Safety

Nearly 10% of Bitcoin's Supply Could Be Vulnerable to Quantum Computing — Here's What That Actually Means

May 20, 2026, 3:17 PM UTC (135 days ago) · 1 source · Summarized by CryptoBipto

A Glassnode report highlights that nearly 10% of Bitcoin's total supply is considered 'structurally unsafe' in the event of a quantum computing breakthrough. These coins sit in older address formats that expose public keys, making them theoretically vulnerable to future quantum attacks. The finding reignites debate about Bitcoin's long-term security and the urgency of quantum-resistant upgrades.

WHY IT MATTERS

Think of your Bitcoin like a locked safe. Modern Bitcoin addresses are like safes where nobody can even see the lock — they'd have to find it first, then pick it. But older Bitcoin addresses are like safes where the lock is visible to everyone. Right now, no one has the tools to pick that lock, but quantum computers — a new kind of super-powerful computer — might eventually be able to. About 10% of all Bitcoin sits in these 'visible lock' safes. If quantum computers get powerful enough, those coins could theoretically be stolen. This doesn't mean Bitcoin is broken today, but it's a reminder that the technology needs to evolve to stay secure in the future.

Glassnode's analysis draws attention to a well-known but often overlooked vulnerability in Bitcoin's architecture. Early Bitcoin transactions — particularly those using Pay-to-Public-Key (P2PK) formats — expose the public key directly on the blockchain.

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BTCQuantum ComputingBitcoin SecurityCryptographyGlassnode ResearchNetwork Upgrades

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