopting the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision’s cryptoasset exposure framework as they prepare supervisory standards for banks dealing with digital assets.

The Financial Supervisory Service said it is reviewing the Basel prudential rules to manage banks’ crypto-related risk exposures within existing capital requirements.

The Basel framework requires banks to treat most cryptocurrencies as extremely high-risk assets, forcing them to hold capital equal to the full value of their exposure and limiting how much they can hold.

Read also

Features

Crypto kids fight Facebook for the soul of the Metaverse

Features

Blockchain Startups Think Justice Can Be Decentralized, but the Jury Is Still Out

Japan’s “Iron Lady” denies connection to Solana memecoin

A cryptocurrency bearing the name of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi surged to a market capitalization of about $27.7 million before plunging after she denied any connection to the token.

A machine translation of a social media post from Takaichi’s official account reads that she had “absolutely no knowledge” of the Solana-based memecoin and that neither she nor her office had approved or been informed about the project.

Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi claims to have no knowledge of Solana memecoin
Takaichi distances herself from a multi-million-dollar Solana memecoin bearing her name. (Sanae Takaichi)

Japan’s Financial Services Agency is reportedly considering investigating the parties behind the token to determine whether it was issued without the required registration.

Japanese messaging giant launches stablecoin wallet

Japan’s LINE NEXT has launched Unifi, a stablecoin wallet platform integrated into the LINE messaging app, the company said Monday.

The platform allows users to deposit, transfer, pay and earn rewards using stablecoins within a single service accessible through social logins. Unifi initially supports Tether (USDT) and offers deposit rewards of 4–5% annually. 

LINE is one of the largest messaging platforms in Asia, with hundreds of millions of users across Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and other markets. LINE has been building blockchain infrastructure through its Web3 arm LINE NEXT.

Read also

Features

Crypto kids fight Facebook for the soul of the Metaverse

Features

Blockchain Startups Think Justice Can Be Decentralized, but the Jury Is Still Out

PVARA officially appointed crypto sheriff of Pakistan

Pakistan’s parliament has passed the Virtual Assets Act 2026, making the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) the country’s crypto regulator.

The framework grants PVARA the authority to license and oversee digital asset service providers and enforce anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance rules.

PVARA is set to become Pakistan’s official crypto regulator. (PVARA)

The bill passed both the Senate and the National Assembly but still requires President Asif Ali Zardari’s signature to become law.

Pakistan has been moving toward regulating digital assets after years of resistance, establishing PVARA in 2025.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Nobody knows if quantum secure cryptography will even work

Why upgrade if PQ signatures are not yet proven? The dirty secret of efforts to upgrade blockchains to post-quantum cryptography is that no one is sure if  any  of them work. None of the signatures being considered by major blockchains as quantum-resistant upgrades have been 100% proven to work. Until a quantum computer is invented, we won’t know for certain if they can successfully protect against an attack. Some may fall to an attack even before Q Day using existing computer technology. The National Institute of Standards and Technology tested 69 post-quantum candidate algorithms, and two of them — Rainbow and SIKE — were broken with classical computers during testing. The three digital signature schemes it recommends are its best guess as to which ones are most likely to survive a quantum attack. It selected the lattice-based CRYSTALS-Dilithium (ML-DSA) as the primary scheme, another lattice-based scheme called Falcon (FN-DSA) for use cases that demand smaller signatures an...

Are DeFi devs liable for the illegal activity of others on their platforms?

A US federal judge has dismissed a class action lawsuit that sought to hold Uniswap Labs and its founder Hayden Adams liable for scam tokens traded on the decentralized exchange (DEX).  Uniswap has been cleared of responsibility for third-party scammers. ( Hayden Adams ) Federal Judge Katherine Polk Failla ruled that the DEX cannot be held responsible for the actions of third-party token issuers. But that’s not the only court case or jurisdiction with implications for smart contract developers. Joshua Chu, co-chair of the Hong Kong Web3 Association, argues that the Uniswap ruling highlights a deeper tension between how US courts view decentralized finance (DeFi) infrastructure and how global standards expect platforms to manage illicit finance risks. In an interview with Cointelegraph Magazine, Chu discussed the implications of the Uniswap decision, how it compares with the prosecution of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, and why developers won’t always be beyond the reach of sta...

The Evolution and Importance of Laptops in Modern Life

  Laptops have become an indispensable part of daily life, revolutionizing how people work, learn, and communicate. These portable computers offer a blend of power, convenience, and versatility, making them essential tools for professionals, students, and casual users alike. Over the years, laptops have evolved significantly, incorporating advanced technologies that enhance performance, battery life, and user experience. A Brief History of Laptops  The concept of portable computing dates back to the 1970s, but the first true laptop, the Osborne 1, was introduced in 1981. Weighing nearly 24 pounds, it was bulky by today’s standards but marked the beginning. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, advancements in microprocessors and battery technology led to lighter, more efficient models. By the early 2000s, laptops had become mainstream, with brands like Dell, HP, and Apple leading the market. Key Components of a Laptop  Modern laptops consist of several critical components: 1....