Key Highlights
- Galaxy launched a $5 million initiative to support Bitcoin’s long-term quantum security.
- The program includes developer grants, ongoing research, and a Quantum Advisory Council of experts.
- The funding will prioritize quantum-resistant signatures, wallet migration tools, protocol proposals, and security audits.
Galaxy Digital, a financial services company, is taking steps to safeguard Bitcoin against potential risks from future quantum computers. They’re dedicating up to $5 million in grants for developers working on solutions and have brought together a team of university researchers to help direct the effort.
In a recent blog post, the company explained that growing industry consensus suggests it’s important to proactively address potential threats to Bitcoin’s security. Experts believe waiting until quantum computers pose a real risk would not allow enough time for the Bitcoin network to adapt and protect itself.
I’m excited to share news about the Galaxy Bitcoin Quantum Readiness Initiative. Right now, Bitcoin’s security isn’t threatened by quantum computers, but things are evolving quickly. Bitcoin is intentionally designed to be slow to update, which means we need to start preparing *now* for potential future threats. I’m a big believer in Bitcoin and its future, and this initiative is all about making sure it stays secure for the long haul.
— Galaxy (@galaxyhq) July 21, 2026
While current quantum computers aren’t a threat to Bitcoin’s security, Galaxy Digital points out that Bitcoin’s system of making changes is slow. Because Bitcoin is decentralized, significant security improvements take years of debate, testing, and widespread use before they actually protect the network.
Mike Novogratz, the founder and CEO of Galaxy, stated that as a leading company in the digital asset industry, they want to help address the potential risks quantum computing could present to Bitcoin.
Galaxy bets on early preparation
The initiative includes three components:
- Up to $5 million in grants for developers building post-quantum Bitcoin tools.
- A research program through Galaxy Research covering Bitcoin’s quantum readiness.
- A Quantum Advisory Council made up of cryptography and quantum computing experts.
Galaxy plans to focus funding on securing cryptocurrency against future quantum computing threats. This includes developing new digital signature methods, tools to help users move to these methods, implementing proposed transaction updates for post-quantum security, and conducting thorough independent security checks.
According to Alex Thorn, Galaxy’s Head of Firmwide Research, a key issue is the limited number of Bitcoin developers working on defenses against future quantum computers. He explained that quantum computing is advancing rapidly, but Bitcoin development is only now starting to seriously address the need for post-quantum cryptography.
Industry has been preparing for months
Galaxy’s news comes after a series of important steps taken this year to boost quantum security within the Bitcoin world. This shows increasing worry that Bitcoin needs to be ready for the day quantum computers can break current security systems.
BitGo recently launched tools to help its institutional clients protect their Bitcoin holdings from potential future threats posed by quantum computing. These tools include assessing quantum risk, improving how Bitcoin units are managed, and providing guidance for transitioning to new, more secure cryptographic methods if they become necessary.
Recently, Blockstream identified preparing for post-quantum cryptography as a key focus for its engineering efforts, as outlined in their Q2 2026 report. This work is happening alongside improvements to Liquid, Lightning, and their hardware wallets.
During the Consensus Miami conference, Project Eleven’s CEO, Alex Pruden, cautioned that upgrading to the latest version of Bitcoin might be more challenging than past improvements like Taproot. This is because a widespread effort will be needed – almost all exchanges, wallet services, custodians, financial institutions, and individual users would have to adopt the change.
As an analyst, I’m seeing a clear change in the discussion around Bitcoin and quantum computing. We’ve moved past *if* Bitcoin needs to prepare, and are now focusing on *how* the transition to quantum-resistant solutions will actually be implemented.
Why companies want to start early
The push for quantum-resistant crypto is also driven by events happening outside the crypto world. In 2024, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) established the first new standards for cryptography that can withstand attacks from quantum computers. Plus, the U.S. government has instructed federal agencies to start updating their systems to use this more secure technology in the coming years.
According to Galaxy, Bitcoin can’t afford to wait for quantum computers to pose a threat before acting. Updating its security protocols requires widespread agreement within the community, which is a slow process often taking years. Therefore, starting research and testing now is crucial – just as important as eventually finding a technical fix.
Bitcoin’s biggest challenge may be coordination
Bitcoin differs from typical software because it can’t instantly release a security fix when a problem is found.
Switching to quantum-resistant encryption for Bitcoin would be a huge undertaking. It would need everyone involved – developers, those who create Bitcoin, exchanges, wallet companies, and users – to work together on new standards. All this has to happen while keeping the billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin safe during the changeover.
Because of this, businesses involved with Bitcoin are starting to view preparing for quantum computing as an ongoing technical task, not just something they might need to worry about far in the future.
2026-07-21 18:46