Quantum computing has recently been lauded as a potential threat to the security of Bitcoin.
The question is, if there is any truth to the claims, or is it just unnecessary fear-mongering during a frustrating bear market?
At the time of writing (March 2026), Bitcoin sits at $73,000 per Bitcoin, down from all-time highs of $126,000 since October 2025, with the price of Bitcoin seemingly faltering.
In this article, we take a look at whether there’s any truth to the claims, and all that entrepreneurs must know about the situation.
Here goes…
What is Quantum Computing?
The first obvious question to ask is, what is quantum computing, and how is it possible that it could affect Bitcoin?
The answer is rather technical, but in simple terms, quantum computers work fundamentally differently from traditional (classical) computers.
Classical computers process information using binary bits (0 and 1) to represent information.
This means that the computers we use today have only two states, off or on (0 or 1).
In practice, this means the amount of processing that can be done by a classical computer is limited by the speed of sequentially processing these off and on states.
This places a limit on the amount of computational power available to modern-day computers. For most tasks, it’s not an issue, but imagine you wanted to break a code, a particularly long sequence of numbers.
A traditional computer could take millions or billions of years to run through all the permutations before it reaches the correct answer.
That is the basis of how Bitcoin ‘encrypts’ its transactions.
Bitcoin uses a long string of numbers called the SHA-256 hashing algorithm and the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA).
Bitcoin turns private keys into a very long encoded string that would take a classical computer an estimated billion years or so to reach the correct permutation.
On the other hand, quantum computers utilise quantum bits, or qubits, to process information.
The biggest difference between quantum computers and classical computers is that, rather than representing just two states, off or on (0 and 1). Qubits can represent multiple states simultaneously.
Therefore, the qubit represents the superposition of the states 0 and 1 or the probability combination of the two states. In simple terms, the qubit can run all possible outcomes simultaneously and amplify the correct result.
This will crack the code in a much shorter period of time, saving potentially billions of years of processing time.
This sounds like science fiction, but it is actually based on scientific fact. Quantum computers are underpinned by the established scientific theories of quantum mechanics and superposition.
The idea being that a quantum system can operate in multiple states simultaneously.
The science is real and is not fabricated.
Could Quantum Computers Crack SHA-256?
As explained previously, quantum computing does open up the ‘possibility’ of cracking cryptographic codes in a much shorter space of time.
So, in theory, yes, the Bitcoin hash algorithm could be cracked using quantum computers, but in real terms, the technology that exists today is nowhere near powerful enough to crack 256-bit security.
Furthermore, most experts agree that breaking the SHA-256 itself is unlikely in the near term. The required hardware simply does not exist and is probably decades away.
Many experts state that breaking SHA-256 has zero chance of success within the next decade.
Estimated Qubits to Crack a Bitcoin Wallet
In an ideal world with perfect qubits and no errors, breaking the elliptic curve used by Bitcoin (secp256k1) would require roughly:
~2,300–2,500 logical qubits
Logical qubits are perfect, error-corrected qubits.
They do not currently exist in practical form.
A Realistic Estimate:
To break one Bitcoin wallet key:
≈ 10 million to 100 million physical qubits
This would allow a quantum computer to derive a private key from the public key quickly enough to steal funds after a transaction is broadcast.
The largest systems today are around 1000 logical qubits (Atom Computing), but they are at the cutting edge of today’s technology and likely not perfect in operation.
Wider Concerns
Even if the experts are wrong and somehow quantum computers powerful enough to break SHA-256 are developed in the near term, we would likely have far greater concerns than Bitcoin.
The entire existing financial and online security systems that we all rely on every day are based on cryptographic technology.
Therefore, all these systems would also be at risk from the development of such a powerful quantum computer.
Putting the risk all on Bitcoin is rather myopic, especially when Bitcoin is a decentralised network that can easily be upgraded to take into account any changes in security threats.
Compare that with centralised banking and financial systems that would need to be overhauled at much increased cost and along potentially much longer timeframes should such a quantum computing event come to pass.
Existing systems that could be impacted include:
- Secure web communications (HTTPS) using RSA or elliptic curve cryptography
- Online banking systems and financial transactions
- Government and military communications
- Digital signatures used in software updates
- Encrypted messaging platforms
- Many other cryptocurrencies, not only Bitcoin use similar encryption hashes.
So, the greater and wider threat probably lies outside of Bitcoin, but in reality, the technology is still nowhere near powerful enough as things stand today.
What Entrepreneurs Must Know
Despite real-world advances in the world of quantum computing, the technology is nowhere near the level required to break security hashes like SHA-256 in a practical period of time.
Entrepreneurs who are technically minded could do well to enter the quantum computing field, as it’s certainly an area that is likely to achieve extreme growth in the future.
However, those who are concerned about current technology cracking open their Bitcoin wallets should have little to worry about, for now.
Final Thoughts
Despite all the concern regarding quantum computers, the reality is that any threat to Bitcoin is most likely several decades away.
In fact, even if quantum computers powerful enough to crack cryptographic algorithms such as SHA-256 are created in the near term, the wider threat to the traditional financial infrastructure would be the far greater risk.
Technically minded entrepreneurs could do well to look into this field as it’s likely to play a large part in the future of computing.
As would be the methods to combat the eventual development of such powerful quantum computers.
Organisations such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are already developing new encryption standards designed to withstand quantum attacks.
These technologies could eventually be incorporated into Bitcoin and other digital systems.
So, entrepreneurs who concerned that their Bitcoin could be stolen by a quantum computer attack are safe. For now.
Good luck!
***Disclaimer: This article is not financial advice and is given for informational and entertainment purposes only. Readers should conduct their own research and not invest more than they can afford to lose. Crypto is extremely volatile, and as such can drop in value considerably without notice. Pop Up World has a global presence and is not specifically targeting any jurisdiction with its content. Any crypto references are not intended for UK businesses or consumers. You should always seek legal advice to understand if the use or investment in crypto is allowed in your jurisdiction.
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***Disclaimer: This article is not financial advice and is given for informational and entertainment purposes only. Readers should conduct their own research and not invest more than they can afford to lose. Crypto is extremely volatile, and as such can drop in value considerably without notice. Pop Up World has a global presence and is not specifically targeting any jurisdiction with its content. Any crypto references are not intended for UK businesses or consumers. You should always seek legal advice to understand if the use or investment in crypto is allowed in your jurisdiction.
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