Charles Edwards, founder of the financial firm Capriole, considers that «we need to update Bitcoin to be resistant to quantum computing next year, 2026. Otherwise, we are in trouble.»
His warning, published in X this September 28, has already unleashed reactions in the Bitcoin ecosystem where the positions that positions predominate They disagree With his words.
According to the analyst onchain And trader known as checkmate in X, the market does not seem to share this urgency since «BTC’s price should be much lower if quantum computing were a real threat in the short term ».
There is a zero percent probability that the network will reach an agreement on QCR (resistance to quantum computing) in the next 12 months; We cannot even agree on optional Mempool policies, which do not affect anything significant.
Checkmate, analista onchain y trader bitcoiner.
Subsequently, another user, with a certain degree of disbelief, asked: «Wouldn’t that mean that all other systems are» in trouble «? How is it possible that a decentralized and safe system is more at risk than other global financial systems?
The founder of Capriolle replied his ideas about the weakness of the network With greater vehemence. He even encouraged to predict when Bitcoin’s end would occur, if an anti-chair shield is not carried out:
That is the main problem. It is time to sound the alarm because Bitcoin will probably be dead in 4-5 years, maybe 2, if we don’t resolve this now. I will not be silent anymore … nothing more matters for Bitcoin at this point. Maximalists behave like the traditional financial industry five years ago with Bitcoin, ignoring an imminent threat.
Charles Edwards, founder of Capriole.
Then, Edwards pointed out a specific weakness for the network created by Satoshi Nakamoto:
«Bitcoin is shamefully weak. ECC is broken years before RSA, ”he said, referring to the digital signatures algorithm used in Bitcoin (Elliptical Curve Digital Signature algorithm, ECDSA, a type of ECC signatures).
With that expression, he compared ECC with the RSA algorithm, a standard of encryption widely used in the cybersecurity of international banking, suggesting that Bitcoin digital firms would be more vulnerable to attacks quantum than RSA.
However, Edwards’s fears could be influenced by personal interests. Capriole offers financial services linked to Bitcoin, and network security is a pillar of its business model. If this failed, your company would face risks And perhaps from there the urgency of Edwards emerges.
On the other hand, Edwards He did not detail why his considerationsbut he promised to present them at a conference on Wednesday, October 1 called «Token», which leaves the expectation about their evidence.
How far or is the quantum risk for Bitcoin?
As previously reported cryptootics, some specialists, such as Adam Back (co -founder and Blockstream CEO); or Ignacio Hagopian, developer of the Ethereum Foundation, estimate that a quantum attack on digital encryption systems (including those of Bitcoin) It would materialize in 10 or 20 years.
However, there are a group of experts (although to a lesser extent) that coincides with Edwards’ vision. Among them is Pierre-Luc, a researcher and quantum computer specialist who raised the existence of a «Little five -year -old window» to prevent this technology from being used to compromise the safety of cryptographic systems.
This discrepancy among analysts Underline the need for rigorous analysisbeyond alarms, to evaluate the true range of risk.
Within that framework, several proposals have emerged to reinforce Bitcoin’s security.
Last June Adam Back suggested to integrate a type of signature in the Taproot addresses, a solution that could shield transactions to quantum attacks.
In April, Chilean developer Agustín Cruz proposed A mandatory migration periodencouraging users to transfer their funds from traditional ECDSA addresses to new addresses with quantum -resistant algorithms.
Previously, in mid -March, Jameson LOPP, Bitcoiner software engineer, raised burn BTC funds without owner To prevent their quantum kidnapping, suggesting burn vulnerable bitcoins.
For his part, Ben Sigman, CEO of Bitcoin Libre, argued in December 2024 that the proposal for improvement of Bitcoin 360 (BIP-360) could strengthen the network against quantum advances.
These ideas reflect an active debate to ensure Bitcoin’s future in a scenario of emerging threats.