Google’s quantum computing division just released a research paper that puts Bitcoin’s very own existence into question. The research from the Quantum AI team says that cracking Bitcoin’s elliptic curve cryptography could require less than 500,

A team of Google researchers just set a new date for post-quantum cryptography migration: 2029. Among other things, this means that Bitcoin, as well as many other cryptocurrencies, needs to adopt new cryptographic techniques that are resilient to quantum attacks within three years.

Bitcoin nodes independently validate transactions and enforce shared rules without a central authority. Proof-of-work converts energy expenditure into a measurable coordination mechanism. Miners propose blocks, but full nodes decide whether those blocks ...

Adopting the model would require miners and users to migrate to a separate “Bitcoin Quantum” blockchain rather than upgrade the existing network.