Google Claims Breakthrough in Reducing Quantum Computing Error Rates

WHY IT MATTERS

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin rely on complex math puzzles called cryptography to keep transactions secure. Think of cryptography as an extremely strong lock that protects your digital wallet. Quantum computers are a new type of computer that could, in theory, eventually pick that lock because they process information in fundamentally different ways than regular computers. One of the biggest problems with quantum computers so far is that they make a lot of mistakes during calculations — like a student who keeps getting arithmetic wrong. Google says it has found a way to dramatically reduce those mistakes. While this does not mean crypto is in immediate danger, advances in quantum computing are worth paying attention to because they could one day require the entire crypto industry to upgrade its security methods.