A breakthrough just announced could completely change the way the world protects digital data, and the future of blockchain: quantum computers have officially generated absolutely random numbers – something that even the most powerful supercomputers today cannot predict or forge.
Not all randomness is 'random'
In modern encryption, from banking transactions, two-factor authentication systems, to cryptocurrency wallets, random numbers play a core role. However, most random numbers generated by current computers are merely 'pseudo-random', produced by algorithms that can be predicted if the formula or initial 'seed' is known.
This is the vulnerability that has caused many major attacks to occur:
In 2010, Sony PlayStation was hacked due to a cryptographic system using weak random numbers.
The Polynonce attack resulted in over 140 Bitcoins being stolen simply due to a weakness in the random number generation algorithm of the wallet.
A bug in #Android in 2013 caused millions of USD in Bitcoin to be stolen due to insufficiently strong randomness.
Quantum computers and the breakthrough of 'certified randomness'
A research team from JP Morgan Chase, Quantinuum, and various US national research institutes has just used a 56-qubit quantum computer to generate over 70,000 certified random bits that are completely unforgeable. And notably: the verification process does not depend on the device generating the numbers – meaning even the manufacturer cannot cheat.
What makes quantum numbers 'true'?
Traditional computers operate on binary logic 0-1. Meanwhile, quantum computers use qubits, which can exist in multiple states simultaneously (superposition). The result only appears when measured – and that process is absolutely random, as nature hasn't decided the outcome until it is observed.
Their process consists of two stages:
Quantum computers generate results through the technique of 'random circuit sampling' – a method for benchmarking quantum performance.
The supercomputers at Argonne and Oak Ridge labs took 18 hours to verify that these results could not be generated by any traditional algorithms.
Practical applications and impact on blockchain
This is not theoretical research. The ability to generate certified quantum random numbers can change the entire digital security industry, and particularly have a strong impact on the crypto field.
Blockchain: Consensus algorithms can use quantum numbers to become completely tamper-proof – no one can manipulate the draw or select validators.
Cryptocurrency wallet: A private key is much stronger, reducing the risk of attacks due to 'weak entropy'.
Smart contract: Randomly generated commands (like selecting a winner) will be absolutely transparent and cannot be interfered with.
Security applications: From OTP (one-time-password), two-factor authentication, message encryption to electronic voting, everything can be more secure than ever.
Not just for blockchain – but for the entire digital world
Other fields will also benefit:
Digital banking: creating encryption keys that cannot be predicted.
Online gambling & lotteries: completely fair, cannot be cheated.
Biological research & AI: A/B testing with unbiased results.
National-level encryption software: preventing data leaks in hardware security devices like YubiKey.
Still limited – but the future is closer than ever
Currently, the process of verifying quantum numbers requires supercomputers, making it not yet applicable on a large scale. However, researchers are developing alternative solutions such as Quantum Origin – using Bell test techniques to create a 'quantum seed' once, then integrate it into software to upgrade all existing random algorithms.
Experts predict that in the coming years, small quantum chips will be affordable enough to integrate into personal devices, or offered as a cloud service, where users can call quantum random numbers like an API.
Why should Binance users and the crypto community care?
In the Web3 world, where every digital signature, every wallet, and every transaction relies on absolute security, the breakthrough in certified quantum randomness is the missing piece that the entire crypto industry has long awaited.
If integrated into platforms like Binance Smart Chain or DeFi protocols, this technology could significantly reduce the risks of wallet or protocol attacks due to manipulated randomness – which has previously been the cause of numerous hacks worth millions of USD.
Conclusion:
We may be on the brink of a historic turning point – where randomness is no longer pseudo-random. With the help of quantum computers, the digital world and blockchain have a chance to be protected by inviolable physical laws. And if this becomes a reality, the future of security – and of cryptocurrency – will be safer than ever.