Quantum computing in 2026 will not cause cryptocurrency collapse, but the risk of "collect first, then decrypt" should be noted.

According to Odaily Planet Daily, experts from Argentum AI, Coin Bureau, and other institutions stated in interviews that the threat of quantum computing to cryptocurrencies in 2026 remains theoretical, not imminent. Clark Alexander, head of AI at Argentum AI, said that the commercial applications of quantum computing are expected to be extremely limited by 2026. Nic Puckrin, co-founder of Coin Bureau, stated that 90% of the quantum threat theory is marketing, and that computers capable of breaking existing cryptography are at least a decade away.

Despite this, experts point out that public-key cryptography, upon which blockchain networks like Bitcoin rely, carries potential risks. Sofiia Kireieva, an expert at Boosty Labs, notes that the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) used for both private and public keys is the weakest link, while the SHA-256 hash function is less vulnerable. Ahmad Shadid, founder of the O Foundation, states that address reuse significantly increases the risk of being compromised.

Currently, approximately 25% to 30% of Bitcoin (about 4 million coins) is stored in addresses with exposed public keys, making them more vulnerable to attacks from quantum computers. Sean Ren, co-founder of Sahara AI, warns that the real threat in 2026 is not system crashes, but rather attackers collecting as much encrypted data as possible to decrypt when the technology matures in the future. Leo Fan, co-founder of Cysic, describes this as a "collect first, decrypt later" attack scenario.

In response to potential threats, the crypto community has taken action. Qastle announced in November plans to provide quantum-level security for its hot wallets by upgrading its underlying cryptography. Experts advise users to avoid reusing addresses and to migrate funds promptly when quantum-resistant wallets become available. While a quantum apocalypse is unlikely in 2026, quantum computing will become a significant risk factor in crypto security. (Cointelegraph)