Coinbase Publishes First Paper on Quantum Computing Position for Crypto

Coinbase's Independent Advisory Board on Quantum Computing and Blockchain has issued its inaugural position paper, emphasizing that while digital assets remain secure today, the industry must proactively address future quantum computing risks. The report identifies wallet-level digital signatures as the primary vulnerability, noting that sufficiently powerful quantum machines could eventually compromise asset ownership proofs.

While Bitcoin's core infrastructure is largely quantum-resistant, other networks, particularly proof-of-stake blockchains like Ethereum, face greater exposure. The migration to quantum-safe cryptography presents significant challenges, including increased transaction costs, storage requirements, and the massive logistical hurdle of ensuring global user participation in security upgrades. The advisory board stresses that blockchain communities must urgently decide the fate of inactive or non-upgradable wallets to mitigate long-term systemic risks.

(Source：BeInCrypto)