Bitcoin Faces Quantum Risk As Bernstein Sees 3–5 Year Window For Upgrades

Bitcoin’s quantum problem is still years away, but Bernstein says 1.7 million BTC sitting in early address types could be among the most exposed if the technology ever gets there. Related Reading: XRP Faces No Immediate Quantum Threat As Only 0.03% Supply Seen At Risk: Analyst That includes an estimated 1.1 million BTC tied to Satoshi Nakamoto, which would matter only if quantum machines become strong enough to break today’s encryption. Legacy Wallets In Focus Bernstein’s view is not that Bitcoin faces a near-term collapse. The firm’s analysts describe the issue as a “manageable upgrade cycle,” not an “existential risk,” and say the danger is concentrated in older wallets and addresses that reuse public keys. Newer wallet practices, including avoiding address reuse, ...