Quantum

On Jan 24, 2026 the Ethereum Foundation announced a coordinated post-quantum initiative to harden clients, wallets and tooling against future quantum threats. Market watchers say the de-risking could lift ETH relative to BTC if adoption is swift, though outcomes hinge on execution.

The Ethereum Foundation has committed $2 million to strengthen the network's core cryptography and is backing a new security effort; developers will hold biweekly sessions on quantum‑resistant transaction design. The move aims to prepare the protocol for future quantum risks and speed coordinated upgrades.

Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin warned that at current rates of quantum progress, elliptic curve cryptography could be broken in under three years and urged an accelerated move to quantum-resistant signatures. The warning spotlights coordination and technical challenges for wallets, exchanges and protocol developers.

IBM says processor and software advances will speed its path to fault-tolerant quantum computing by 2029, a development that renews questions about long-term cryptographic risks to Bitcoin (BTC).

On-chain analyst Willy Woo sparked a debate on X after publishing a “DUMMIES GUIDE TO BEING QUANTUM SAFE,” urging BTC holders to move funds off Taproot (bc1p) into SegWit (bc1q) or legacy P2PKH/P2SH and to avoid spending until post-quantum measures arrive. The advice has split experts on urgency and practicality.