Tezos, Algorand, QRL are quantum ready, but where does Bitcoin stand with BIP-360? - AMBCrypto
Tezos, Algorand, and QRL have implemented quantum-resistant technologies, while Bitcoin's BIP-360 offers only partial protection against quantum computing threats.
On September 2, 2026, Tezos engineers launched a post-quantum previewnet, marking the most advanced quantum-resistant implementation among major blockchains. The experimental network covers user keys, consensus, and randomness generation. The market responded positively, with XTZ rallying 30% after the news, hitting a four-month high on an 878% volume surge.
This development comes as Google's March 2026 research paper compressed the quantum computing threat timeline from the 2040s to 2030-2035. The paper reduced the estimated physical qubits needed to break Bitcoin's elliptic curve cryptography by roughly 20x, from millions to fewer than 500,000.
The crank theories represent a small group of people, though there's a broader group that sees no urgency, or believes Bitcoin can handle post quantum without any soft or hard fork.
The 9-minute quantum threat
Google's research introduced the concerning '9-minute problem' - a powerful quantum computer could potentially extract a Bitcoin key within approximately 9 minutes, under specific assumptions. This is particularly alarming given Bitcoin's average block time of 10 minutes.
The research puts the odds of a successful quantum hijack at 41%. According to Glassnode's May 2026 research, over 6 million Bitcoin (roughly 30% of BTC's current supply) sits in addresses where the public key is already visible on-chain, representing approximately $500-600 billion at risk.
Bitcoin's quantum dilemma
Bitcoin faces significant challenges in addressing quantum threats. Exchange exposure varies dramatically, with Binance at 85%, Bitfinex and Robinhood at or near 100%, while Coinbase has 5% exposure and Fidelity at 2%. The stark contrast highlights inconsistent preparation across the ecosystem.
Christopher Smith of Quantus explained that while the technical problem is solvable, the social coordination is difficult. Bitcoin's culture of resistance to change creates additional hurdles. The unresolved question involves coins that will never migrate, including Bitcoin founder Satoshi's 1.1 million stash, currently valued at $80 billion.
The bigger issues are that post-quantum addresses could take years to ship, and nobody has a politically viable solution for Satoshi's coins, which are currently an $80B quantum canary.
BIP-360's limitations
Bitcoin's BIP-360 quantum-resistance proposal introduces P2MR addresses but has critical limitations. It doesn't replace Bitcoin's cryptography as ECDSA and Schnorr signatures remain in use. The proposal merely reduces exposure by forcing spending through script paths, serving as a risk-reduction measure rather than a complete solution.
The quantum safety of a BIP360 address is equivalent to a P2PKH address. To create fully post-quantum addresses, Bitcoin would need post-quantum op codes, which requires selecting a specific post-quantum algorithm through an official process that doesn't yet exist.
Additionally, BIP-360 won't automatically migrate existing coins. A two-step process requires wallet, exchange, and custodian support for new addresses, followed by voluntary user migration. This coordination hasn't begun, with no timeline established.
Altcoins lead quantum race
While Bitcoin struggles, other cryptocurrencies have made significant progress. Tezos' post-quantum previewnet uses ML-DSA-44 signatures and supports STARK-based consensus. Algorand has had Falcon-1024 accounts on its mainnet since August 2026, processing over 500,000 post-quantum-signed transactions. QRL has been running XMSS since June 2018, making it the 'original post-quantum blockchain.'
Individual users cannot realistically prepare for advances in cryptography on their own. Their long-term protection will depend far more on whether the infrastructure they rely on is designed to adapt as security standards evolve.
Ethereum has released a roadmap targeting full quantum protection by 2029, with account abstraction (EIP-8141) allowing users to switch to quantum-resistant signatures before protocol-wide migration. These developments have created a new market narrative around 'quantum-readiness' that traders are increasingly using to differentiate between blockchain networks.
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