Bitcoin quantum threat is real and closer than it looks, says Nobel physicist

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Nobel Prize–winning physicist John Martinis warns that quantum computers could break Bitcoin's encryption within minutes, targeting the cryptocurrency's elliptic curve cryptography. Google research demonstrates how sufficiently advanced quantum computers could derive private keys from public keys. Unlike traditional banking systems, Bitcoin's decentralized structure makes upgrading to quantum-resistant encryption slower and more contentious. Martinis estimates five to ten years before cryptographically relevant quantum machines could emerge, urging immediate action despite engineering challenges.

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