‘No longer a drill’: Google’s latest quantum breakthrough sparks fresh debate over Bitcoin’s long-term security

New research from Google Quantum AI details a significantly more efficient implementation of Shor's algorithm, which can break the elliptic curve cryptography securing Bitcoin and Ethereum. This advance potentially reduces the resources needed to crack private keys, bringing forward the timeline for "Q-day." Industry figures reacted strongly; some, like Haseeb Qureshi, stated that post-quantum cryptography is "no longer a drill," noting that a powerful quantum system could crack ECDSA keys in minutes. Others, like Alex Pruden, warned that active transactions could be targeted before confirmation. Nic Carter compared the stakes to the Manhattan Project and stressed the need for cryptographic mutability in networks. Conversely, some experts, including Ethereum researcher Justin Drake, urged caution, noting that practical attack timelines remain probabilistic, though he acknowledged a small but meaningful chance of a breach by the early 2030s. Binance founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao maintained there is "no need to panic," as the solution is ultimately upgrading to quantum-resistant algorithms, though he admitted this will involve complex coordination and potential network forks.

(Source：The Block)