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Unchained

Why Bitcoin Developers Are Not Incentivized to Talk About the Quantum Threat

Unchained

Laura Shin

News, Tech News, Business News

4.61.3K Ratings

🗓️ 12 February 2026

⏱️ 76 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Thank you to our sponsors! Figure Crypto Tax Girl Are bitcoiners underestimating the quantum threat to Bitcoin? That's the question Castle Island Ventures Partner Nic Carter has posed with some recent posts gauging the views of several leading Bitcoin developers on quantum computing. To help answer the question, Unchained reached out to Ethereum Foundation Researcher Justin Drake and Michigan University Professor Chris Peikert. In this episode, Justin and Chris, who is one of the foremost experts on lattice cryptography, break down the quantum computing threat to crypto and the potential timelines. Justin theorizes that Bitcoin developers may not be incentivized to talk about the quantum computing risk while still saying that a number of smart people are already taking it seriously and that may be enough. Conversely, Chris highlights the constraints that come with uncertainty around risks and timelines. Listen to find out what they conclude. Plus, could AI do crypto in before quantum computers? Guests: Justin Drake, Researcher at the Ethereum Foundation Chris Peikert, Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University of Michigan Links: Ethereum and Optimism Lay the Groundwork for a Post-Quantum Future Q-Day Is Imminent. Can Bitcoin Survive the Quantum Threat? Solana Deploys Post-Quantum Signatures on Testnet Cracking Bitcoin Encryption Is Getting Much Easier, Google Says Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

We face of this very uncertain timeline of when and if quantum computers will emerge to the point where they can break our crypto is a very interesting kind of at an intellectual level, right?

0:14.9

How do you apportion your resources?

0:17.4

How do you measure the risk?

0:19.5

How do you predict, well, we've got a long migration ahead of us.

0:23.6

When do we start?

0:24.6

If you have the fast flavor, so for example, you have Google working on the superconducting stuff,

0:34.6

the estimate for the time it takes to crack a keys is on the order of

0:39.3

minutes, like roughly 10 minutes. And so what you could imagine is that Satoshi's coins would

0:46.1

actually be stolen at the same rate at which they were mined in the early days.

0:55.6

Hi, everyone.

0:56.6

Welcome to Unchained.

0:57.7

You're no hype resource for all things, crypto.

0:59.5

I'm your host, Laura Shin.

1:01.3

Thanks for joining this live stream.

1:03.2

Before we get started, a quick reminder,

1:04.9

nothing you hear on Unchained is investment advice.

1:07.0

This show is for informational and entertainment purposes only.

1:10.0

And my guest and I may hold assets discussed in the show.

1:12.5

For more disclosures, visit unchainedcrypto.com.

1:15.8

Quick note before we get into today's episode.

1:18.6

Bits and Bips now has its dedicated feeds.

1:21.1

We're spinning off from the Unchained Feed and moving to a new podcast and YouTube channel.

...

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