Catenaa, Saturday, August 5, 2025 –A growing chorus of cybersecurity experts warns that quantum computing poses a significant long-term risk to major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Though not an immediate danger, experts urge the industry to act now to prevent future breaches through a tactic known as “harvest now, decrypt later,” in which encrypted data is collected today to be cracked by quantum computers later.
David Carvalho, CEO of Naoris Protocol, cautioned about a potential “silent collapse” of Bitcoin’s security. He said advances in artificial intelligence combined with quantum hardware could break Bitcoin’s foundational cryptographic algorithms, SHA-256 and ECDSA, enabling attackers to steal funds undetected.
A report from Mysten Labs highlighted that older blockchains relying on ECDSA, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, face greater challenges in implementing quantum-resistant defenses.
Kostas Chalkias, Mysten Labs co-founder, noted government agencies have recommended phasing out classical cryptographic algorithms by 2030 to 2035, adding pressure on blockchains supporting national assets or ETFs.
In contrast, newer blockchains such as Solana and Sui, which use EdDSA algorithms, are better positioned for such upgrades.
The vast number of existing Bitcoin and Ethereum wallets complicates any update, with Bitcoin upgrades likely requiring a contentious hard fork.
Legacy Bitcoin addresses, holding about 25% to 30% of all Bitcoin and revealing public keys, are especially vulnerable to quantum attacks.
While some dismiss the threat as exaggerated, experts like San Jose State’s Ahmed Banafa stress the urgency of preparing for a coordinated update to protect trillions in crypto assets.
