‘The Quantum Threat to Bitcoin Just Got A Little More Real’ As Google Claims Breakthrough
October 29, 2025
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A recent Google breakthrough is putting the quantum computing threat to Bitcoin back in focus.
“The quantum threat to Bitcoin just got a little more real,” ProCap BTC investment chief Jeff Park said last Thursday on X, moments after Google announced yet another quantum breakthrough with its Willow chip.
Google last Wednesday said Willow ran an algorithm computing the structure of a molecule 13,000 times faster than the best supercomputers. The company added that it was the first verifiable quantum computing edge over classical computers with real hardware. The so-called “quantum advantage” brought quantum computing closer to practical use in drug discovery and materials science, the company said.
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However, for the cryptocurrency community, the milestone has reignited debates over the timeline of the quantum computing risk to Bitcoin.
The fear is that quantum computers would eventually become powerful enough to break the encryption securing Bitcoin wallets.
While Willow, boasting only 105 physical qubits, is still far from the millions of qubits Google said are required to break modern cryptography, many are concerned that Bitcoin would not be able to upgrade quickly enough due to the network’s decentralized nature and lack of structured governance.
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Even if Bitcoin upgrades its wallet encryption, some have pointed out that billions of dollars’ worth of Bitcoin, believed to be lost, including coins linked to Bitcoin creator “Satoshi Nakamoto,” are likely to remain vulnerable.
“I used to think future Bitcoin bear markets would have a lower drawdowns,” Capriole Investments founder Charles Edward said on X. “But if we don’t solve on Quantum next year, we probably get the biggest bear market ever.”
Similarly, Park said quantum computing was “the climate change of Bitcoin.” He said that deniers of the risks could not grasp the gravity of what was at stake, and those who understood the risks could not offer compelling solutions. “We need Bitcoin Greta,” he added, referring to the Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
In a separate post, Park expressed hope that greater attention would increase the odds of reaching a solution.
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However, others believe the threat remains nonexistent.
Independent developer and well-followed Bitcoin community member Udi Wertheimer, for example, said the real quantum threat was disinformation, which could prompt bitcoiners to panic-sell their coins, driving down the asset’s price.
Similarly, economist Timothy Peterson said that Google’s Willow was still a long way away from being powerful enough to break Bitcoin’s cryptography.
“Even under wildly optimistic and incorrectly extrapolated assumptions (that the quantum device can do SHA-256 at that rate and sustain it), it would still take ~10 hours on average to find one block,” Peterson said. “And Bitcoin’s entire global network produces one every 10 minutes.”
Bitcoin’s price has remained steady despite renewed debate over quantum computing risks, most recently trading at $111,000.
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This article ‘The Quantum Threat to Bitcoin Just Got A Little More Real’ As Google Claims Breakthrough originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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