Nine Crypto Companies Form Quantum Alliance Amid Controversy Over Freezing Vulnerable Assets

On October 16, nine crypto companies established the Quantum Alliance, including security firm Hacken, the Midnight Foundation, the quantum-resistant Layer 1 blockchain Quantus, and Postquant Labs, with other members yet to be disclosed. The alliance aims to develop common security standards for blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. It is estimated that approximately 6.4 million Bitcoins (30.2% of the total supply) have exposed public keys, including about 1.1 million belonging to Satoshi Nakamoto, but current quantum computers are not yet capable of stealing these assets. There are significant disagreements within the Quantum Alliance regarding the timeline of threats and response strategies. Bryn Bennett, Chief Revenue Officer of The Vault, stated that no one knows the exact date, but it is expected to keep moving forward; Richard Carback, Chief Technology Officer of Postquant Labs, believes that 2028 is a realistic timeframe. Whether to freeze vulnerable assets has become a core controversy. Carback favors transferring rather than freezing, while Bennett pointed out that freezing is a governance decision of the Bitcoin network, and any freeze sets a precedent of exchanging property rights and neutrality for quantum risk. Previously, CZ suggested freezing Satoshi Nakamoto's Bitcoins, and developer Jameson Lopp also proposed limiting vulnerable tokens, but critics argue that this contradicts Bitcoin's promise of being unconfiscatable. In the future, the alliance plans to release common security testing and migration guidelines.

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