Bitcoin’s quantum debate splits as Adam Back pushes optional upgrades over forced freeze
The Blockstream CEO told Paris Blockchain Week that Bitcoin should build quantum-resistant upgrades now, a day after Jameson Lopp proposed freezing vulnerable coins instead.
What to know:
- Bitcoin developer Adam Back argues that the network should begin adding optional quantum-resistant features now, even though practical quantum computers remain years away.
- A new proposal known as BIP-361 would phase out quantum-vulnerable addresses over five years and freeze coins that do not migrate, including Satoshi Nakamoto’s and millions of long-dormant bitcoins.
- The debate centers on whether Bitcoin should rely on rapid, emergency coordination if quantum threats materialize or pre-schedule strict measures like address freezes to force an orderly migration.
“Preparation is key. Making changes in a controlled way is far safer than reacting in a crisis,” the Blockstream CEO said.
He pointed to his company’s work testing quantum-resistant transaction signatures on Liquid, a sister network to Bitcoin. He argued that a 2021 Bitcoin upgrade called Taproot was designed flexibly enough to accept new signature methods without disrupting anyone currently using the network.
The comments echo Back’s position from last week, when he told CoinDesk that users should have roughly a decade to migrate their keys to quantum-resistant formats.
What is different now is the context around them. BIP-361, the proposal from Jameson Lopp and five other developers published Tuesday, would phase out quantum-vulnerable addresses on a fixed five-year timeline and freeze any coins that fail to migrate.
