Bitcoin Proposal Seeks to Phase Out Quantum-Vulnerable Addresses

Jameson Lopp, CTO of Casa, has proposed a new Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) aimed at phasing out Bitcoin addresses vulnerable to quantum computer attacks—a threat that is becoming increasingly real.

The proposal encourages users to migrate to more secure “post-quantum” address types. In the initial phase, sending BTC to legacy addresses will be restricted, and within five years, Bitcoin stored in these addresses may become unusable.

According to a Deloitte study, approximately 25% of all circulating Bitcoin—including 1 million BTC believed to belong to Satoshi Nakamoto—is at risk. If exploited, this could trigger a mass liquidation event and systemic disruption across the ecosystem.

The proposal was unveiled at the Quantum Bitcoin Summit in San Francisco and could reignite debate over Bitcoin’s scalability, as post-quantum signature schemes tend to be significantly larger in size.

Developers are actively seeking ways to enhance Bitcoin’s security, as this marks the first time the network faces a threat capable of undermining its cryptographic foundation.

Source: https://github.com/jlopp/bips/blob/quantum_migration/bip-post-quantum-migration.mediawiki