Bitcoin Quantum Resistance Plan Sets 2029 Deadline
Bitcoin's developers have published a post-quantum security roadmap to protect the network from potential attacks by quantum computers. The plan, led by Christine Kim, aims to make Bitcoin quantum-resistant by December 2029.
The roadmap comes as new research shows that the computing power needed for a future quantum attack on Bitcoin and Ethereum has already dropped by more than half compared with estimates from just months earlier.
Researchers have been working on optimizing the circuits required for Shor's algorithm, which could potentially break the cryptography protecting Bitcoin. According to their findings, the estimated workload for a key step in a quantum attack on Bitcoin and Ethereum has fallen more than 50% below a benchmark Google Quantum AI published in March.
Other major tech companies, including Microsoft, Cloudflare, and Google, have also set a target of migrating to post-quantum cryptography by December 2029. XRP is aiming to complete its own four-phase security framework by 2028, while Ethereum is targeting the same deadline as Bitcoin's plan.