Crypto18 April, 20261 min read
Google Research Warns Quantum Computers Could Derive Bitcoin Private Keys in Nine Minutes, Elevating the Quantum Threat
Google researchers say a future quantum computer could derive a Bitcoin private key. It could break Bitcoin's cryptography with fewer resources than before.
Quantum Threat to Bitcoin
Google researchers warned that future quantum computers could derive Bitcoin private keys in as little as nine minutes. The report described a roughly twentyfold reduction in the computing power needed compared to earlier forecasts. Google presented the work as an urgent call for cryptocurrency communities to begin migrating toward post-quantum cryptography.
Quantum Computing Explained
Traditional computers operate on bits that are either 0 or 1. Quantum computers use qubits that can exist in multiple states simultaneously. Google's quantum devices cool a tiny metal loop to a superconducting state.
Implications for Crypto Security
The security of Bitcoin hinges on the one-way mathematical relationship between public and private keys. Quantum computing poses a direct existential threat by potentially breaking this relationship using Shor's algorithm.
Google researchers outlined that attacks could be carried out with approximately 500,000 physical qubits. An estimated 6.5 million bitcoins could be exposed to the quantum-computing threat.
Path Forward and Industry Responses
Google has set an objective to prepare all its systems for post-quantum cryptography by 2029. Implementing PQC in decentralized systems will require extensive development and consensus. Various countermeasures are being reviewed, including hash-based quantum-resistant signature schemes.