CZ says quantum won’t kill crypto, calls for calm post‑quantum upgrade

Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has sought to calm fears over quantum computing, arguing that cryptocurrencies mainly need to migrate to post‑quantum encryption rather than brace for an existential collapse. In a new post on X, Zhao wrote that crypto networks “only need to upgrade to post‑quantum algorithms to cope with the impact of quantum computing,” adding that “there is no need to panic” despite louder debate about so‑called Q‑Day scenarios.

His comments come as researchers warn that between 4.5 million and 5 million Bitcoin, worth hundreds of billions of dollars, sit in older address formats that could be vulnerable once quantum hardware and algorithms mature.

Zhao acknowledged that getting from today’s cryptography to post‑quantum standards will be complex in a decentralized environment. Upgrading node software and wallet infrastructure requires broad coordination, he noted, and “the choice of algorithms may spark debates and lead to forks,” echoing long‑running tensions around how Bitcoin and other chains handle major protocol changes. He added that some projects which have effectively stopped development “may not undergo upgrades,” but framed that as a kind of market hygiene, implying that quantum pressure “helps to clean up such projects” that no longer have active maintainers. In the short term, Zhao warned that new post‑quantum code “may introduce vulnerabilities or security issues,” and that users who self‑custody assets will need to migrate balances to fresh, quantum‑safe wallets once standards are agreed.

One of Zhao’s more provocative suggestions concerned Bitcoin associated with Satoshi Nakamoto, the network’s pseudonymous creator. He argued that if Satoshi’s coins ever move on‑chain, “it means he is still active,” but that if they remain untouched beyond a certain timeframe, “the relevant addresses should be locked or destroyed to prevent being hacked” in a future quantum era. The remark touches a sensitive nerve: analysts estimate Satoshi may control roughly 1 million BTC, and Deloitte has warned that early‑era addresses with exposed public keys make up a significant chunk of the 4.5 million Bitcoin at theoretical quantum risk.

Zhao also reiterated a view popularized by figures like Julian Assange that “encryption is easier than decryption,” arguing that advances in computing power ultimately favor defenders because they can roll out stronger algorithms faster than attackers can break them. With national standards for post‑quantum cryptography already finalized in the U.S. and expected in China within three years, telecoms and banks are being pushed to map where vulnerable public‑key cryptography sits and migrate high‑value systems ahead of any practical attack. In that context, CZ’s claim that cryptocurrencies “will continue to exist even after the quantum era” aligns with recent research from CoinShares, which said the quantum threat to Bitcoin is “real but still years away” and ultimately “manageable” through staged upgrades.

In a previous crypto.news story on “Q‑Day” scenarios, experts warned that if Bitcoin fails to adopt quantum‑resistant signatures by roughly 2026–2028, price and confidence could suffer as attackers target legacy addresses. Another story highlighted how national regulators now treat post‑quantum cryptography as a board‑level issue, pushing financial firms to discover vulnerable systems, prioritize critical data and plan migrations over a decade‑long horizon rather than waiting for a last‑minute scramble. A third story on the broader quantum threat landscape argued that the real danger today is “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks against long‑lived secrets, a category that includes cold‑stored crypto keys — a risk that makes the timing of wallet upgrades and protocol changes as critical as the algorithms chosen.