Q-Day Is Imminent. Can Bitcoin Survive the Quantum Threat?

The podcast explores the threat of quantum computing to blockchain technology, particularly Bitcoin, and strategies for mitigation. Alex Pruden, CEO of Project Eleven, explains quantum computing's ability to break cryptographic algorithms, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this threat despite uncertain timelines. He highlights that a significant portion of Bitcoin is currently vulnerable due to exposed public keys and discusses the challenges of upgrading blockchain protocols to post-quantum cryptography. Project Eleven is building infrastructure, like the Yellow Pages tool, to help users secure assets and facilitate migration to quantum-resistant systems. The conversation also covers the divisive issue of how to handle potentially unrecoverable Bitcoins, such as those associated with Satoshi Nakamoto, in a quantum computing era.