Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino predicts bitcoin users will transition to quantum-resistant addresses long before advanced computers pose a genuine threat to its cryptography, though millions in lost coins — potentially including Satoshi Nakamoto’s stash — could face risks.
Tether CEO Predicts Lost Bitcoin Wallets Vulnerable in Quantum Future, Satoshi’s Stash at Risk
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Quantum Computing No Immediate Threat to Bitcoin, Says Tether Chief; Lost Coins May Re-Enter Market
Ardoino emphasized that quantum computing remains “very far” from endangering Bitcoin’s security protocols. He anticipates developers will integrate quantum-resistant address standards into the network preemptively, allowing users to migrate funds securely. “All people alive (and that have access to their wallets) will move bitcoin into new quantum-resistant addresses,” he said.
Bitcoin’s earliest address type, Pay-to-Public-Key (P2PK), introduced in 2009, is uniquely vulnerable. These addresses exposed users’ full public keys, akin to handing over your house key directly, heightening privacy and quantum risks. While later protocols like P2PKH improved security, dormant P2PK wallets could become targets if quantum decryption advances.
Notably, Satoshi Nakamoto’s estimated 1.2 million BTC, stored in early wallets, might face exposure if quantum technology progresses. Ardoino suggests inactive wallets, particularly those tied to lost keys or deceased owners, could be compromised as well, reintroducing coins to circulation.
The transition to quantum-resistant systems would likely mirror past Bitcoin upgrades, requiring broad community consensus. Ardoino’s outlook highlights Bitcoin’s adaptability but points out lingering uncertainties around “lost” BTC. With a few million coins reportedly irretrievable or lost, a quantum breakthrough could unpredictably reshape bitcoin’s market dynamics.
In a separate X post, Ardoino reiterates Bitcoin’s defining axiom: “Only 21 million bitcoin anyway. Nothing can change that. Not even quantum computing. That’s the real key important message. Bitcoin is the best asset in the world.”
