Stacks Founder: Quantum concerns have limited Bitcoin's growth, calling for a quantum-resistant upgrade before 2028

Muneeb Ali, co-founder of the Bitcoin Layer2 network Stacks, stated in Cointelegraph's Chain Reaction podcast that concerns surrounding quantum computing are suppressing institutional funds from entering Bitcoin, and the network needs a credible security upgrade roadmap to restore investor confidence. He mentioned, "Quantum concerns have set a ceiling on Bitcoin's growth," believing that this uncertainty may lead risk-averse institutional investors to delay large purchases until developers provide a clear path to quantum resistance. Stacks is a Bitcoin Layer2 network aimed at introducing smart contracts and decentralized applications to Bitcoin, and Ali is a co-founder of the project.

Ali warned that if developers fail to make substantial progress in quantum resistance by 2028, Bitcoin could enter a riskier phase. He pointed out that upgrades typically take years to implement, and users will need additional time to migrate their assets to new addresses. Citing guidance from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), he views 2030 as a target node for transitioning to quantum resistance and believes advancements in artificial intelligence could accelerate the development of quantum computers, potentially moving this timeline up to 2029.

Ali acknowledged that some Bitcoin supporters believe the quantum threat is distant and that concerns are exaggerated, but he thinks that the very disagreement over the urgency of the threat, in the absence of a credible upgrade roadmap, will undermine investor confidence. He also stated that sufficiently powerful quantum computers are more likely to emerge from large research laboratories rather than unknown attackers, and companies like Google and Microsoft lack the motivation to steal Bitcoin, but the quantum security threat will impact the entire crypto industry, "If Bitcoin is hit, all downstream projects will be affected." Currently, developers are exploring protective solutions, with StarkWare stating in September that researchers reduced the computational cost of preparing an experimental quantum-resistant Bitcoin transaction by 79% after a week of optimization challenges. This solution does not require modifications to Bitcoin's consensus rules, but the cost reduction has only been validated in benchmark tests.