The Quantum Advisory Council presents the issue as a long-term Bitcoin governance and migration challenge, highlighting exposed-key addresses and an intermediate plan that includes a sandglass protocol.
Coinbase’s Quantum Advisory Council has published an independent report on quantum computing and Bitcoin governance that estimates about 7 million BTC could face future exposure if quantum attacks become viable. The report points to older P2PK addresses and other addresses with publicly exposed keys as the main areas of risk, framing the issue as a long-range migration and coordination problem rather than evidence that Bitcoin’s cryptography can be broken today. It proposes an intermediate approach built around three measures, including a “sandglass protocol,” as part of a broader discussion over how the network could manage a post-quantum transition. Any such move would still require broad consensus, technical implementation, and social coordination, especially where older and inactive coins are concerned.