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Bitcoin Devs Propose Sunset For Quantum-Vulnerable Addresses

BBG News

A draft Bitcoin Improvement Proposal, seemingly crafted in the quiet corners of a cryptic temple, brings forth the voice of Casa’s own sage, Jameson Lopp, alongside five knightly companions. It is a testimony, a manifesto for our times, aptly titled “Post-Quantum Migration and Legacy Signature Sunset.” This work, unveiled upon the often-chaotic battleground of GitHub on the fourteenth of July, champions a methodical execution against the looming specter of quantum machines which have, until now, danced at the fringes of our understanding. The authors depict this as not just a precaution, but an urgent pre-emptive strike: “If you dream not of upgrading your defenses, you shall witness the great vanishing of your funds.” Oh, how romantic! 💰😉

The Strategy Against Quantum Shadows

In the intricate web of our blockchain, each public key is like a delicate blossom, with the lurking doom of a quantum beast ready to recover its hidden private counterpart. The proposal’s warning, like the toll of a distant bell, echoes: “Around 25% of bitcoin is but an open invitation on the public stage; those tokens could be snatched under the twinkling of quantum power.” Among this treasure, the ancient tones of early P2PK outputs beckon, likely a million BTC said to be nestling under the watchful eye of the enigmatic Satoshi Nakamoto. 🍀🔍

The revered authors notice that NIST, that venerable oracle, has completed a triad of algorithms fit for the post-quantum era as of 2024. Scarily prophetic timelines now forecast the arrival of a “cryptographically-relevant” quantum computer as early as 2027-2030. And just to keep the suspense alive, quantum factoring algorithms are leaping forward at a dizzying pace of “up to 20x,” squeezing Bitcoin’s safety margin like a careless hand in a magician’s box. 🎩✨

To vanquish this phantom threat, the draft prescribes a soft-fork symphony, starting with a prelude marked by the hallowed P2QRH post-quantum output type (as defined in BIP-360):

Phase A unfurls three years after P2QRH’s ascension, banning any funds from gracing the quantum-vulnerable addresses, shepherding coins toward the safer haven of quantum-resistant scripts. Ah, how noble! 📜🛡️

Phase B makes its grand entrance two years later, on a day marked as “flag,” when “nodes shall cast aside transactions entangled with ECDSA/Schnorr keys,” rendering legacy outputs as remote as dreams. 🌌😴

Phase C, a mysterious optional sequel, tentatively allows owners who missed out on the deadline a chance, through the cryptic arts of zero-knowledge proof, to reclaim their BIP-39 seeds. Can we hear the roulette wheel spin? 🎲

The document does not shy from the truth: “A victorious quantum assault on Bitcoin would ravage economies and sow chaos across the entire ecosystem.” At last, a known deadline — a flickering flame against what they term “upgrade inertia,” an ailment plaguing wallets, exchanges, and custodians alike, historically slow to embrace new crescendos. ⏳💥

The stark calculus laid before us is almost laughable. Miners, those gallant warriors of the block, risk crafting “invalid blocks” post-Phase B if they ignore their trusted updates, all the while embracing heavier blocks and inflated fees from the new post-quantum signatures. Institutional stewards, shunning the migration clock, might dance on the edge of fiduciary peril, while exchanges, if caught unprepared, gamble with overnight insolvency as quantum marauders ravage custodial hot wallets. For individual users, the looming sunset date transforms an abstract threat into a palpable deadline. How deliciously impending! ⏰💔

And let us not overlook the bitter twist of fate: coins trapped within quantum-vulnerable scripts would remain forever frozen in time, echoing Satoshi’s poignant musing: “Lost coins only enhance the fortune of others.” Yet, in this turbulent proposal, such coins, once salvaged from quantum entanglement, are heralded not as blessings but “a theft from everyone.” What a grand twist! 😅🌀

Though still in its draft form and lacking the ceremonial numbering and activation charm like a true taproot should, this proposal has already begun shaping what promises to be a vigorous squabble over backward compatibility and dormant balances. Should it gain momentum, the migration shall eclipse even SegWit and Taproot in both the weight of logistics and the fervor of monetary stakes, impacting an estimated quarter of the 19.7 million BTC swirling in existence. 🎭💰

For the moment, the authors have thrown down a gauntlet of clarity: unite in a proactive rhythm, or prepare for the chaos that follows the first cry of quantum robbery. May the odds be ever in your favor! 🤞🚀

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2025-07-17 07:14

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