ARK Invest researcher expresses optimism on Bitcoin quantum security

Lorenzo Valente, ARK Invest’s Director of Research for Digital Assets, expressed increased optimism that Bitcoin will implement necessary cryptographic upgrades before the arrival of “Q Day.” Q Day refers to the hypothetical point when quantum computing becomes powerful enough to compromise current blockchain security.

Valente noted that approximately 7.1 million BTC, or about 35% of the circulating supply, currently sits in addresses with exposed public keys vulnerable to Shor’s algorithm. However, ARK’s research suggests that quantum risk is a gradual threat rather than a sudden event, providing developers time to deploy post-quantum signature schemes.

In a discussion on Unchained, Valente stated that roughly 70% of inquiries from registered investment advisers and wealth managers focus on quantum risk rather than token economics. While some researchers have warned that AI advances could accelerate the timeline for breaking elliptic-curve cryptography, ARK’s internal view places the primary threat roughly 10 to 20 years away.