StarkWare chief product officer Avihu Levy has proposed a scheme called “Quantum Safe Bitcoin” (QSB) that he says could make new Bitcoin transactions resistant to quantum attacks without requiring changes to the Bitcoin protocol. The approach, however, would carry an estimated compute cost of roughly $75 to $150 in GPU resources per transaction, limiting its suitability for everyday use.
A proposal for quantum-resistant Bitcoin transfers
According to Levy, QSB is designed to protect future Bitcoin transfers from potential quantum adversaries by introducing a quantum-safe mechanism for creating and validating transactions. The concept targets the long-term security of BTC holdings and transactions while preserving Bitcoin’s existing rules and network architecture.
High compute costs limit everyday utility
Levy estimates that generating the necessary computation for each QSB-enabled transaction would cost in the range of $75 to $150 in GPU time. That expense places the approach outside typical retail or micropayment use cases. Instead, the proposal is positioned for high-value transfers or long-term storage scenarios where added security may justify higher costs.
Why quantum safety matters
Concerns about quantum computing center on the possibility that future machines could undermine widely used cryptographic signatures. While most experts do not see an immediate quantum threat, proposals like QSB reflect growing interest in proactively safeguarding digital assets against potential advances in quantum capabilities.
What comes next
The QSB concept remains a proposal and would require community review and further development. If pursued, it could offer an optional, higher-security path for Bitcoin users who prioritize quantum resistance without altering Bitcoin’s base layer.