IonQ Predicts Quantum Breakthrough Threatens Bitcoin Security in 26 Days
IonQ, a leading quantum computing company, has published a detailed plan for breaking secp256k1, the cryptographic standard securing Bitcoin. The team estimates that a 20,000-physical-qubit quantum computer could break this standard in under 26 days.
This estimate is significantly faster than previous projections, which placed the threat in the 2030s. According to IonQ's research, the company's full-stack approach provides powerful capabilities and has achieved a provable lower bound on computational success.
The team's work builds upon the Walking Cat architecture, first unveiled in April 2026, and utilizes trapped ions alongside quantum LDPC codes. The company emphasizes that this finding is best understood as a capability milestone, demonstrating a re-architected solution to a decades-old problem.