Coinbase, Stanford (Dan Boneh), and Localhost Research recently hosted a Post-Quantum Bitcoin Workshop at Stanford University. The closed-door working session brought together Bitcoin developers, cryptographers, researchers, institutional custodians, and hardware-wallet experts to advance the practical work of preparing Bitcoin for a post-quantum future.
What we covered
The workshop focused on the questions the Bitcoin ecosystem must address well before quantum computing becomes a practical threat.
Participants began with a grounded assessment of quantum computing,the progress of post-quantum cryptography, and the tradeoffs between the different post-quantum signature schemes of relevance for Bitcoin. The discussion then explored lessons from Ethereum’s post-quantum planning, the operational requirements of institutional custodians, and different proposals for introducing post-quantum protections to Bitcoin including discussions on output types.
The afternoon moved into smaller working sessions covering potential signature schemes, hardware-wallet constraints, and ways to protect assets that may not migrate before a future quantum threat emerges.
This was not a conference or a venue for any one organization to prescribe an answer. It was a candid working session designed to compare approaches, surface real-world constraints, and clarify where further research and engineering are needed.
Our key takeaways
Preparation matters more than predicting a date
No one knows precisely when a quantum computer capable of threatening today’s cryptography will arrive. The group agreed that debating an exact date is less useful than ensuring Bitcoin has a credible, well-tested plan in place beforehand.
The room took the risk seriously without treating it as an immediate crisis. Starting early gives the ecosystem time to research, test, and coordinate carefully rather than making rushed decisions later.Promising options exist, but no perfect solution has emerged
Participants examined several possible paths to post-quantum security. Each presents tradeoffs involving security, transaction size, hardware performance, key management, and ease of adoption.
There was strong interest in moving forward, but no consensus yet on the exact approach. That is expected, and healthy, at this stage. A change of this significance requires open debate and rigorous testing rather than a premature decision.The solution must work beyond the protocol
Protecting Bitcoin requires more than updating the protocol. Any transition must also account for how individuals and institutions generate, store, back up, and use their keys—as well as how wallets and custodians safely migrate assets at scale.
Several developers shared that they had not previously considered the full institutional impact of a post-quantum transition. Bringing developers, researchers, custodians, and hardware providers together helped connect protocol design with the operational realities of protecting customer assets.Migration will likely be a process, not a single event
Post-quantum cryptography continues to evolve, and today’s best available option may not be the ultimate long-term solution. The group discussed how Bitcoin could potentially introduce protections in stages while preserving the ability to adopt better technology as the research advances.
Whatever path the community takes will require extensive testing, broad coordination, and enough time for users and institutions to migrate safely.Collaboration is already moving the work forward
The most encouraging result was the level of constructive engagement in the room. Participants openly debated difficult tradeoffs, developed a better understanding of one another’s constraints, and showed strong interest in continuing the work.
The workshop also deepened relationships among Coinbase, Bitcoin developers, and the broader research community. That trust and sustained collaboration will be essential: no company or organization can, or should, solve this challenge alone.
Continuing the work
This workshop did not aim to produce a final answer. It clarified the most important questions, connected people working on different parts of the problem, and identified areas for further research and engineering.
It was also the first of many. Coinbase will continue convening Bitcoin developers, cryptographers, institutions, and other ecosystem participants to help turn research into practical, carefully tested solutions.
For Bitcoin users and investors, the takeaway is straightforward: quantum computing is not an immediate threat, but the ecosystem is taking the long-term risk seriously and working on it now—before the need becomes urgent.
If you are actively working Bitcoin and would like to participate in a future session, email press@coinbase.com
