In brief
- Scientists say the quantum risk to Bitcoin remains a decade or more away.
- New cryptography standards aim to harden systems before “Q-Day,” but experts warn that Bitcoin’s governance makes upgrades slow and political.
- Markets could crash on fear alone long before quantum math catches up.
Bitcoin’s quantum reckoning may still be years away, but the fear has already arrived. Breakthroughs from Google, Caltech, and IBM have reignited debate over a looming “Q-Day”—the moment when a quantum computer could shatter the cryptography securing Bitcoin and decentralized finance.
Yet experts warn that the real danger may come first from people—not equations—with panic, premature market reactions, and slow developer preparation…
Nov 04 2025
