What happened
New estimate falls below the level previously published by Google, but counting methods differ.
Why it matters
A lower resource estimate heightens attention to the quantum resilience of Bitcoin and Ethereum, but does not in itself prove the imminence of a practical attack.
Researchers reported a reduction in the estimated quantum resource required for a key operation related to an attack on Bitcoin and Ethereum. The resulting figure was less than half the level previously published by Google.
The comparison cannot be considered entirely direct: the two approaches employ different methods for counting resources. The available description contains no data on a practical demonstration of the attack, timelines for the threat, or the necessary devices.
Confirmed facts
- Researchers reduced the claimed quantum resource for a key operation in an attack on Bitcoin and Ethereum.
- The resulting figure turned out to be less than half the level previously published by Google.
- The authors of the comparison use different methods for counting resources.
- The source of the report is The Block; available confirmation is limited to metadata and a brief synopsis.
Context
The report was published by The Block 10 September 2026. The original package does not contain the full text of the study or a primary statement from the authors.
What remains unknown
- What exactly is the key operation and which parameters were accounted for in the calculation?
- Who conducted the research and has its primary version been published?
- How comparable are the resource counting methods used by the researchers and Google?
- Does the new estimate imply a practical threat to Bitcoin or Ethereum, and on what timeline?
Editorial context
Confidence: medium
If the calculation is confirmed by the primary study, the next observable signal will be the publication of the methodology and an independent verification of comparability with Google's estimate. The main uncertainty remains the absence of the full study, details of the operation, and data on the practical feasibility of the attack in the available package.