- Samson Mow warns that accelerating Bitcoin’s quantum-resistant upgrades could introduce new vulnerabilities and weaken current security.
- Larger post-quantum signatures may significantly reduce transaction capacity, impacting network efficiency and scalability.
- Despite the risks, Mow supports continued research, arguing the quantum threat is still distant and allows time for careful development.
Concerns over Bitcoin’s readiness for quantum computing have intensified after Samson Mow cautioned against rushing upgrades designed to counter future threats. His remarks followed calls from Coinbase leadership urging the industry to begin preparing sooner for advances in quantum technology.
Mow stressed that while strengthening Bitcoin against quantum attacks is important, acting too quickly could create immediate security issues. He warned that prioritising future resilience without sufficient testing may weaken the network’s current defences.
Related: Quantum Panic Over Bitcoin? CoinShares Says the Risk Is Real – but Far From a Crisis
Bigger Signatures, Smaller Capacity
One of the central issues he raised involves the size of post-quantum cryptographic signatures, which are expected to be far larger than those used today. These expanded signatures could be 10 to 125 times bigger, increasing data demands across the network. As a result, fewer transactions would fit within each block, reducing efficiency and slowing overall throughput.
Beyond performance concerns, Mow pointed to the risk of technical incompatibilities between new and existing systems, which could destabilise consensus and introduce exploitable flaws. He suggested that such disruptions may echo past disagreements over Bitcoin’s scaling approach, particularly the block size conflicts that divided the community.
Mow maintained that research into quantum-resistant solutions should continue, but emphasised that changes must be carefully evaluated before implementation. He noted that quantum computing remains a distant challenge, providing time for measured development rather than urgent intervention.
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