Quantum Computing Isn’t a Crisis as Bitcoin Holds Long-Term Security, Coinshares Says - Bitcoin.com News

Bitcoin’s core security remains intact despite quantum computing advances, with risks limited to legacy coins, timelines stretching decades, and clear paths for non-disruptive upgrades that preserve market stability and decentralization. Long-term security considerations remain central to evaluations of Bitcoin’s durability as a monetary network. A report by Coinshares published on Feb. 6 examines the implications of future quantum computing for cryptographic systems. The analysis evaluates whether those advances represent a material threat or a distant design consideration. “ Bitcoin’s quantum vulnerability is not an immediate crisis but a foreseeable engineering consideration, with ample time for adaptation.” Coinshares analysts frame the discussion within Bitcoin’s existing security architecture, which relies on elliptic curve signatures for transaction authorization and SHA-256 hashing for mining and address protection. Addressing widespread confusion around the topic, the analysts added, “It is a common misconception that they break cryptography as a system, but this is not the case.” Quantum computing introduces narrowly defined theoretical risks rather than a wholesale failure of Bitcoin’s design. Shor’s algorithm could eventually target elliptic curve schemes, but only once public keys are revealed, while Grover’s algorithm merely reduces the effective strength of symmetric hashes to levels that remain computationally prohibitive. As a result, exposure is concentrated primarily in legacy Pay-to-Public-Key outputs, representing roughly 8% of total supply, with only a small subset of UTXOs capable of producing short-term liquidity effects. From a protocol and market perspective, the report argues that Bitcoin does not face a forced or urgent response. Emphasizing conservative, incremental upgrades over aggressive intervention, the analysts explained: “Securing Bitcoin against quantum risks is feasible and non-disruptive.” Cryptographer Adam Back told Coinshares, “ Bitcoin can adopt post-quantum signatures. Schnorr signatures [a technical implementation from a previous upgrade] paved the way for more upgrades, and Bitcoin can continue evolving defensively.” Premature hard forks, unvetted cryptography, or attempts to invalidate vulnerable coins are presented as higher risks than patience, given potential impacts on neutrality, decentralization, and property rights. Read more: Quantum Doomsday Clock Predicts Bitcoin’s Downfall by 2028 In market terms, Coinshares estimates that only a narrow subset of vulnerable coins—around 10,200 BTC held in specific legacy outputs—could realistically be compromised quickly enough to appear on the market in a short time window under extreme assumptions. Even in that scenario, the volume would be comparable to routine large transfers or exchange flows rather than a supply shock. The remaining vulnerable coins are spread across thousands of addresses, implying theft timelines measured in decades, even with optimistic projections for quantum progress. For institutional investors, the conclusion is that quantum computing remains a long-horizon engineering problem aligned with Bitcoin’s conservative upgrade path and governance model. Discover the top platforms for trading cryptocurrencies Lowest fees, fastest mobile experience, widest range of supported currencies, and more. No fees on Bitcoin trading pairs, highest Bitcoin staking APY, and deepest liquidity. Best rates, highest security, and widest range of supported countries and payment methods. XRP optimism intensified as Ripple leadership reinforced unwavering commitment to the crypto asset’s long-term utility, signaling alignment between strategy and execution while positioning XRP at the core of expanding institutional finance infrastructure. Optimism around XRP strengthened as Ripple leadership emphasized confidence in the crypto asset’s long-term role, reinforcing bullish sentiment across the community. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse shared on social media platform X on Feb. 10 messages tied to XRP Community Day and broader company direction, highlighting continued alignment around XRP’s utility and long-term vision. Garlinghouse addressed ongoing discussion about Ripple’s priorities and execution. Responding on X on Feb. 9 to remarks questioning the company’s commitment to XRP as a bridge asset, he wrote: “Glad to see the message is (finally, even more) clear! XRP family has and always will be top of mind for Ripple.” The statement followed discussions sparked by concerns over Ripple’s consistency as institutional decentralized finance activity on the XRP Ledger continued to expand. His response underscored that recent developments represent delivery on long-standing objectives rather than a shift in direction. The position aligned with comments he shared in October last year, when he emphasized XRP’s strategic importance within the company, stating: “As we continue to build solutions towards enabling an Internet of Value – I’m reminding you all that XRP sits at the center of everything Ripple does. Lock in.” The Ripple CEO’s remarks came as XRP Community Day, scheduled for Feb. 11 and 12, 2026, unfolded across three regional X Spaces. The EMEA and Americas sessions are taking place on Feb. 11, with the APAC session set for Feb. 12. Ripple leadership has indicated the event focuses on the XRP Ledger’s role in the company’s institutional strategy, including discussion around integrating XRP into regulated products such as spot exchange-traded funds. Developers and holders are also examining technical milestones, including expansion of native lending protocols, growing interoperability with other major blockchain networks, and the shift from experimental utility toward large-scale financial infrastructure. XRP is rebounding sharply as crypto risk appetite returns, according to a new analysis highlighting heavy whale accumulation and surging… That direction has been reinforced by other Ripple executives. Reece Merrick, Ripple’s managing director for the Middle East and Africa, recently shared on X: “ XRP will continue to be at the heart of the Ripple vision.” His statement aligns with Ripple’s Institutional DeFi framework published by the Ripple team last week, which details how XRP underpins payments, liquidity, collateral, and on-ledger credit markets. The framework outlines XRP’s role in real-time settlement, transaction fee burns, reserve requirements, and auto-bridging across FX, stablecoins, and tokenized assets. © 2026 Saint Bitts LLC Bitcoin.com. All rights reserved © 2026 Saint Bitts LLC Bitcoin.com.