Криптовалютные аналитики уверены: старые инвесторы спасут биткоин в случае квантовой угрозы Translation: Cryptocurrency analysts believe: veteran investors will save Bitcoin in case of quantum threat.

In the event of a hypothetical quantum assault on Satoshi Nakamoto’s wallets, «old whales» would step in to safeguard the market, according to analyst Willy Woo.

The discussion was sparked by YouTuber Josh Otten, who shared a chart predicting a drop in the price of the first cryptocurrency to $3. He suggested that such a scenario could occur if a quantum computer breaches Nakamoto’s wallet, steals 1 million BTC, and triggers a market crash through mass sell-offs.

Woo countered this argument, stating that many long-term investors would start buying Bitcoin at a lower price. He believes that the network will continue to operate since most coins are secured against such attacks.

However, he acknowledged that around 4 million BTC are at risk, including some of Satoshi’s assets.

The vulnerable funds are stored on outdated addresses such as P2PK, which reveal a complete public key on the blockchain during transactions. This characteristic makes them prime targets for quantum computers that could, in theory, compute the private key.

Modern wallet types offer superior protection against quantum threats, as their key advantage lies in not exposing the public key in the distributed ledger until a transaction is made.

Woo’s assessment sparked debate within the crypto community, where a Bitcoin enthusiast known as Dave W challenged the assumption that the owner of a quantum computer would aim to crash the market.

He argued that hackers are more likely to want to maximize their profits and would prefer a gradual sell-off. He compared this scenario to unlocking 20% of the circulating coins, an event he considered not catastrophic.

Woo acknowledged the complexity of the issue but introduced the factor of geopolitics and the notion of a specialized attack. He stated that if a Western state were the first to act, the seizure of coins would be viewed as theft since the keys do not, by themselves, legally validate ownership.

The expert also speculated on the potential creation of a specialized quantum computer:

*»There is a possibility of developing a quantum computer that is one or two generations behind cutting-edge technology but optimized specifically for Bitcoin signatures… Such an undertaking could be carried out by a less funded rogue entity.»*

He explained that the best strategy for such a rogue actor seeking maximum profit would be not to dump coins directly but to use short positions in futures markets. The hacker could capitalize on a sharp but short-lived price drop.

In conclusion, Woo emphasized that, regardless of the attack scenario, the network would withstand the pressure, drawing parallels to the «block size war.» After that conflict, old investors returned, which led to a market surge in 2017.

Previously, the expert suggested moving Bitcoin from old wallets to SegWit addresses and keeping them there for about seven years. He believes the threat will only become a reality after 2030.

It is worth reminding that in November, Bitcoin maximalist Adam Back deemed the threat posed by quantum computing to be exaggerated.