A Bitcoin researcher has developed a method to make Bitcoin transactions quantum-safe without requiring a protocol upgrade. StarkWare's chief product officer, Avihu Levy, proposed a Quantum Safe Bitcoin (QSB) transaction scheme that remains secure against quantum computers.
The scheme operates within existing Bitcoin script constraints and replaces the proof-of-work signature-size puzzle with a hash-to-sig puzzle. This method relies on brute-force work, which quantum computers cannot shortcut, instead of vulnerable elliptic curve math.
However, this QSB method is costly, requiring between $75 and $150 per transaction for GPU compute. Its complexity and expense make it impractical for everyday transactions, with its primary utility seen in securing large Bitcoin holdings. Experts note that while this offers an immediate solution, it does not address vulnerabilities in exposed public keys or dormant wallets, and protocol-level changes are still considered the preferred long-term solution for full quantum security.