CoinDesk reports that rapid progress in quantum computing could pose a significant long-term threat to Bitcoin and its security model.

Bitcoin currently relies on elliptic curve cryptography to protect users, making it practically impossible for classical computers to derive private keys from public keys.

However, a quantum method known as Shor's algorithm could break this protection by solving the underlying mathematics much faster.

According to research involving Google, a sufficiently advanced quantum computer could potentially recover a private key in about 9 minutes after a public key becomes visible.

This creates a risk during transaction processing, where an attacker could intercept and replace a transaction before it is confirmed on the network.

In addition, an estimated 6.9 million Bitcoin are already stored in wallets with exposed public keys, making them more vulnerable to future “at-rest” attacks without time pressure.

Despite these concerns, experts stress that such quantum capabilities do not yet exist. For now, Bitcoin remains secure, but the findings highlight the growing need for quantum-resistant cryptography as the technology continues to develop.
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