“Quantum computers will destroy Bitcoin.”
You’ve probably seen a headline like this before. It sounds dramatic, urgent, even inevitable. But how much truth is there behind the hype?
The fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) around quantum computing and Bitcoin gets recycled regularly. Some critics claim quantum machines will break Bitcoin’s cryptography overnight and render it worthless. The reality is far more nuanced. Let’s cut through the noise and look at the facts.
What the FUD Claims
The “Quantum FUD” usually boils down to two claims:
Quantum computers will break Bitcoin’s encryption.
Once this happens, all Bitcoin will be stolen.
These assertions rest on a misunderstanding of both Bitcoin’s cryptography and the state of quantum technology.
Bitcoin’s Cryptographic Foundations
Bitcoin relies on two main cryptographic primitives:
SHA-256 hash function: used for mining, block creation, and address generation.
Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA): used to sign transactions.
A quantum attacker would need to either:
Break SHA-256 to mine faster than the network, or
Break ECDSA to derive a private key from a public key and steal coins.
The Reality of Quantum Computing
Quantum computing is still in its infancy. While companies like Google and IBM have demonstrated quantum processors with hundreds of qubits, these are noisy, unstable, and nowhere near the scale required to break modern cryptography.
Breaking SHA-256: Grover’s algorithm reduces brute force from 2^256 to 2^128. Still an incomprehensibly large number—beyond any foreseeable machine.
Breaking ECDSA: Shor’s algorithm could, in theory, derive private keys. But it would take millions of stable, error-corrected qubits. Current machines have only hundreds, and error correction overhead makes scaling far more difficult.
Most experts agree: we are decades away—if ever—from practical machines that could threaten Bitcoin.
Bitcoin’s Quantum Resistance
Even in the unlikely event quantum progress accelerates:
Most Bitcoin is safe. Coins are locked to a hash of the public key. A quantum attacker could only target coins that have already been spent from but not yet confirmed in a block.
Bitcoin can upgrade. Post-quantum cryptography (like lattice-based schemes) already exists. A soft-fork upgrade could secure the network well before quantum computers pose real danger.
Plenty of warning. Quantum breakthroughs are incremental and public. The Bitcoin community would have years to prepare.
Why the FUD Persists
Fear sells. Stories about “Bitcoin’s quantum death” generate clicks, especially among skeptics and detractors. But the risk is neither imminent nor unmanageable.
Key Takeaway
Quantum computing is exciting science. It does introduce theoretical risks to Bitcoin’s cryptography, but the timelines are long, the challenges immense, and Bitcoin has clear pathways to upgrade.
Remember: if quantum computers ever become powerful enough to break Bitcoin, they’ll have already broken the global banking system, the internet, and military encryption. At that point, humanity will have far bigger problems to solve—and Bitcoin will be among the first technologies to adapt.
✅ Conclusion: Quantum FUD makes for scary headlines, but Bitcoin is not about to be undone by quantum breakthroughs anytime soon. Stay informed, not fearful.
Not financial or legal advice, for entertainment only, do your own homework. I hope you find this post useful as you chart your personal financial course and Build a Bitcoin Fortress in 2025.
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Thank you ! for another great piece this time on quantum computing and Bitcoin. As a matter of fuct we only hear one side of the story but you well brought up the other side. And, as you correctly mention, why would they bather with Bitcoin when they can break banks cryptography and all the rest? Bitcoin is safe and strong. Forever!