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StarkWare executes first quantum-safe Bitcoin transaction on mainnet
StarkWare has successfully demonstrated the first quantum-resistant Bitcoin transaction on the mainnet. The transaction, confirmed in block 964,199, utilized a method called “signature grinding” developed by researcher Avihu Levy. This technique allows for quantum-safe spending by using hash-based security instead of traditional elliptic-curve cryptography, which is vulnerable to future quantum computers running Shor’s algorithm.
The implementation does not require a protocol fork or changes to Bitcoin’s consensus rules. However, the method currently faces practical limitations: it is computationally intensive, potentially costing between $75 and $200 per transaction, and the non-standard script format means transactions cannot be relayed by ordinary nodes. Consequently, this specific test required direct submission to a miner via MARA’s Slipstream service.
Parallel to these technical developments, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has launched a Quantum-Readiness Task Force. This initiative aims to prepare the financial sector for the transition to post-quantum cryptography, focusing on risk-based approaches, vendor readiness, and the implications for digital assets and emerging technologies.
Entities
Avihu Levy · Bitcoin · Blockstream · IBM · Luke Pettit · MARA · National Institute of Standards and Technology · Quantum-Readiness Task Force · Scott Bessent · StarkWare · U.S. Department of the Treasury
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 15 SOURCES] StarkWare successfully executed the first quantum-safe Bitcoin transaction on the mainnet without requiring a protocol fork. coindoo.com · www.criptotendencias.com · koinbulteni.com · cryptobriefing.com · phocapblockchain.net · +10 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] The U.S. government has set deadlines for federal systems to transition to post-quantum key sharing by 2030 and digital signatures by 2031.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The task force operates through three workstreams: Sector Alignment & PQC Transition, Third-Party & Vendor Readiness, and Digital Assets and Emerging Technology Risk. www.cybersecuritydive.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Post-quantum signature schemes are significantly larger, between 38 and 123 times the size of current Bitcoin ECDSA and Schnorr signatures. www.spacemoney.com.br
- [● 12 SOURCES] The quantum-safe transaction required direct submission to a miner via MARA’s Slipstream service because standard nodes did not relay the script format. coindoo.com · www.criptotendencias.com · koinbulteni.com · cryptobriefing.com · phocapblockchain.net · +7 more
- [DISPUTED] The quantum-safe Bitcoin transaction method currently incurs high costs, estimated between $75 and $150 per transaction. www.criptotendencias.com · cryptobriefing.com · crypto.news
- [● 5 SOURCES] Blockstream published a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) for the SHRINCS post-quantum signature scheme. mycryptoparadise.com · coindoo.com · www.crypto-insiders.nl
- [● 3 SOURCES] The U.S. Department of the Treasury launched the Quantum-Readiness Task Force to prepare the financial sector for quantum computing threats. www.cybersecuritydive.com
- [● 6 SOURCES] The quantum-safe transaction was confirmed in Bitcoin block 964,199. coin-turk.com · www.cryptobreaking.com · abmedia.io · phocapblockchain.net · www.tokenpost.kr · +1 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] Quantum-safe transactions must be sent directly to a miner because standard nodes do not relay the script format. phocapblockchain.net · coindoo.com · www.cryptobreaking.com · cryptobriefing.com
- [● 6 SOURCES] The method used to protect the transaction is called signature grinding. phocapblockchain.net · koinbulteni.com · www.criptovaluta.it · www.tronweekly.com · quantumzeitgeist.com
- [DISPUTED] Generating a quantum-safe transaction incurs high computational costs, estimated between $75 and $200. www.criptotendencias.com · www.cryptobreaking.com · cryptobriefing.com · abmedia.io · www.criptovaluta.it · +1 more