Key facts
- Quantum computing fears are limiting institutional investment in Bitcoin, according to Stacks founder Muneeb Ali.
- Ali warned that Bitcoin needs a credible roadmap for quantum-resistant security upgrades.
- He suggested a transition to quantum-resistant security by 2030, potentially as early as 2029.
- StarkWare researchers reduced the estimated cost of a quantum-resistant Bitcoin transaction by 79%.
Concerns about quantum computing are already limiting institutional investment in Bitcoin, according to Stacks founder Muneeb Ali. He warned during a Cointelegraph podcast that the network requires a credible roadmap for security upgrades to restore investor confidence. Ali argued that uncertainty could cause risk-averse institutional investors to delay large Bitcoin purchases until developers establish a clear path toward quantum-resistant security. Stacks is a Bitcoin layer-2 network co-founded by Ali, which uses Bitcoin as its settlement layer. Ali suggested that a transition to quantum-resistant security by 2030, based on guidance from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, is a target, but advances in AI could accelerate the timeline to 2029. He acknowledged that some believe the threat is distant, but emphasized that disagreements over urgency, coupled with a lack of an upgrade roadmap, could undermine confidence. Ali also noted that a quantum security threat to Bitcoin would impact the broader cryptocurrency industry. Meanwhile, StarkWare reported that researchers have significantly reduced the estimated computing cost of preparing an experimental quantum-resistant Bitcoin transaction.