BIP360
to add quantum-resistant addresses to Bitcoin
BIP360 is a proposal to introduce post-quantum cryptography into Bitcoin—was authored by Hunter Beast to address Bitcoin's most pressing quantum-vulnerability: quantum vulnerable addresses.
BIP360 introduces "pay-to-quantum-resistant-hash" address types—introduces 3 new signature algorithms with quantum resistant properties to protect Bitcoin at varying levels.
At present, Bitcoin addresses—especially, but not limited to, Taproot & Satoshi's coins—are not quantum resistant, and are vulnerable to attack in the event of sufficient advancement in quantum computing.
The development of Google's "Willow" quantum chip, as well as Microsoft's Majorana 1 chip, has shed light on this vulnerability in recent news—and has called into question our time left until "Q Day."
Want updates on BIP360? Subscribe to our newsletter.
MAKE BITCOIN QUANTUM RESISTANT
Industry roadmaps—led by companies including IBM, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Intel—suggest that quantum computers may be able to decrypt ECDSA cryptography used for Bitcoin's public/private key encryption in as little as 2-5 years. The US federal government, additionally, has issued a mandate to phase out use of ECDSA cryptography entirely by 2035.
While the amount of time we have to prepare for a quantum event is uncertain, it seems reasonable to ensure that Bitcoin is prepared for a range of possible outcomes. Additionally, we must consider the total time needed for an effective transition—at the BIP level, the software level, the infrastructure level, and the user-transition level.
A smooth and effective QR transition plan for Bitcoin could take several years to execute—with more prep time inevitably leading to better security outcomes for all.
For updates on the state of quantum computing, potential impacts on Bitcoin, and proposals for impact mitigation (including BIP360), subscribe below.
Updated:
May 2025
All content is owned and licensed by the respective author(s). This website makes no claim of ownership.