Ripple Ex-CTO: Bitcoin May Need Hard Fork to Survive Quantum

Ripple ex-CTO says Bitcoin may need a hard fork for quantum security, while XRP Ledger can upgrade without new addresses.

Ripple Ex-CTO: Bitcoin May Need Hard Fork to Survive Quantum. That was the warning shared by David Schwartz, also known as Joel Katz, during a recent discussion on blockchain security.

He said Bitcoin may require a protocol fork in the future to address risks posed by advanced quantum computing.

Quantum Computing and Bitcoin Security

Schwartz stated that Bitcoin will, at some point, need a fork to become quantum resistant. He said, “Bitcoin will, at some point, need a fork to be quantum proof… or Bitcoin will collapse.” His comments focused on long-term cryptographic risks.

Quantum computers could eventually break current encryption methods. Bitcoin relies on elliptic curve cryptography to secure wallets and transactions.

If quantum systems advance enough, they may be able to derive private keys from public keys.

Developers in the Bitcoin community have discussed quantum resistance before.

Proposed solutions include upgrading signature schemes to quantum-safe alternatives. Such changes would likely require a coordinated network upgrade.

Hard Fork Scenario and Network Changes

A hard fork involves a change to protocol rules that is not backward compatible. All network participants must upgrade their software to follow the new rules.

If not, the blockchain can split into separate networks.

Schwartz suggested that a hard fork may be necessary for Bitcoin to remain secure. He indicated that failing to upgrade could expose older addresses to risk.

The transition would require broad consensus among miners and node operators.

Bitcoin has undergone upgrades in the past, such as SegWit and Taproot. However, those were soft forks, which maintain compatibility with older nodes.

A quantum-related update could require deeper structural changes.

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XRP Ledger Upgrade Approach

Schwartz said the XRP Ledger is designed differently. He stated that XRPL users would not need to create new receiving addresses. He added, “Existing accounts can be re-secured.”

The XRP Ledger supports flexible account structures and amendment processes. Network validators vote on changes before activation. This model allows updates without splitting the chain.

Schwartz’s remarks have added to ongoing discussions about blockchain security and quantum computing.

Developers across multiple networks continue to research quantum-resistant cryptography. The timeline for practical quantum threats remains uncertain.

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