The first cryptocurrency is unprepared for a future where government agencies could use ultra-fast quantum computers to crack its cryptography. This was the opinion shared by developer Hunter Bist at the ETHDenver conference.
“Today, we are completely unprepared for the consequences. This is a multidimensional problem, and you only realize its true scale when you start to dive into it,” he said.
Bist stated that the main players in this race are not tech giants but "spies"—the NSA and the Chinese military. Billion-dollar quantum computers are not only useful for stealing bitcoins; they can also break RSA, a widely used encryption standard, granting access to classified data from other countries.
The issue is that the new technology is currently unable to solve practical problems, which makes it difficult to convince many developers of the seriousness of the threat, the expert emphasized.
In December, one of the key contributors to Bitcoin Core, Luke Dash, stated:
“The quantum threat is unrealistic. Bitcoin has much more serious problems.”
Forecasts and Actions
Other experts share similar views. For instance, Blockstream co-founder and cypherpunk Adam Back believes that concerns about quantum computing are exaggerated. He thinks we have about 20-40 years before powerful computers emerge.
The expert does not rule out that such technologies may never materialize.
Analyst Willy Woo argues that the threat will not become relevant until at least 2030. By then, developers may implement quantum-resistant encryption standards, he noted.
Some disagree with this perspective. Earlier, Castle Island Ventures partner Nick Carter criticized developers for ignoring the threat of quantum computing. He also stated:
“I think developers will continue to do nothing. […] Probably, institutions will get tired of this, fire the team, and hire a new one.”
Craig Warmke from the Bitcoin Policy Institute agrees. He believes that any attempts to convince people of the complete absence of risk will inevitably fail: explanations will be too complex, and society trusts quantum physicists more than Bitcoin developers.
However, the industry is not standing still. In July, Casa's CTO Jameson Lopp proposed creating a separate BIP based on an existing initiative—BIP 360. This initiative aims to implement a new type of address using post-quantum cryptography.
In February, BIP 360 was integrated into Bitcoin's codebase. Developers are currently actively working on this proposal.
🚨 BITCOIN QUANTUM UPDATE:
— Merlijn The Trader (@MerlijnTrader) February 16, 2026
Developers advanced BIP-360, laying groundwork for post-quantum protection.
The proposal removes a Taproot key-path feature that could expose public keys to future quantum attacks.
Not activated yet but the defense planning has begun.
Bitcoin is… pic.twitter.com/qEXapNeFZT
It is worth noting that in January, the company BTQ launched a quantum-resistant testnet for the first cryptocurrency.