Bitcoin hit a surprising milestone this week. It has been exactly 16 years since Satoshi Nakamoto published a technical solution on the BitcoinTalk forum. This article was designed to protect Bitcoin from future quantum computers. Today, as tech giants gradually build better quantum processors, this old theory has transformed into a working roadmap for Bitcoin developers.
The plan is based on something proposed by Satoshi. This requires the network to replace its cryptographic parts within a strict time limit tied to a specific block height. After 16 years, this logic now forms the basis of two official proposals: BIP-360 and BIP-361.
The vulnerable point found by Satoshi
Satoshi correctly identified where quantum computers could strike. Using Shor’s algorithm, these machines could threaten old addresses whose ECDSA public keys have already been exposed. An attacker could derive a private key from a public key. The risk zone includes approximately 35% of the circulating supply, or approximately 6.9 million BTC. These coins are found in early wallets using P2PK outputs and addresses that have been reused.
Modern technical committees have incorporated Satoshi’s two-step instructions into strict migration rules. But implementing this 16-year-old plan would deal a major blow to the network. Satoshi himself predicted: replacing the algorithm with a more powerful algorithm would increase the volume of transaction data by approximately 57%. This means higher fees for regular users.
The problem of lost parts
The biggest drama involves millions of BTC lost since Bitcoin’s debut. Their owners are physically unable to follow Satoshi’s demand to update their software. To prevent these coins from being stolen during a quantum attack, the network would have to freeze them permanently. No recovery possible.
There is a strange historical twist here. Satoshi Nakamoto’s own portfolios would be among the first to miss his deadlines. All this to ensure network security. The price of activating your own plan could be locking your digital legacy away forever. It is ironic that the creator’s treasure can become the victim of its own clairvoyance.
