THE NEWS

Authored by Alex O’Donnell via CoinTelgraph.com,

Emerging technologies, including quantum computing, could potentially render the cryptography securing Bitcoin and other blockchain networks ineffective, asset manager BlackRock said in a regulatory filing. 

On May 9, BlackRock updated the registration statement for its iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT). The revised version addressed potential risks to the integrity of the Bitcoin network posed by quantum computing, the filing shows.

“[I]f quantum computing technology is able to advance […] it could potentially undermine the viability of many of the cryptographic algorithms used across the world’s information technology infrastructure, including the cryptographic algorithms used for digital assets like bitcoin,” BlackRock said.

It is the first time the asset manager has explicitly flagged this risk in its IBIT disclosures. The IBIT ETF is the largest spot Bitcoin ETF, with approximately $64 billion in net assets, according to its website.

Quantum computing is an emergent field that seeks to use the principles of quantum mechanics to greatly enhance computers’ processing capabilities. 

Source: James Seyffart/Bloomberg Intelligence

Record-breaking inflows

James Seyffart, an analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, cautioned that risk disclosures such as IBIT’s are required to highlight every possible risk to an asset, even those that are extremely unlikely. 

“They are going to highlight any potential thing that can go wrong with any product they list or underlying asset that’s being invested in,” Seyffart said in a May 9 X post. “It’s completely standard. And honestly [it] makes complete sense.”

Since launching in January, Bitcoin ETFs have collectively attracted more than $41 billion in net inflows, according to data from Farside Investors. 

Bitcoin ETF inflows reached all-time highs on May 8. Source: Eric Balchunas/Bloomberg Intelligence

On May 8, Bitcoin ETF net inflows surpassed all-time highs of around $40 billion, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. 

“Lifetime net flows is #1 most imp metric to watch IMO, very hard to grow, pure truth, no bs,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Eric Balchunas said in a May 9 X post. 

“Impressive, they were able to make it to a new high water mark so soon after the world was supposed to end.”

In February, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino predicted that quantum computing would eventually enable hackers to break into inactive Bitcoin wallets and recover the dormant coins. 

“Any Bitcoin in lost wallets, including Satoshi (if not alive), will be hacked and put back in circulation,” Ardoino said in a Feb. 8 X post.

The cost of funding American universities is huge – covering everything from faculty salaries and special departments to laboratories.

Not only that, government funding for public institutions has fallen substantially over the past 50 years, making universities rely more heavily on tuition and other sources of revenue. The Trump administration’s freezing of billions in grants and contracts is adding further strain to elite academic institutions.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist’s  shows how American public universities are funded, based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

The Top Sources of Revenue for American Universities

Below, we break down the $392 billion in revenues generated across 1,592 public American institutions as of 2023:

State government funding, typically in the form of research grants, contracts, and appropriations, makes up the largest share at 28%.

Overall, New Hampshire ranks last in spending on higher public education spending per student, followed by Vermont. Going further, 25 states spend less than levels seen in 2008, with Nevada, Arizona, and Louisiana spending 30% less in 2023.

In absolute terms, California and Texas spend the most on academic funding, at $22.3 billion and $11.5 billion, respectively in fiscal 2025.

Meanwhile, tuition and fees generated 21% of revenues totaling $80.8 billion. Despite tuition costs more than tripling since 1990, it has struggled to make up the funding losses from state cutbacks. At the same time, university spending has swelled for administrators, construction, and faculty salaries as demand for higher education has increased.

Looking at private sources of revenue, these brought in $51.2 billion, or 13% of the total. Private sources include endowment additions, investment income, and private grants. While universities have massive endowment funds, funding is often tied to specific purposes. For instance, certain donors will designate funds to scholarships or a specific research center over a series of years.

To learn more about this topic from a global perspective, check out this graphic on the top universities outside of America.