Coinbase Sounds Alarm: Quantum Computing Puts 33% of Bitcoin at Risk

Coinbase warns that about one-third of Bitcoin’s supply is at risk from future quantum computing attacks due to exposed public keys. Developers and regulators are urging upgrades to quantum-resistant security.

Coinbase has issued a warning that nearly one-third of Bitcoin’s total supply, approximately 6.51 million BTC, is vulnerable to future quantum computing attacks. This risk arises mainly from address reuse and certain script types that expose public keys on the blockchain, making it possible for quantum computers to derive private keys and potentially steal funds. While the timeline for quantum computers to reach the necessary power for such attacks is uncertain, estimates range from four years to several decades. Regulatory agencies in the U.S. and EU are already guiding critical infrastructure toward adopting post-quantum cryptography by 2035. Major institutional players, including BlackRock, have acknowledged quantum computing as a risk factor in their Bitcoin investment fund disclosures. The cryptocurrency industry is beginning to address these risks, with developers exploring quantum-resistant cryptographic solutions. Upgrading Bitcoin’s security is seen as a complex but necessary challenge, as the quantum threat has evolved from a theoretical to a structural risk for the network.