Why the mind-bending physics of quantum computing is terrifying for bitcoin and crypto - CoinDesk

Tech Share A simple explainer on what quantum computing actually is, and why it is terrifying for bitcoin Most simplifies the complex process of quantum computing as "it can be 0 and 1 at the same time." That is not an explanation for why it threatens Bitcoin. This is. By Shaurya Malwa|Edited by Aoyon Ashraf Updated Apr 6, 2026, 1:00 a.m. Published Apr 5, 2026, 4:03 p.m. Make preferred on (Misha Friedman/Getty Images) What to know: Google has published research suggesting a future quantum computer could theoretically derive a bitcoin private key from its public key in about nine minutes, threatening the security of Bitcoin and other cryptographic systems. Unlike classical computers, which process bits as either 0 or 1, quantum computers use qubits that can exist in multiple states simultaneously and exploit phenomena like superposition and entanglement to explore many possibilities at once. This fundamentally different form of computation could undermine the mathematical assumptions behind current encryption, raising urgent concerns about the safety of existing blockchain assets and digital security more broadly. Bitcoin News More For You Encryption Supremacy: Zcash and Privacy in the Age of Scale By CoinDesk Research Mar 31, 2026 Commissioned byGenZcash Most crypto privacy models weaken as blockchain data grows. Encryption-based models like Zcash strengthen. CoinDesk Research maps the five privacy approaches and examines the widening gap. Why it matters: As blockchain adoption scales, the metadata available to machine learning models scales with it. Obfuscation-based privacy approaches are structurally degrading as a result. This report provides a comprehensive comparison of all five major crypto privacy architectures and a framework for evaluating which models remain durable as AI capabilities improve. View Full Report Bitcoin gets its first working prototype of quantum-resistant wallet rescue tool By Sam Reynolds|Edited by Shaurya Malwa 36 minutes ago Lightning Labs CTO Olaoluwa Osuntokun demos a prototype that could prevent millions of wallets from being frozen under a future quantum-defense upgrade What to know: Olaoluwa “Roasbeef” Osuntokun, chief technology officer at Lightning Labs, has built a prototype tool meant to rescue ordinary Bitcoin wallets if the network ever activates an emergency quantum-defense upgrade. The system would let users of vulnerable Taproot and other modern wallets prove they created a wallet using its secret seed,... Read Full Story Latest Crypto News Bitcoin gets its first working prototype of quantum-resistant wallet rescue tool 36 minutes ago Morgan Stanley’s bitcoin ETF draws $34 million on day one 7 hours ago Michael Saylor says bitcoin has likely bottomed, quantum risk overblown 9 hours ago Yuga Labs settles Bored Ape NFT lawsuit, ending fight over alleged copycat tokens 11 hours ago South Korea proposes cryptocurrency law with bank-style rules for stablecoins 11 hours ago The Protocol: Bernstein says quantum threat to Bitcoin is real but manageable 12 hours ago Top Stories U.S. Treasury proposes demands that stablecoin firms be set to police bad transactions 12 hours ago Iran eyes crypto toll for oil tanker transits through Strait of Hormuz, according to FT 15 hours ago Bitcoin is above $70,000 on Iran ceasefire, but rally is turning cautious for good reasons 13 hours ago Adam Back denies he’s Satoshi Nakamoto after NYT report claims he’s Bitcoin’s creator 13 hours ago White House study bolsters crypto's stance in stablecoin yield fight against bankers 14 hours ago Attacking bitcoin mining with a quantum computer would require the energy of a star, academics say 22 hours ago