Coinbase urges bitcoin to start quantum preparedness now

Coinbase, which holds about 5% of all bitcoin, says the network should start preparing for quantum computers now, calling for flexible addresses and a backup quantum-proof key for wallets. The exchange is also raising a separate question about how lost coins should be handled in any future migration.

The push lands as regulators and researchers warn that a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could derive private keys from exposed public keys on older or reused addresses, with roughly 6.9 million bitcoin estimated to be vulnerable. No specific proposal or timeline was disclosed.