Tag: decentralization

The post The quantum computing threat Bitcoin can’t ignore appeared com. Quantum computing is no longer just science fiction or the stuff of cypherpunk paranoia; it’s officially a front-page threat for the world’s first stateless money. If you ever thought Satoshi’s creation was immune to existential risk, think again. The latest round of Bitcoiners and cryptographers in the Human Rights Foundation (HRF)’s latest report would like a word. Quantum computing is the ‘biggest risk’ to Bitcoin The HRF’s detailed breakdown discusses how Bitcoin represents far more than a speculative plaything. It’s a lifeline for activists, journalists, and dissidents facing financial repression in authoritarian regimes. Bitcoin’s decentralization, privacy, and permissionless access are what keep donation flows alive and savings out of reach from government seizures. But all that magic depends on solid cryptography. And quantum computing is the only technological leap with the power to shatter those invisible shields. Quantum computing puts nearly $700 billion in Bitcoin at risk. Another 4. 49 million are only safe if their owners act fast and migrate to quantum-resistant addresses. While researchers rush to roll out quantum-secure upgrades, nothing is quick in Bitcoin land. That means fierce debates about whether to “burn” unmovable coins (and stick a fork in Bitcoin’s neutrality), or risk quantum thieves looting them. To top it off, quantum-proof transactions would bloat the blockchain, taking Bitcoin’s scaling problem from a mild headache to a crushing migraine. It’s not just a technical puzzle either; it’s a test of the network’s willingness to evolve without breaking what made Bitcoin special in the first place. Coin Metrics cofounder and Bitcoin advocate Nic Carter put it bluntly in his own recent writing: “Quantum computing is, in my opinion, the biggest risk to Bitcoin. It’s a big looming problem for a lot of financial systems, and for various other blockchains too, but it’s kind of a uniquely big and.