Former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) official John Reed Stark said rapid advances in quantum computing are creating a "ticking clock" for the cryptocurrency industry, especially for long-term Bitcoin holders. Stark argued the risk is becoming more pressing as crypto infrastructure is woven more deeply into traditional finance through spot ETFs, bank custody and stablecoin legislation. He pointed to two recent developments: IBM CEO Arvind Krishna's warning to CNBC's Jim Cramer that within "3-4 years, we should all be 'rather paranoid'" about the quantum threat, and an article by Duke University's Lee Reiners arguing regulators should prepare contingency plans for digital assets vulnerable to quantum breakthroughs. Stark rejected comparisons with the Y2K bug, saying the earlier episode ended smoothly because the SEC aggressively enforced disclosure and remediation by registered entities in 1998 and 1999. He contrasted that with what he described as the current SEC's lack of engagement on quantum risks and criticized SEC Chairman Atkins. The debate has also spread across the crypto industry, where concerns about quantum-resistant security are colliding with warnings against adopting immature post-quantum cryptography too quickly.