BTQ Technologies Launches Bitcoin Quantum Testnet

Insider BriefPRESS RELEASE — BTQ Technologies Corp. (“BTQ” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: BTQ) (CBOE CA: BTQ), a global quantum technology company focused on securing mission-critical networks, today announced the launch of the Bitcoin Quantum testnet, the first quantum-safe fork of Bitcoin, 17 years after Satoshi Nakamoto mined the Bitcoin genesis block on January 3, 2009.BTQ Technologies Launches Bitcoin Quantum Testnet, Marking 17 Years Since Bitcoin’s Genesis Block with First Quantum-Safe ForkThe testnet launch marks a pivotal step toward protecting the nearly $2T BTC value at risk, with 6.26 million BTC (approximately $650–750 billion) already sitting in addresses with exposed public keys, vulnerable to future quantum attack. Bitcoin Quantum replaces Bitcoin’s quantum-vulnerable ECDSA signatures with ML-DSA (Module-Lattice Digital Signature Algorithm), the same NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptographic algorithm mandated by the U.S. government for protecting national security systems.“Seventeen years ago, Bitcoin introduced a new paradigm for digital value. Today, we’re launching the testnet that will help ensure Bitcoin’s security model survives the quantum era,” said Olivier Roussy Newton, CEO and Chairman of BTQ Technologies. “While the broader Bitcoin community deliberates on post-quantum approaches, we’re providing a live, open environment where the entire industry can test, validate, and refine quantum-resistant solutions before the threat arrives.”Open and Permissionless: A Call to the CommunityThe Bitcoin Quantum testnet is fully open and permissionless, inviting participation across four key roles:The testnet infrastructure includes a block explorer at explorer.bitcoinquantum.com and a mining pool at pool.bitcoinquantum.com, providing immediate accessibility for participants worldwide.Delphi Digital Validates Bitcoin Quantum ThesisIn its December 2025 report, “BTQ Technologies: Securing Crypto’s Future Against the Quantum Threat,“ leading digital asset research firm Delphi Digital positioned Bitcoin Quantum as a critical proving ground for the industry’s quantum transition. Delphi’s analysis highlighted that approximately 6.65 million BTC face immediate quantum risk due to permanently exposed public keys, including Satoshi Nakamoto’s estimated holdings of 600,000–1.1 million BTC. The report characterized Bitcoin Quantum as a “quantum canary” network, a production-grade testbed enabling the crypto ecosystem to battle-test quantum-resistant solutions without risking the Bitcoin mainnet. Delphi Digital noted that BTQ may become “the ultimate quantum insurance policy that ensures the original promise of sovereign digital money survives the transition.”Quantum Computing Progress Creates Narrow Migration WindowThe testnet launch arrives as quantum computing milestones accelerate at an unprecedented pace:The “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” threat compounds urgency as adversaries are already collecting blockchain keys to break in the future. A Federal Reserve study warned this is an “active threat,” and Bitcoin’s immutable public ledger means past transactions remain permanently vulnerable once quantum computers arrive. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has publicly stated there is a 20% probability that quantum computers capable of breaking current cryptography could arrive by 2030, recommending network readiness by 2035.U.S.

Government Mandates Validate Migration ImperativeOn November 18, 2025, the Department of Defense issued a memorandum requiring all DoD components to phase out legacy cryptography and migrate to NIST-approved post-quantum algorithms by December 31, 2030. The memo cited the need for “expedited migration to quantum-resistant cryptography to safeguard the Department’s information systems, communications, and personnel,” and mandated immediate identification and inventory of all cryptographic systems across national security systems, weapons systems, cloud computing, mobile devices, and operational technology. The DoD directive builds upon a broader federal push toward quantum-safe infrastructure:Institutional Investors Acknowledge Quantum RiskMajor asset managers are now treating quantum computing as a material investment risk, lending urgency to Bitcoin Quantum’s mission:Capturing Value Across the Quantum TransitionBTQ is building multiple revenue streams around the inevitable migration to quantum-safe infrastructure. BTQ will operate a Bitcoin Quantum mining pool, generating mining revenues to accumulate and hold Bitcoin Quantum tokens as a strategic treasury asset. This early positioning mirrors crypto-native treasury strategies, allowing BTQ to capture direct upside as network value grows. As the only production-ready quantum-safe Bitcoin fork, BTQ is positioned to capture mining economics in what may become the dominant post-quantum proof-of-work network.BTQ Technologies will retain Bitcoin Quantum tokens as a strategic treasury asset. Through its mining pool (3% fee on all block rewards), the Company projects accumulation of approximately 100,000 BTQ tokens in the first twelve months of network operation, exclusive of tokens mined directly by the Company. These holdings will be retained on the corporate balance sheet, and the Company will evaluate appropriate uses for these holdings as the network matures.As quantum-resistant transactions become the institutional standard for high-value on-chain assets, BTQ’s infrastructure creates opportunities for security-as-a-service models, premium settlement layers, and quantum certification services. With tokenized assets projected to exceed $16 trillion by 2030, BTQ is positioned to monetize the cryptographic rails that institutional capital will require.The Company’s full-stack architecture enables value capture across both enterprise and permissionless markets. Centralized offerings such as the Quantum Secure Systems and Networks (QSSN) deliver managed services with the compliance frameworks, service-level agreements, and integration support that regulated institutions require.Simultaneously, decentralized products like Bitcoin Quantum provide open, permissionless infrastructure for the broader crypto ecosystem. This dual approach enables BTQ to serve institutional clients seeking turnkey solutions while capturing value from organic network growth in public blockchain environments.Bitcoin Core Progress Remains LimitedDespite the quantified risk, Bitcoin Core has made minimal progress on post-quantum cryptography. According to a May 2025 Chaincode Labs analysis, all Bitcoin post-quantum initiatives “remain at an early and exploratory stage, with much of the preliminary research still occurring informally and privately.” BIP 360 (Pay to Quantum Resistant Hash), proposed in September 2024, remains in draft status. Bitcoin’s conservative governance culture poses additional challenges. SegWit took approximately 8.5 years from conception to widespread adoption and Taproot took approximately 7.5 years. Bitcoin Quantum addresses this gap by providing a fully functional, NIST-compliant quantum-safe implementation that the community can evaluate, test, and iterate upon without waiting for Bitcoin Core consensus.Testnet Technical SpecificationsBitcoin Quantum testnet implements the following technical enhancements:“The quantum threat doesn’t wait for consensus,” concluded Roussy Newton. “By launching this testnet on the 17th anniversary of Bitcoin’s genesis block, we’re honoring Satoshi’s vision of a secure, decentralized monetary system while ensuring that vision can survive the most significant cryptographic transition in computing history.”Share this article:Keep track of everything going on in the Quantum Technology Market.In one place.