Most Bitcoin Wallets Not at Immediate Quantum Risk, Galaxy Digital Analyst Says

Bitcoin holders face a genuine but nuanced quantum computing threat, according to Galaxy Digital research analyst Will Owens, who notes that exposure is far more selective than commonly assumed ^[1].

In a report published Thursday, Owens explained that a sufficiently advanced quantum computer could theoretically derive private keys from public keys, enabling an attacker to forge signatures and drain funds. However, he stressed that only wallets with public keys already visible on the blockchain — or those that reveal public keys at the moment of a transaction — are actually at risk ^[1].

Owens also pushed back against claims that Bitcoin Core developers are dismissing quantum-related proposals. His review found the opposite: development activity has accelerated notably since late 2025, with a growing set of concrete proposals — including the soft fork BIP 360 — actively being developed, reviewed, and debated by experienced contributors ^[1].

A key governance challenge remains, however. Bitcoin lacks any central authority capable of mandating a protocol update. Owens argued that the universal financial stakes involved could still align incentives across miners, holders, and exchanges to drive consensus ^[1].

"The risk is real but recognized, and the people best positioned to address it are working on it," Owens concluded ^[1].