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A Jefferies strategist removed Bitcoin due to concerns over future quantum computing security risks. The firm shifted funds to gold, favoring traditional assets over long-term crypto uncertainty. Christopher Wood, who leads equity strategy at Jefferies, has taken out the 10% Bitcoin slice from the firm’s “Greed & Fear” model portfolio. Bloomberg reports that he made the move after raising concerns about how quantum computing could eventually undermine Bitcoin’s cryptographic defenses. Wood believes that advances in quantum computing technology could open up loopholes in the encryption mechanisms that have been the backbone of the Bitcoin network’s security. If quantum computers were one day able to break the link between public and private keys, the current digital signature system could become vulnerable. In his view, such risks are enough to make Bitcoin lose its appeal as a long-term store of value for institutional investors. As a result, the 10% allocation previously placed in BTC was shifted to assets considered more stable. Approximately half went into physical gold, while the remainder was placed in gold mining stocks. This move demonstrates Wood’s preference for traditional assets, which, he believes, do not rely on the resilience of digital cryptography. Bitcoin Faces a Long-Term Quantum Question Even so, Wood’s stance doesn’t match the outlook held by much of the crypto and tech community. Many developers and researchers argue that quantum computers powerful enough to crack today’s cryptography are still a long way off and not something that poses an immediate risk. Some experts argue that breakthroughs tend to arrive sooner than predicted. Because quantum computing can handle highly complex math at remarkable speeds, it may end up posing a serious challenge to Bitcoin and other digital assets if steps aren’t taken early on. The Bitcoin network, for its part, can also adapt when needed. Like many other open systems, its protocol can be updated if new threats emerge. However, the process of change on a large network like Bitcoin is not a quick one, especially when it involves global consensus and the security of trillions of dollars in assets. On the other hand, at the end of last December, we reported that Aptos submitted proposal AIP-137, which introduces the network’s first post-quantum signature scheme. This scheme is designed to address potential future quantum computing threats without replacing existing signature systems. This means that users are not required to migrate from Ed25519, but additional protection options are available if needed. At the end of last November, we also highlighted a statement from VanEck, which considered the possibility of withdrawing from Bitcoin if quantum computing were truly capable of breaking its encryption. Experts speculate that the speed of quantum computing in solving complex equations could pose a direct threat to Bitcoin and other digital assets in the not-too-distant future. Furthermore, on November 19, we reviewed Vitalik Buterin’s view that Bitcoin and Ethereum’s security could be at risk of collapse as early as 2028 due to quantum threats. He argued that reasonable solutions include early preparation, the development of lattice-based cryptography, and closer coordination among blockchain developers.

Jinse Finance reported that a cryptocurrency user suffered a social engineering attack, resulting in the theft of over $282 million worth of Bitcoin and Litecoin, setting a record for the largest known social engineering theft in the crypto industry. According to blockchain investigator ZachXBT, the theft occurred around 11:00 PM UTC on January 10, 2026. After being scammed, the victim disclosed the seed phrase of their hardware wallet, allowing the attacker to gain full control of the wallet and quickly transfer the funds across multiple blockchain networks to obscure the flow of assets. ZachXBT stated that the stolen assets included 2.05 million Litecoin worth $153 million and approximately 1,459 Bitcoin worth about $139 million. After succeeding, the attacker immediately used several instant exchange platforms to convert the stolen assets into Monero. This operation also caused a short-term surge in the price of Monero (XMR).

BlockBeats News, January 17th, Tom Lee, Chairman of BitMine and Co-Founder of Fundstrat, stated at the latest BitMine shareholders' meeting that Ethereum is at the core of a new round of financial infrastructure transformation and that 2026 may be a key year for Ethereum's full-fledged breakout. Tom Lee pointed out that Ethereum reached its historical high in the ETH/BTC exchange rate in 2021. With the tokenization of real-world assets and the accelerated adoption by mainstream financial institutions and users, this ratio is expected to surpass its previous high in 2026. Standard Chartered Bank also regards 2026 as the "Year of Ethereum" and has given a price prediction of $12,000 for Ethereum. In this context, Tom Lee emphasized that BitMine's business model will directly benefit from the rise in Ethereum price. Based on historical correlation calculations, if the ETH price reaches $12,000, the BitMine (BMNR) stock price theoretically corresponds to about $500. Furthermore, BitMine will also benefit from Ethereum staking rewards and ample cash reserves. The company currently holds approximately 4.2 million ETH and has around $1 billion in cash. Under the current conditions, it is expected to generate pre-tax income of $402 million to $433 million; if the ETH price rises to $12,000 and the company controls about 5% of the Ethereum supply, the scale of pre-tax income is expected to expand to $2 billion to $2.2 billion.