A group of leading cryptographers convened by Coinbase has called for Bitcoin to begin preparing for potential quantum attacks, while refusing to take a stance on whether vulnerable coins should be frozen.
The advisory board, which includes Scott Aaronson of the University of Texas at Austin, Dan Boneh of Stanford and Justin Drake of the Ethereum Foundation, stated that quantum computers do not currently threaten Bitcoin. It recommended starting technical work on post-quantum signatures immediately.
Roughly 6.7 million Bitcoin are viewed as exposed, with about 1.7 million in early pay-to-public-key addresses often linked to Satoshi Nakamoto or lost keys. The board noted that users must receive clear information to avoid uncertainty.
The group declined to endorse proposals that would freeze unmigrated coins after a cutoff or alternative measures such as spending caps and ownership proofs. It said multiple approaches could be combined and that the Bitcoin community must decide on the abandoned coins issue.
