Post-quantum cryptography organization BTQ announces Bitcoin quantum-resistant algorithm solution Bitcoin Quantum

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, post-quantum cryptography specialist BTQ Technologies (BTQ) has recently unveiled a solution to protect the Bitcoin blockchain, called the "Bitcoin Quantum" permissionless fork testnet, which is said to be capable of addressing quantum challenges.

Chris Tam, Head of Partnerships at BTQ, stated that Bitcoin Quantum is a publicly operable network where miners, developers, researchers, and users can stress-test quantum-resistant transactions and reveal real-world trade-offs before mainnet upgrade discussions become urgent.

The system includes a block explorer and mining pool, providing instant accessibility. Tam explained that in August 2024, the post-quantum algorithm commonly known as "Dilithium" (officially named the Module Lattice-based Digital Signature Algorithm, ML-DSA) was standardized in the United States, and this is the technology adopted by the Bitcoin Quantum network. This algorithm has not yet been widely applied in fast-innovating fields such as cryptocurrencies, mainly due to its high operational costs.

Compared to the digital signatures currently used every time information is sent to the blockchain or even when sending a WhatsApp message, the data size of post-quantum algorithms increases by at least 200 times. Therefore, although there are methods to address quantum risks, they also bring their own issues, mainly in terms of performance and cost overhead when deployed at scale.