EU Financial Regulators Designate Quantum Computing as Systemic Threat to Blockchain Security

European financial authorities have classified quantum computing as an emerging systemic threat in their Autumn 2026 risk updates, warning that traditional 256-bit elliptic-curve cryptography faces long-term vulnerability. Under the Digital Operational Resilience Act, banks and crypto asset service providers face growing mandates to adopt post-quantum defenses. The warning follows Google Quantum AI research showing breaking 256-bit cryptography may require approximately 1,200 logical qubits, or fewer than 500,000 physical qubits. In response, Bitcoin developers introduced draft proposal BIP-361, Ethereum set a December 2029 quantum-resistance target, and Coinbase is developing safeguards for $250 billion in custody assets.