Quantum Breakthroughs May Restore Lost Bitcoins, Tether CTO Suggests

• Tether CTO suggests quantum computing may recover lost Bitcoins but won’t threaten Bitcoin’s security.
• Bitcoin is expected to implement quantum-resistant addresses before any real risk emerges.

As quantum computing advances at breakneck speed, concerns about its impact on Bitcoin’s security have resurfaced. Could Quantum Computing Recover Lost Bitcoins? This aligns with a recent CNF post, which highlighted that Tether’s CEO previously unveiled AI-powered apps, including a Bitcoin Wallet Assistant.

However, Tether CTO Paolo Ardoino sees a surprising twist—while quantum computers won’t break Bitcoin’s cryptographic system, they could unlock lost wallets and restore long-forgotten BTC to circulation. As J’HErecently shared in a tweet:

Quantum-resistant addresses will eventually be added to Bitcoin before there is any serious threat. All people alive (and who have access to their wallets) will move Bitcoin into new quantum-resistant addresses. Any Bitcoin in lost wallets, including Satoshi’s (if not alive), will be hacked and put back in circulation.

Quantum Computing vs. Bitcoin’s Security

Despite rising concerns, Ardoino dismissed alarmist narratives around quantum threats, asserting that Bitcoin will adopt quantum-resistant addresses before any real risk emerges.

Notably, a recent CNF report emphasized that quantum computers remain decades away from threatening Bitcoin’s robust security protocols. However, Bitcoin’s decentralized nature ensures it can adapt to future quantum computing challenges.

According to Ardoino, active wallet holders will simply transfer their funds to upgraded, quantum-safe addresses, leaving only inaccessible wallets—such as those belonging to Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto—vulnerable. Thus, if Satoshi isn’t around to move his BTC, quantum computers could theoretically hack his holdings, putting them back into circulation.

The Quantum Computing Arms Race

As of early 2025, the quantum computing race is accelerating, with Microsoft, PsiQuantum, and DARPA leading the charge. The U.S. defense agency’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative is pushing for quantum breakthroughswith real-world applications by 2033.

Microsoft is focusing on superconducting topological qubits to reduce error rates, while PsiQuantum is leveraging silicon-based photonics to achieve scalable quantum computing.

As updates reported, a recent breakthrough from Oxford University—scalable quantum teleportation—brings fully functional distributed quantum networks closer to reality. This suggests that quantum machines capable of breaking traditional encryption may arrive sooner than expected.

Bitcoin’s Quantum Defense Strategy

Following Cardano, Bitcoin’s current security relies on ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm), a cryptographic system that quantum computers could theoretically dismantle once they reach sufficient power.

As of February 10, 2025, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $97,760, reflecting a 1.72% increase in the past day and a 3.33% increase in the past week. See BTC price chart below.

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