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Bitcoin's Quantum Defense Could Take A Decade, Security Expert Warns: 'Hope For The Best, Prepare For The Worst'

MarketDash Editorial Team
5 hours ago
Bitcoin technologist Jameson Lopp says upgrading the network to quantum-resistant standards could easily take 5 to 10 years, while traditional banks could adapt much faster to the emerging threat.

If you're worried about quantum computers cracking Bitcoin (BTC) tomorrow, you can breathe easy. But if you're wondering when Bitcoin will actually be quantum-proof? Well, grab a comfortable chair because this could take a while.

The Long Road To Quantum Security

Jameson Lopp, Chief Security Officer at self-custody platform Casa, shared some sobering thoughts on Sunday about what it would actually take to make Bitcoin quantum-resistant. The short version: we're talking years, not months.

"No, quantum computers won't break Bitcoin in the near future. We'll keep observing their evolution," Lopp said. That's the good news.

The less-good news? Making "thoughtful" changes to the network, like migrating funds to a quantum-resistant version, could "easily" take 5 to 10 years. That's a long time in crypto, where things usually move at warp speed.

Banks Have The Home Field Advantage

Here's where things get interesting. When someone asked Lopp about quantum computing risks to banks and other digital infrastructure, his answer was revealing: those systems can upgrade "orders of magnitude faster" than Bitcoin.

Why? Because centralized systems can just push updates. Bitcoin, being decentralized and requiring network consensus, moves more like an ocean liner than a speedboat. That's usually a feature, not a bug, but in this case it creates some challenges.

So Should We Panic?

Probably not. Lopp's warning comes amid ongoing conversations about quantum computing's threat to cryptocurrency, and most experts seem to land in the "concerned but not panicking" camp.

Earlier this week, digital asset management firm Grayscale released a report stating that quantum computing is unlikely to significantly impact cryptocurrency valuations in 2026. However, they acknowledged that "Bitcoin and most other blockchains will eventually need to be updated for post-quantum tools."

Meanwhile, Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of Strategy Inc. (MSTR), has expressed his belief that quantum computing will actually make Bitcoin more resilient, not weaker. He's advocated for migrating active BTC while leaving lost BTC "frozen."

But here's a wrinkle: a 2024 study from the University of Kent's School of Computing suggested that a protocol update to protect Bitcoin from quantum threats could require nearly 305 days of downtime if only 25% of the bandwidth is allocated to the process. That's almost a year of potential disruption.

The message from Lopp seems to be: don't lose sleep tonight, but don't ignore this either. Quantum computing is coming, and Bitcoin's decentralized architecture means preparing for it is going to be a marathon, not a sprint.

Price Action: At the time of writing, BTC was trading at $88,729.67, up 0.73% in the last 24 hours.

Back to Stock Market News

Bitcoin's Quantum Defense Could Take A Decade, Security Expert Warns: 'Hope For The Best, Prepare For The Worst'

MarketDash Editorial Team
5 hours ago
Bitcoin technologist Jameson Lopp says upgrading the network to quantum-resistant standards could easily take 5 to 10 years, while traditional banks could adapt much faster to the emerging threat.

If you're worried about quantum computers cracking Bitcoin (BTC) tomorrow, you can breathe easy. But if you're wondering when Bitcoin will actually be quantum-proof? Well, grab a comfortable chair because this could take a while.

The Long Road To Quantum Security

Jameson Lopp, Chief Security Officer at self-custody platform Casa, shared some sobering thoughts on Sunday about what it would actually take to make Bitcoin quantum-resistant. The short version: we're talking years, not months.

"No, quantum computers won't break Bitcoin in the near future. We'll keep observing their evolution," Lopp said. That's the good news.

The less-good news? Making "thoughtful" changes to the network, like migrating funds to a quantum-resistant version, could "easily" take 5 to 10 years. That's a long time in crypto, where things usually move at warp speed.

Banks Have The Home Field Advantage

Here's where things get interesting. When someone asked Lopp about quantum computing risks to banks and other digital infrastructure, his answer was revealing: those systems can upgrade "orders of magnitude faster" than Bitcoin.

Why? Because centralized systems can just push updates. Bitcoin, being decentralized and requiring network consensus, moves more like an ocean liner than a speedboat. That's usually a feature, not a bug, but in this case it creates some challenges.

So Should We Panic?

Probably not. Lopp's warning comes amid ongoing conversations about quantum computing's threat to cryptocurrency, and most experts seem to land in the "concerned but not panicking" camp.

Earlier this week, digital asset management firm Grayscale released a report stating that quantum computing is unlikely to significantly impact cryptocurrency valuations in 2026. However, they acknowledged that "Bitcoin and most other blockchains will eventually need to be updated for post-quantum tools."

Meanwhile, Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of Strategy Inc. (MSTR), has expressed his belief that quantum computing will actually make Bitcoin more resilient, not weaker. He's advocated for migrating active BTC while leaving lost BTC "frozen."

But here's a wrinkle: a 2024 study from the University of Kent's School of Computing suggested that a protocol update to protect Bitcoin from quantum threats could require nearly 305 days of downtime if only 25% of the bandwidth is allocated to the process. That's almost a year of potential disruption.

The message from Lopp seems to be: don't lose sleep tonight, but don't ignore this either. Quantum computing is coming, and Bitcoin's decentralized architecture means preparing for it is going to be a marathon, not a sprint.

Price Action: At the time of writing, BTC was trading at $88,729.67, up 0.73% in the last 24 hours.