Governments and companies are already planning cryptographic defenses against quantum scenarios. The challenge is not immediate, but requires long-term preparation and coordination. The advance of quantum computing ceased to be a theoretical issue and began to consolidate itself as a tangible concern. Bitcoin is not exempt from this advance and this has been demonstrated by specialists, experts and analysts who, as reported by BitcoinDynamic, work and think about what a future with quantum computers and Bitcoin coexisting. Although some of them express greater urgency than others, the intention to protect the network created by Satoshi Nakamoto from a possible attacker with quantum computers It is an idea with a high degree of consensus. In this context, a report published on January 6 on the specialized site The Quantum Insider designates 2026 as the Year of Quantum Security. The document is not limited to describing technical progress, but also marks a change in stage: from awareness of implementation, with security as the central axis. For cryptography-based systems, like Bitcoin, that shift is no small feat, as this would be the year we start seeing quantum protection implementations.
Infographic on how quantum could affect Bitcoin. Source: BitcoinDynamic.
From research to implementation
According to that report, 2025 marked “the transition of quantum technology from a specialized research domain to widespread strategic concern.” There it is explained that, after having been declared the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, the focus shifted from laboratories to governments, companies and security agencies. In that sense, BitcoinDynamic reported how the US Securities and Exchange Commission also explores quantum realmsas well as companies such as IBM and IonQ published their advances regarding this technology. The text of The Quantum Insider expresses the following:
The next phase of quantum evolution will not be defined by discovery, but by implementation, with security being the limiting factor. The Quantum Insider Report.
That statement is central: the problem is no longer whether quantum computing will work, but how it is controlled and how it is protected to the rest of the digital infrastructure in the face of its advancement. In response to this scenario, the bitcoiner community already has some proposals on the table. While 33% of all bitcoins in circulation would currently be vulnerable to attacks with quantum computersdeveloper Jameson Lopp, for example, believes it is better burn BTC without an owner to avoid its quantum kidnapping. In turn, Ben Sigman, CEO of Bitcoin Libre, is the author of the BIP-360 proposal. This initiative seeks introduce a transaction mechanism resistant to quantum computing.
Adam Back, another relevant participant in the development of Bitcoin, also proposes replace the scheme that secures digital signatures of transactions on the network. However, these and other alternatives are still under discussion and none has achieved consensus.
Security “for” and “from” quantum computing
The Quantum Insider report argues its idea that 2026 will be promoted as the “Year of Quantum Security” in three axes: Post-quantum cryptography. Resilience in the face of quantum capabilities. Responsible protection of quantum technologies and innovation. The report, in addition, distinguishes two clear dimensions. The first is security for quantum computing. According to The Quantum Insider, global investment in quantum technologies «It is already measured in tens of billions of dollars»distributed among private companies, state laboratories and universities. Last September, companies such as BlackRock, Nvidia and other investors supported PsiQuantum in the development of commercial quantum computers with 1 billion dollars.
IBM scientists working on a quantum experiment. Source: IBM. That expansion, the report states, It also expanded the attack surface: Intellectual property theft, insider risks and supply chain compromises. The document emphasizes that security cannot be limited to isolated technical solutions. Textually, he maintains that “technical safeguards alone are not enough” and that must be complemented with governance, access control and secure collaboration frameworks. This warning is not just aimed at the quantum sector, but at any industry that depends on distributed innovation and international cooperation. The second dimension is security against quantum computing. Here the report is explicit: much of the digital economy depends on cryptographic systems designed under mathematical assumptions that may not be sustained indefinitely in the face of quantum advances. According to The Quantum Insider, this creates a specific temporary problem: data encrypted today can be collected and stored to be deciphered in the future. The media clarifies that the risk is greater for information with a long useful lifesuch as legal records, medical data or intellectual property. To address this scenario, the report notes that post-quantum cryptography seeks to “allow organizations to secure data today in a way designed to remain resilient over time,” and highlights that standards are already in the process of being defined.
What does this diagnosis imply for Bitcoin?
According to the report itself, Quantum security “is no longer theoretical, it is operational”. That phrase does not imply that there are quantum computers capable of breaking Bitcoin cryptography today, but it does imply that governments and industries are actively planning for that scenario. For a global monetary network, which prioritizes predictability and long-term resilience, such planning is relevant. Even more so depending on the consensus of the network participants. From this perspective, Bitcoin does not face an immediate threat, but it does face a challenge: how and when to adapt your cryptographic mechanisms without compromising consensus, decentralization or historical compatibility. The Quantum Insider emphasizes that the Year of Quantum Security will not be an isolated event. According to the report, it will begin on January 12, 2026 in Washington and will extend with regional summits in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The stated goal is to align policies, security practices and international standards.
