Saylor says Quantum Risk is far and away from Bitcoin.
The strategy's founder and executive chairman, Michael Saylor, dismissed the threat of quantum computing during an appearance on Natalie Brunel's Coin Stories podcast, saying the cybersecurity community widely agrees that any credible quantum threat is more than a decade away.
While it's unclear if and when a quantum disaster will occur, Saylor told the podcast host that any credible breakthrough will require integrated software upgrades in global banking systems, internet infrastructure, consumer devices, artificial intelligence networks and crypto protocols, including Bitcoin (BTC).
The digital systems that support modern digital infrastructure will eventually adopt post-quantum-resistant cryptography if necessary, Saylor said, adding that such a shift would not be surprising.
“You'll see it coming. We'll all see it coming,” he said, adding that Bitcoin software is designed to evolve over time, with nodes, hardware and wallets able to upgrade in response to emerging threats.
In his view, global consensus on how to respond can only emerge when there is a credible threat, noting that governments, technology companies and financial institutions all face similar threats to their digital systems.
He also described the crypto sector as a “very sophisticated cyber security community”, referring to the multi-factor authentication and hardware key protections commonly used to protect digital assets.
In his view, the procedures required to operate Bitcoin are more stringent than the security standards used for traditional bank wires or stock trading systems. Salor said:
“I think the crypto community will be the first to recognize the threat and respond to the threat, and they will lead the way.”
Quantum computing is an emerging field of computing that uses quantum mechanics to process data faster than classical computers, raising concerns that the improved machines could eventually break the cryptography that protects Bitcoin and other digital assets.
Saylor Strategy is the largest Bitcoin treasury company in the world. On Monday, Tyson's Corner, a Virginia-based firm, announced that it had bought 592 bitcoins last week for about $39.8 million, its 100th purchase since adopting the Bitcoin Treasury strategy in August 2020.
It currently holds 717,722 BTC, worth $54.56 billion at an average of $67,286 per coin.
Related: Willy Woo Warns Quantum Risk Is Eroding Bitcoin's Edge More Than Gold
The ongoing quantum debate in crypto
While Saylor, one of Bitcoin's most prominent advocates, has downplayed the potential risks of quantum computing, others in the crypto industry seem more concerned about the threat.
One of them, Ethereum (ETH) founder Vitalik Buterin, cited the prediction platform Metaculus as having a 20% chance by the end of 2025, suggesting that quantum computers capable of breaking current cryptography could emerge before 2030. Average estimate in 2040.
Speaking months later at DevConnect in Buenos Aires, he warned that the elliptic curve cryptography that underpins Ethereum and Bitcoin could collapse before the 2028 US presidential election and urged a shift to quantum-resistant systems within the next four years.
The Ethereum Foundation has included post-quantum readiness in its 2026 security roadmap, researcher Justin Drake announced on January 24th the formation of an independent post-quantum group, a move he described as a shift in the foundation's long-term quantum strategy.
The quantum risk has led some to speculate that it is the reason behind Bitcoin's recent price decline, which has dropped from a high of over $126,000 in October to around $64,000 at its current price.
In January, Nick Carter of Castle Island Ventures said Bitcoin's “mysterious” underperformance could be linked to quantum risk concerns, which he said markets were reacting to, albeit not bullish.
That view has led to a pullback, with Glassnode analyst James Cheek writing that quantum computing plans should be implemented, but the concern is not the “primary factor” behind the price decline.
Magazine: Bitcoin May Take 7 Years to Upgrade to Post-Quantum: BIP-360 Co-Author
