StarkWare Proves Quantum-Resistant Bitcoin Transaction on Mainnet

StarkWare's recent mainnet demonstration has changed the conversation around quantum risk in Bitcoin. A transaction using the Quantum-Safe Bitcoin method, designed by Avihu Levy and implemented by StarkWare engineer Tomer Giladi, successfully settled on the live network without altering the core rules of the protocol.

The Quantum-Safe Bitcoin method adds a second lock based on hash functions rather than elliptic curves, which resist Shor's algorithm used in quantum computers. This makes it difficult for a quantum adversary to derive the matching private key and spend coins first.

The transaction spent a 10,000-satoshi output protected by the QSB construction and took several hours of GPU time, costing roughly $150 to $200. StarkWare emphasized that QSB does not upgrade Bitcoin itself but rather moves specific coins into an output whose security rests on hashes.