Quantum researchers reduce Bitcoin and Ethereum attack estimates by 50%
A new paper published with CoinDesk indicates that human operators and artificial intelligence agents outperformed Google's March results on Shor's algorithm calculations, significantly lowering estimated quantum vulnerability times.
Crypto researchers recently shared a study revealing a major revision to the estimated time required for a quantum computer to break Bitcoin and Ethereum. The team found that humans combined with AI agents surpassed the performance metrics achieved by Google in a March 2024 calculation test involving Shor's algorithm. This specific core calculation is central to how these blockchains secure their cryptography against quantum threats. By outperforming previous benchmarks, the new findings suggest the timeline for a successful quantum attack has been shortened substantially. The research team stated this discovery adds significant complexity to the existing 'quantum clock' tracking potential risks. No official date was given for when these systems could actually break current encryption. While the reduction represents a 50% drop in estimated timeframes, no specific month or year was identified in the shared report as the new target for failure. The study remains a critical variable for the ongoing security discussion surrounding digital assets.
