Bitcoin developers have announced the first formal plan to make the cryptocurrency safer from quantum computers.
On February 11, the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) 360, called “Pay to Merkle Root,” was published. The proposal adds a new type of address that hides public keys until a transaction is spent, reducing the risk of quantum attacks.
Quantum computers could theoretically reverse-engineer private keys from exposed public keys, putting large amounts of bitcoin at risk. Around 31% of Bitcoin’s total supply, worth over $415 billion, could be vulnerable if nothing is done.
BIP 360 doesn’t change anything immediately. It’s the first step on a roadmap to protect Bitcoin against future quantum threats. Developers still need to implement post-quantum signature algorithms to fully secure the network.
The proposal is an addition, not a replacement. Current Taproot addresses will continue to work, while new users can migrate to the safer format over time.
Experts warn that a functioning quantum computer could appear in the next five to seven years, meaning the Bitcoin community must act soon to prevent losses.
Because Bitcoin is decentralized, any major update requires agreement from developers, miners, exchanges, and wallet providers, making the process complex and slow.
For now, holders should monitor developments and be ready to move coins to quantum-resistant addresses when wallets support them.
BIP 360 shows the Bitcoin network is beginning to tackle a serious future threat, but much work remains to make the system fully quantum-safe.
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