New Proposal Aims to Make Bitcoin Transactions Quantum-Safe
- StarkWare’s Avihu Levy proposed a Quantum Safe Bitcoin (QSB) transaction scheme that requires no changes to the Bitcoin protocol.
- The QSB scheme operates within existing script constraints and aims to secure transactions against quantum computing threats.
- Transaction costs range from $75 to $150 due to increased computational requirements, making it impractical for everyday use.
- An estimated 1.7 million BTC in early P2PK addresses remain vulnerable to quantum attacks, prompting community debate on handling these dormant coins.
- Protocol-level changes are still preferred for long-term solutions, as QSB is viewed as a temporary measure.
The introduction of the Quantum Safe Bitcoin scheme highlights ongoing concerns about quantum computing’s potential impact on Bitcoin‘s security, especially given the significant number of vulnerable coins locked in outdated addresses.
While QSB offers a method for securing large transactions today, its high costs and complexity limit its applicability for regular users, emphasizing the need for future protocol upgrades.(Source)
