Google study: 500,000 qubits could crack Bitcoin and Ethereum security
Google just dropped some big news for crypto fans: quantum computers might soon be able to crack the security behind Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Their study, done with the Ethereum Foundation and Stanford, found that fewer than 500,000 physical qubits could break the cryptography protecting these coins.
This means hackers could potentially get into wallets much sooner than anyone expected.
Bitcoin keys vulnerable in 9 minutes
Quantum computers could grab Bitcoin private keys in as little as 9 minutes, making transactions way more vulnerable.
Dormant crypto assets are at special risk since they can't easily upgrade to new protections.
Changpeng Zhao said there was no need to panic while noting that users may need to migrate to new wallets and that decentralized upgrades are difficult.
On a lighter note, Elon Musk joked that quantum tech might finally help people recover lost crypto passwords someday.