Google study warns quantum computers could crack Bitcoin keys in 9 minutes, risking one-third of BTC holdings.

A recent study by Google Quantum AI reveals that future quantum computers might extract Bitcoin private keys from public keys in about nine minutes, threatening nearly 6.9 million BTC stored in addresses with exposed public keys. This vulnerability arises because Bitcoin transactions reveal public keys during processing, and with block validation taking roughly 10 minutes, attackers could intercept transactions with a 41% success rate. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has pledged to lead efforts to develop quantum-resistant Bitcoin protocols, while some cryptocurrencies with built-in quantum resistance, like QRL and Algorand, saw significant price gains. Despite the threat, experts note current quantum computers lack the qubit capacity to execute such attacks, but the crypto community is actively exploring solutions to safeguard Bitcoin's future.