Quantum computing fears limit Bitcoin growth says Stacks founder Muneeb Ali
Institutional investors are delaying large purchases because the network lacks a clear roadmap for security upgrades to counter quantum threats, according to the layer-2 developer.
Key takeaways
- 1Stacks founder Muneeb Ali says quantum fears are deterring institutional Bitcoin investors
- 2Developers may need to show progress on quantum-resistant security by 2028
- 3AI advances could move the quantum threat timeline forward to 2029
- 4StarkWare recently reduced the cost of experimental quantum-resistant transactions by 79 per cent
Muneeb Ali, founder of the Stacks layer-2 network, said fears over quantum computing are already capping Bitcoin’s growth. Speaking on a Cointelegraph podcast on 27 October, Ali said institutional investors are avoiding the asset because of uncertainty over its long-term security. He argued that risk-averse buyers will delay large purchases until developers establish a credible path toward quantum-resistant security.
Ali said the network needs a clear roadmap for upgrades to restore confidence. He warned that developers must show meaningful progress by 2028 because protocol changes and moving funds to new addresses take several years to implement. Bitcoin currently uses cryptographic signatures that researchers believe could eventually be broken by sufficiently powerful quantum computers.
The US National Institute of Standards and Technology has suggested 2030 as a target for transitioning to quantum-resistant security. Ali said advances in artificial intelligence could speed up quantum development, potentially moving the threat forward to 2029. He said that while some proponents believe the threat is distant, disagreements over its urgency could further undermine investor confidence.
A successful attack on Bitcoin would damage the entire cryptocurrency industry. Ali said that even projects with their own protections would suffer if the largest digital asset were compromised. He suggested that if Bitcoin is hit, every other project would be affected downstream.
Developers are currently testing ways to protect the network without changing its underlying rules. StarkWare reported in September that it reduced the computing cost of experimental quantum-resistant transactions by 79 per cent during a week of tests. StarkWare described this as a last-resort measure and said a protocol-level upgrade remains the best long-term solution.
Ali said a powerful quantum computer would likely come from a major research laboratory like Google or Microsoft rather than a secret attacker. These companies would have little reason to steal Bitcoin due to the legal consequences, he said. Ali co-founded Stacks, which uses Bitcoin as a settlement layer for smart contracts and applications.
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