A new Ethereum Research proposal is putting post-quantum wallet security back in focus, outlining a practical way to verify quantum-resistant signatures on the EVM without requiring a full protocol-level upgrade.

The proposal, published by Ethereum researcher nicocsgy, explores an EVM-optimized version of the SPHINCS+ stateless post-quantum signature scheme. The design aims to make quantum-resistant verification more practical for wallet use cases by adapting the scheme to Ethereum’s existing execution environment.

TL;DR

• An Ethereum Research proposal outlines a post-quantum signature verification approach for the EVM.
• The design is based on SPHINCS+ but optimized for Ethereum-style execution.
• The proposal uses KECCAK256 instead of SHAKE256 to better fit EVM costs.
• It could give wallets and smart accounts a practical migration path before quantum threats become urgent.

Why Quantum Security Is Back In The Ethereum Conversation

Quantum computing is not an immediate threat to Ethereum wallets today, but developers are already thinking about what a migration path could look like if cryptographic assumptions change.

Most blockchain wallets rely on public-key cryptography. If future quantum computers become powerful enough to break widely used signature systems, wallets and protocols will need alternative methods to prove ownership securely.

That does not mean Ethereum is facing a near-term crisis. It means the ecosystem needs credible upgrade paths before the risk becomes urgent.

The Ethereum Research proposal is interesting because it does not wait for a full base-layer redesign. Instead, it looks at whether post-quantum signature verification can be made practical inside the EVM itself.

How The SPHINCS-Based Design Works

SPHINCS+ is a stateless post-quantum signature scheme standardized by NIST. The challenge is that post-quantum signatures can be large and expensive to verify on-chain, especially if the underlying design does not map neatly onto Ethereum’s cost model.

The proposal adapts the idea by replacing the standard SHAKE256 hash function with KECCAK256, which is native to the EVM. That matters because Ethereum already supports KECCAK256 efficiently, making it a more practical building block for on-chain verification.

The author also focuses the design around typical wallet behavior rather than trying to cover every theoretical use case. That trade-off is important. If the goal is to give users a realistic path to protect funds, the solution needs to be affordable enough to use, not just academically sound.

The report estimates verification in the range of roughly 127,000 to 150,000 gas. That is still more expensive than a normal signature verification flow, but it is low enough to be discussed as practical for high-value wallet protection and smart account designs.

What This Could Mean For Wallets

The most useful part of the proposal is the idea of an upgrade-free path. If smart accounts or wallet contracts can verify post-quantum signatures at the application layer, users may not need to wait for Ethereum itself to change its signature system.

That could matter for long-term holders, custodians, and institutions. These users are less concerned with making every transaction as cheap as possible and more concerned with making sure large balances can be protected across long time horizons.

A practical route could involve smart accounts that support quantum-resistant recovery, migration, or spending conditions. Users could move funds into wallets that are harder to attack under future cryptographic assumptions while the broader Ethereum protocol continues to evolve.

Still Early, But Worth Watching

This is still research, not a finished wallet standard. There are trade-offs around signature size, gas cost, implementation complexity, and user experience. Any production version would need serious review before large balances depended on it.

Even so, the direction is important. Crypto security cannot wait until quantum computers are powerful enough to create an emergency. The safer path is to test practical migration tools early, while there is still time to evaluate them calmly.

For Ethereum, post-quantum readiness will likely be a gradual process. Proposals like this show how the first steps may happen at the wallet and smart account layer rather than through one dramatic network-wide switch.

Source link

I get more emails from disappointed home warranty customers than I care to count.

Home warranties only apply to normal wear on your appliances and systems. They often limit how much they’ll pay, always have exclusions and never guarantee that they’ll make a repair before diagnosing the issue. But they can save you money if you know how and when to use them.

Here are seven common misunderstandings that customers have about their home warranties.

A true warranty repairs manufacturing defects, and homeowners insurance pays for items that are damaged suddenly. Home warranties do neither.

Home warranties are service contracts that cover normal wear and tear. This includes issues that pop up from everyday use and are normal for appliances and systems as they age.

A lot of people confuse home warranties with insurance because some companies advertise that customers pay a “deductible.” That’s not accurate. Home warranties charge service fees, which you pay before you know whether or not your claim has been approved. The fee isn’t a guarantee of coverage; it pays for the technician to diagnose the problem, not make the actual repair.

With insurance, a deductible comes into play after a claim is approved. It’s your share of the repair cost, and the insurance company will cover the rest.

Home warranties cover systems and appliances in a way that manufacturers’ warranties and insurance don’t. This is a good thing if you’re wanting that type of everyday-wear-and-tear coverage. But that means home warranties also have different terms. And if your claim fits with their coverage, you could save money on big repairs.

One of the ways home warranty companies make money while still paying for repairs is by limiting coverage to a certain dollar amount, known as a coverage limit. These can range from $150 to $7,000, depending on the covered item, type of repair, plan and company.

Many home warranty companies also refuse to cover certain situations, such as pre-existing conditions or wear and tear caused by neglecting to maintain your systems.

Regardless of how a home warranty limits coverage, it’s probably a safe bet that it has policies that protect the company from paying for all of the repairs you request.

Some customers have legitimate claims that can cost home warranty companies thousands of dollars. In those cases, customers benefit more than the companies and probably get more out of the warranty than the company that sold it to them.

So even though your home warranty company is betting they’ll spend less on you than you’ll pay them, that’s not always how it works out. You might save money with a home warranty instead.

One of the most common customer complaints I see is that a home warranty didn’t pay for a replacement appliance or system. Instead, the company paid a customer a portion of the actual cost to replace an item. That left the homeowner paying the rest of the bill for a replacement.

If your home warranty can’t fix your water heater, it’s not going to send you a check for whatever it costs to buy a new version of your water heater. Instead, many of them calculate how much your old water heater (or stove or dishwasher) is worth.

Similar to how cars go down in value over time, appliances and systems depreciate as well. That means your 12-year-old water heater might only be worth $100, and that’s how much a home warranty is likely to give you to buy a replacement.

It doesn’t matter that a new one could cost more than $3,000 with installation and labor. You might be on the hook for the remaining $2,900.

Even if you have to pay for labor or costs over your coverage limit, your home warranty can keep you from paying the full cost of major repairs.

Let’s say your home warranty agrees to replace your dishwasher. If the company pays $400 of the $800 price tag, you still only had to pay half of the price tag even though your plan didn’t pay for the full replacement.

If you’d already paid $876 and your home warranty paid only $400 for a replacement dishwasher at the end of that year, you’d be out at least $476. Probably more by the time you paid your service fee for the dishwasher claim.

In cases like this, you can actually save money by not having a home warranty.

Each customer will have a different set of claims, a specific plan and a mix of appliance and system models. That means no two situations are the same.

Some customers might lose money with a home warranty, but others will save money with one. If you get one or two major repair claims approved, you could come out ahead with a home warranty.

A home warranty company can make you pay a service fee and then deny your claim.

The service fee is similar to the house-call fee that a repair company might charge you when you schedule an appointment with them directly. It’s how they ensure they make some money in case you decide not to have them repair whatever they came to look at.

The difference here is who can decide if a technician is going to make the repair. If you hire the company directly, you decide if you want them to repair your water heater. In that case, you’ll probably get to apply your house call fee toward the total cost of your repair.

With a home warranty, the company decides if it wants to pay someone to repair your water heater. If your claim is denied, you could lose your service fee.

A few home warranty companies are skipping service fees, so their customers don’t pay for a technician to visit their homes. That way they’re not paying out of pocket before they know if a claim will be approved. If you consider a company that doesn’t charge service fees, check how that might affect the monthly rate compared to prices other companies offer.

Your contract has to say what your home warranty will and won’t cover. But service agreements tend to be long and full of technical language, which can make them difficult to understand. So a lot of people don’t read them before agreeing to the terms.

Look, I’m not judging. I have no idea what I agreed to when Spotify last updated its terms, but I checked that “I agree” box immediately so I could keep streaming Sarah McLachlan’s newest album without interruption.

But your home warranty company is going to follow the terms that you agreed to when you signed up for a plan. So it’s a smart move to read those terms before paying for coverage that you might not understand.

I know reading pages of fine print to find out which parts of your heat pump are covered by your plan doesn’t sound like a relaxing Saturday afternoon. But your home warranty company will quote sections of the contract to you when you ask why your claim was denied.

Knowing the policies and exclusions in advance will help you avoid frustrating situations.

Many home warranty contracts have clauses that say you can’t sue the company. Instead, you have to go through arbitration, which is a way to resolve disputes without going to court. These clauses usually keep you from filing a class action lawsuit as well.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, arbitration is worse for consumers than for companies. This is because customers tend to lose more often than the companies, and end up paying arbitration fees.

Even when a home warranty company doesn’t follow its contract, it’s difficult for a customer to prove their case because of how arbitration works. Most successful cases against home warranty companies are filed by a state’s attorney general after they’ve investigated a lot of customers’ complaints.

When a state successfully sues a home warranty company, it usually makes the news. This gives other customers a way to learn about their rights and which home warranty companies haven’t been honest with their coverage.

If you’re thinking of buying a home warranty, search for any news about the company being involved in lawsuits. And if you are having trouble with your home warranty and need a resolution, contact your state attorney general’s office to file a complaint.

Addas a preferred source on Google

Source link

Aegis General Insurance Agency offers travel insurance plans under its Go Ready Insurance subsidiary. This provider provides a suite of customizable plans instead of one-size-fits-all plans and coverages.

With Aegis travel insurance, you can choose from single-trip and annual multitrip policies, as well as cruise-specific plans.

Here’s what to know about this travel insurance plan that gives you flexibility starting at a mid-range price.

Through Aegis, you’ll find a handful of travel insurance plan tiers:

The best part about Aegis is its array of coverages and upgrades that let you build a bespoke travel insurance plan. Even if you opt out of the options coverages, Aegis travel insurance plans include what you’d expect from comprehensive policies:

Aegis also offers CFAR coverage, but only as an add-on upgrade to an existing plan purchase. A CFAR upgrade helps you recoup 50%–75% of non-refundable trip costs if you cancel at least 48 hours before your departure.

Based on a seven-day vacation to Mexico from October 1–7, 2026, for a 45-year-old traveler from Illinois, here’s a policy and coverage overview.

Like any other travel insurance plan, Aegis’ policy specifies general exclusions that wouldn’t be covered under its plans. Below are some exclusions that would be covered in the event of a loss:

Based on the data we pulled across multiple insurers for the same traveler profile, the average basic-level coverage was $80.

Aegis’ travel insurance lowest-tier plan, Choice, was priced at $69, cheaper than approximately two-thirds of the plans we compared.

For the same sample trip, Aegis also offers other plans, ranging from $74 for Priority Plus to $94 for the Cruise Plan.

To choose the right plan for your needs, consider where you’re visiting, how you’ll get there, and the activities you’ve planned on your itinerary.

The Cruise plan, for example, can help you access higher coverage limits that might come in handy during a seafaring journey. For example, a $750 per person coverage — versus $250 per person limit under the Priority Plus plan — if you missed your cruise due to a delayed or canceled flight.

Ultimately, deciding which plan makes the most sense for you entirely depends on your personal preferences, risk tolerance, and trip details.

Yes, Aegis travel insurance specialists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week regardless of your time zone. Their multilingual associates can be reached any time of day at the following phone numbers:

Aegis offers its Stress Less Benefits which help you avoid further disruption to your trip in the event of a covered event. Just call its 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team and they can assist by helping you navigate your plan’s coverages and paying medical and emergency providers upfront.

Each plan has its own list of Stress Less Benefits. For example, with Go Ready Choice, Stress Less is available for trip interruption, medical and dental events, and emergency assistance to name a few.

If you need to file a claim for an event that’s outside of your policy’s Stress Less Benefits, you’ll need to go through the typical claims process. Here’s how:

The biggest advantage of Aegis travel insurance is that you can build a plan that best fits your preferences. If you have an unpredictable work schedule, for example, the Choice plan has an optional Cancel for Work Reasons upgrade.

Addas a preferred source on Google

Source link

If the idea of putting money into the stock market makes you nervous, you are not alone. A lot of people hold back because they are afraid of buying at the wrong time. 

Dollar cost averaging is a strategy that takes that worry off the table. Instead of trying to time the market perfectly, you invest a fixed amount on a regular schedule and let time do the heavy lifting.

In this article, we will explain how dollar cost averaging works, why so many long-term investors rely on it, and how to put it into practice starting today.

What Is Dollar Cost Averaging?

Dollar cost averaging (DCA) is an investment strategy in which you invest a fixed dollar amount in a specific asset at regular intervals, regardless of market conditions. Whether the market is up, down, or flat, you invest the same amount on the same schedule.

The result is that you end up buying more shares when prices are low and fewer shares when prices are high. Over time, this can lower your average cost per share compared to making a single lump-sum investment at the wrong moment.

Most people already practice dollar cost averaging without realizing it. If you contribute to a 401(k) every time you get a paycheck, that is dollar cost averaging in action.

How Dollar Cost Averaging Works

The mechanics are straightforward. You pick an investment, decide on a fixed dollar amount, and choose a schedule. Every week, every two weeks, or every month, you invest that amount, no matter what the market is doing that day.

Because you are investing a fixed dollar amount rather than a fixed number of shares, your money automatically buys more shares when prices dip and fewer when prices climb. This built-in dynamic is what makes the strategy so useful for investors who want to build wealth steadily without spending hours watching the market.

For most people, low-cost index funds are the best vehicle for this strategy. They give you broad diversification across hundreds of companies in a single investment, and their expense ratios are far lower than actively managed mutual funds or target-date funds. That difference in fees compounds significantly over decades.

A Simple Example

Say you decide to invest $300 every month into a low-cost S&P 500 index fund. Here is what three months might look like:

• Month 1: The share price is $50. Your $300 buys 6 shares.
• Month 2: The market drops, and the share price falls to $30. Your $300 buys 10 shares.
• Month 3: The market recovers, and the share price rises to $60. Your $300 buys 5 shares.

After three months, you have invested $900 and own 21 shares. Your average cost per share is $42.86. If you had invested all $900 in Month 1 at $50 per share, you would only own 18 shares. The dip in Month 2 actually worked in your favor because you had cash ready to put to work at a lower price.

This is the core idea. You stop worrying about whether today is a good day to invest and start focusing on building a consistent habit instead.

Benefits of Dollar Cost Averaging

It removes emotion from investing

One of the biggest mistakes investors make is letting fear and excitement drive their decisions. They pile in when the market is hot and pull out when it drops. Dollar-cost averaging sidesteps all of that by turning investing into a routine, like paying a bill, that runs automatically on a schedule.

It makes market downturns work for you

When markets fall, most people panic. With dollar cost averaging, a dip is simply an opportunity to buy more shares at a discount. If you stay consistent, you will naturally accumulate more of your investment when it is on sale.

It is accessible no matter your income

You do not need a large lump sum to get started. Even small, consistent contributions can grow meaningfully over time thanks to compounding. A good starting point is to aim for at least 10% of your gross income going toward investments. If that feels like a stretch right now, start with whatever you can manage and increase it over time.

It builds a long-term habit

Consistency is the real edge in personal investing. Dollar cost averaging encourages exactly that. When you automate your contributions, investing happens in the background while you get on with your life.

Want a free tool to help you keep track of your investments? Check out Empower!

Empower

• Free app to track investments
• See all of your accounts in one place
• Join over 3.5 million users

Visit Empower
Our Review

Things to Keep in Mind

Dollar cost averaging is a sound strategy, but it is worth understanding its limits before you dive in.

It does not guarantee a profit

If you are investing in a low-quality asset that trends downward over time, buying it consistently will not save you. That is why what you invest in matters just as much as how you invest. Sticking to broad, low-cost index funds gives you exposure to the overall market rather than betting on a single company’s performance. Investing heavily in individual stocks introduces a level of risk that most people do not need to take on.

Alternative investments should stay small

Things like gold, cryptocurrency, and other alternative assets can have a place in a portfolio, but they should stay well under 10% of your total invested assets. These assets tend to be far more volatile and speculative than a diversified index fund, and there is no reason to let them dominate your long-term strategy.

A lump sum can outperform in a rising market

Research has shown that if you have a large sum ready to invest, putting it all in at once tends to outperform dollar cost averaging over the long run, simply because markets go up more often than they go down. That said, most people do not have a large lump sum sitting around. For those building wealth paycheck by paycheck, dollar cost averaging is the practical and sensible path.

How to Get Started

Getting started with dollar cost averaging does not require a financial advisor or a complicated setup. Here is a simple framework:

• Open a brokerage or retirement account if you do not already have one. If your employer offers a 401(k) match, start there, since it’s essentially free money.
• Choose a low-cost index fund. A broad U.S. or total market index fund from a provider like Vanguard, Fidelity, or Schwab is a straightforward starting point. These consistently outperform most actively managed funds over the long run after fees are factored in.
• Decide how much to invest and when. Aim for at least 10% of your gross income. Set up automatic contributions so the money moves without you having to think about it each time.
• Stay consistent. Do not stop contributions during market downturns. That is exactly when dollar cost averaging works best.

Summary

Dollar cost averaging is one of the most practical investing strategies available to everyday investors. It takes the guesswork out of market timing, helps you build a consistent habit, and naturally positions you to benefit from market dips over time.

The key is to pair this strategy with the right investments. Low-cost index funds are a strong foundation. They offer diversification, keep fees low, and have a long track record of rewarding patient investors. Avoid concentrating too much on single stocks or speculative alternatives, and keep contributing regularly regardless of what the market is doing on any given day.

If you stay the course and keep contributing, time becomes your greatest asset.

Source link