Google Paper Alarms Crypto: Quantum Computers Threaten Bitcoin Security in 9 Minutes
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Moneycontrol•01-04-2026, 13:14
Google Paper Alarms Crypto: Quantum Computers Threaten Bitcoin Security in 9 Minutes
•A new Google research paper warns quantum computers could crack Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchain security faster and with fewer resources than previously thought.
•The study suggests fewer than 500,000 physical qubits could break 256-bit elliptic curve cryptography, a 20X drop from earlier estimates.
•Researchers from Google Quantum AI, Ethereum Foundation, and Stanford University highlight a hypothetical 'on-spend attack' where quantum computers could access a Bitcoin private key in 9 minutes.
•The threat categorizes into on-spend, at-rest, and on-setup attacks, all becoming viable as quantum capabilities improve.
•The long-term solution is post-quantum cryptography (PQC), but immediate interim measures like reducing public key exposure and strengthening wallet security are recommended.