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Coinbase Forms Quantum Computing Advisory Board as Bitcoin Security Concerns Grow

22 January 2026 at 13:58

Bitcoin Magazine

Coinbase Forms Quantum Computing Advisory Board as Bitcoin Security Concerns Grow

Earlier this week, Coinbase announced the creation of an Independent Advisory Board on Quantum Computing and Blockchain, aiming to safeguard the crypto ecosystem against emerging quantum threats.Β 

The board will bring together leading experts in quantum computing, cryptography, and blockchain to assess risks and provide guidance to the broader industry.

Quantum computers, if scaled successfully, could compromise the cryptography that underpins major blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Coinbase, in their announcement, stressed that preparing for these future challenges is crucial to maintaining the security of digital assets.

The advisory board includes notable figures such as quantum computing pioneer Scott Aaronson, Stanford cryptography expert Dan Boneh, Ethereum researcher Justin Drake, and Coinbase’s own Head of Cryptography, Yehuda Lindell.Β 

The group says they will publish position papers, recommend best practices for long-term security, and respond to significant advances in quantum computing.

This initiative is part of Coinbase’s larger post-quantum security strategy, which also includes updating Bitcoin address handling, enhancing internal key management, and advancing research on post-quantum signature schemes. The board’s first position paper is expected early next year, laying out a roadmap for quantum resilience in blockchain systems.

Coinbase said the move underscores the importance of proactive planning, ensuring the crypto industry remains prepared, not reactive, as quantum technology evolves.

Is bitcoin at risk from Quantum Computing?Β 

Over the last several months, concerns over quantum computing’s potential impact on Bitcoin have begun to ripple through traditional finance, prompting some investors to radically rethink their exposure to the cryptocurrency.Β 

Jefferies strategist Christopher Wood recently removed Bitcoin from his Greed & Fear model portfolio, citing the existential risk that large-scale quantum computers could undermine the cryptographic foundations securing digital assets.Β 

While the threat is not imminent, Wood and other institutional voices β€” including BlackRock and UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti β€” warn that quantum advances could eventually allow attackers to derive private keys from public ones, putting millions of BTC at risk.Β 

As a result, Wood replaced Bitcoin with gold and gold-mining equities, emphasizing that long-term store-of-value claims for digital assets may be less reliable in the face of accelerating technological change.

The debate over quantum computing in the Bitcoin ecosystem is intensifying. Coinbase research indicates that roughly 20% to 50% of Bitcoin’s supply, particularly coins in older wallet formats, could be vulnerable to so-called long-range quantum attacks.Β 

Crypto developers and researchers are divided over the urgency of implementing quantum-resistant solutions, with some advocating proactive upgrades and others arguing the risk remains distant.Β 

Strategy Chairman Michael Saylor believes that quantum computing will actually strengthen Bitcoin rather than threaten it. Network upgrades and coin migrations will boost security, while lost coins remain frozen, Saylor posted.

This post Coinbase Forms Quantum Computing Advisory Board as Bitcoin Security Concerns Grow first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Jefferies’ Analyst Dumps Bitcoin Over Quantum Computing Fears, Buys Gold

16 January 2026 at 15:19

Bitcoin Magazine

Jefferies’ Analyst Dumps Bitcoin Over Quantum Computing Fears, Buys Gold

Christopher Wood, global head of equity strategy at Jefferies, has eliminated Bitcoin from his flagship Greed & Fear model portfolio, citing concerns that developments in quantum computing could pose an existential threat to the cryptocurrency’s cryptographic foundations.

In the latest edition of the widely followed newsletter, Wood confirmed that Jefferies has removed its entire 10% Bitcoin allocation, replacing it with a split allocation of 5% to physical gold and 5% to gold-mining equities, according to Bloomberg.Β 

The strategist said the move reflects rising uncertainty over whether Bitcoin can maintain its role as a long-term store of value in the face of accelerating technological change.

β€œWhile Greed & Fear does not believe that the quantum issue is about to hit the Bitcoin price dramatically in the near term, the store-of-value concept is clearly on less solid foundation from the standpoint of a long-term pension portfolio,” Wood wrote.

Wood was an early institutional supporter of Bitcoin, first adding it to the model portfolio in December 2020 amid pandemic-era stimulus and fears of fiat currency debasement. He later increased the allocation to 10% in 2021.

Since that initial inclusion, Bitcoin has risen approximately 325%, compared with a 145% gain in gold over the same period.

Quantum computing presents structural risks to BitcoinΒ 

Despite the strong performance, Wood argues that quantum computing presents a structural risk that cannot be ignored. Bitcoin’s security relies on cryptographic algorithms that are effectively unbreakable using classical computers.Β 

However, sufficiently powerful quantum machines could theoretically derive private keys from public keys, enabling unauthorized transfers and undermining confidence in the network.

Security researchers estimate that roughly 20% to 50% of Bitcoin’s total supply β€” between 4 million and 10 million BTC β€” could be vulnerable under certain conditions.Β 

Coinbase researchers have identified approximately 6.5 million BTC held in older wallet formats where public keys are already exposed on-chain, making them susceptible to so-called long-range quantum attacks.

The issue has sparked a growing divide within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Some think that developers are underestimating the risk. Others, including Blockstream CEO Adam Back, maintain that the threat remains distant and that quiet preparatory work toward quantum-resistant signatures is preferable to alarming investors.

The debate has also begun to reach mainstream finance. BlackRock has listed quantum computing as a potential long-term risk in its spot Bitcoin ETF disclosures, while Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko recently suggested there is a 50% chance of a meaningful quantum breakthrough within five years.

For Wood, the uncertainty itself strengthens the case for gold.

He described the metal as a historically tested hedge in an increasingly volatile geopolitical and technological landscape, concluding that the long-term questions raised by quantum computing are β€œonly positive for gold.”

Gold climbed to record highs this month, topping $4,600 per ounce, as investors piled into the safe-haven asset amid escalating geopolitical tensions involving Iran and growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates following softer U.S. inflation and labor market data.

This post Jefferies’ Analyst Dumps Bitcoin Over Quantum Computing Fears, Buys Gold first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Intermediate Cryptography Training, November 4-6

By: OTW
31 October 2025 at 15:38

Cryptography is a fundamental skill to cybersecurity!

Cryptography is what keeps our systems and data secure. Without it, all of our information is at risk.

This class to designed to give you a strong background in cryptography further enhancing you knowledge and skill in this key field making you even more valuable in the cybersecurity marketplace.

With quantum computing and quantum cryptography emerging on the near-term horizon, a strong background in cryptography will help your organization prepare and keep your data secure.

If you are a cybersecurity professional or manager, you will want to attend this training!


1. Foundations & Mathematical Background

  • Probabilistic and computational security
  • Number theory basics (modular arithmetic, cyclic groups)
  • One-way and trapdoor functions

2. Symmetric-Key Cryptography

  • Stream ciphers (One-time pad, RC4)
  • Block ciphers (DES, AES, Feistel networks)
  • Block cipher modes (CBC, ECB, CTR, OFB)
  • Attacks: brute-force, linear, differential cryptanalysis

3. Message Authentication & Integrity

  • Message Authentication Codes (HMAC, CBC-MAC, PMAC)
  • Collision-resistant Hash Functions (SHA family, Merkle-DamgΓ₯rd)
  • Authenticated encryption modes (GCM, CCM)

4. Public-Key Cryptography

  • Arithmetic in finite groups, cyclic groups
  • Diffie-Hellman key exchange, CDH/Discrete-log assumptions
  • RSA and El-Gamal encryption systems
  • Security notions: semantic security, CCA security

5. Digital Signatures

  • RSA signatures, applications
  • Hash-based and elliptic curve signature schemes (ECDSA, etc.)
  • Certificates and PKI infrastructure

6. Advanced Protocols

  • Password protocols, challenge-response, salts
  • Secure key exchange protocols (TLS, SSL, authenticated key exchange)
  • Zero-knowledge proofs and commitment schemes

7. Modern & Emerging Topics

  • Post-quantum cryptography (lattice-based, hash-based schemes)
  • Quantum attacks on classical systems
  • Homomorphic encryption and applications

8. Practical Applications

  • Cryptographic implementation pitfalls (side-channel attacks, real-world failures)
  • Case studies: Secure messaging, disk encryption, cryptocurrencies
  • Secure software engineering: protocol design, trusted setup, code audits

9. Attacks and Defenses

  • Cryptanalysis case studies
  • Implementation vulnerabilities (padding oracle, timing attacks, etc.)
  • Attacks against protocols and key management

To enroll in this course, you can become a Subscriber Pro or purchase this single course.


The post Intermediate Cryptography Training, November 4-6 first appeared on Hackers Arise.

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