Coinbase Head of Investment Research: About One-Third of Bitcoin Supply at Risk from Quantum Attacks

Odaily News Coinbase's Head of Investment Research, David Duong, stated that approximately one-third of the Bitcoin supply appears vulnerable to remote quantum attacks. David Duong believes that advancements in quantum computing are accelerating, and its threat to Bitcoin has evolved from a distant theoretical concern to a structural risk. Currently, the encrypted outputs of wallets holding about one-third of the Bitcoin supply are publicly visible, making them susceptible to brute-force attacks.

David Duong pointed out that quantum computing poses both economic and direct risks to Bitcoin. If quantum machines become sufficiently powerful, they could mine Bitcoin blocks more efficiently, thereby distorting the network's incentive structure. Furthermore, quantum computers could derive private keys from public keys, leading to the theft of funds from affected addresses. Although quantum mining remains a secondary concern due to current scale limitations, signature security has become a core issue. Previously, BlackRock also listed quantum computing as a risk factor in the amended prospectus for its iShares Bitcoin Trust filed in May.