It might sound like science fiction, but the age of quantum computing is fast becoming a reality — and with it comes an existential threat to Bitcoin and other blockchain systems.

Lately, some major figures in tech and crypto have reignited the alarm:

What if quantum computers can hack Bitcoin? What if they could open wallets, rewrite transactions, and bring the whole decentralized vision crumbling down?

🧠 IBM and 2029: The Quantum Starling Project

IBM is planning to launch a fault-tolerant quantum computer called Quantum Starling by 2029. Unlike today’s quantum prototypes, this machine would be stable and scalable — and theoretically capable of breaking cryptographic protocols, including those that secure Bitcoin.

⚠️ Google: The Threat May Be Closer Than Expected

In May 2025, Google’s Craig Gidney released updated calculations:

Quantum computers may need 20x fewer resources than previously thought to crack RSA encryption.

While Bitcoin doesn’t use RSA but ECC (elliptic curve cryptography), Shor’s algorithm can crack ECC too.

Gidney suggests less than 1 million qubits could break strong encryption in about a week.

🧓 Adam Back Says: Don't Panic... Yet

Crypto veteran Adam Back of Blockstream takes a more conservative view:

> "Real quantum danger is still at least 20 years away."

Yet he still recommends moving coins to quantum-resistant addresses, especially old ones like those linked to Satoshi Nakamoto.

😨 The Most Alarming Voice: David Carvalho

David Carvalho of Naoris Protocol is blunt:

> "A breach could happen within 5 years if Bitcoin doesn’t transition to quantum-safe standards."

He references a BlackRock report which acknowledges quantum threats in its ETF application.

Even worse:

~30% of all BTC is stored in vulnerable legacy addresses.

One quantum breach could cause catastrophic trust loss in Bitcoin.

🧨 Chamat Palihapitiya’s Warning

In late 2024, investor Chamath Palihapitiya made a striking claim:

SHA-256 could be broken within 2–5 years.

Only ~8,000 quantum chips like Google’s Sycamore might be enough.

While scaling that hardware is tough today, progress is accelerating.

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🔮 So, What Now?

Quantum supercomputers may not exist today, but all indicators show they’re coming sooner than we thought. Major players like Google, IBM, and even BlackRock are actively planning for a post-quantum world.

I$BTC f Bitcoin doesn't adapt, the consequences could be enormous.