Research published by Google Quantum AI in March 2026 demonstrates that quantum attacks against crypto networks based on elliptic curve cryptography, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, may be possible with approximately 500,000 physical qubits. The research reveals that Bitcoin is uniquely vulnerable due to "on-spend" attacks, in which private keys can be derived during transaction confirmation.
The Growing Threat of Quantum Computers to Bitcoin and Digital Assets
Bitcoin's structure based on elliptic curve cryptography becomes vulnerable to the derivation of private keys by quantum computers within the transaction confirmation window.