Uncertainty over whether Bitcoin can withstand future quantum-computing attacks is already holding back some institutional investment, according to Stacks co-founder Muneeb Ali. He says the network needs a credible timetable for upgrading its security before risk-averse investors will feel comfortable making larger purchases.
Ali made the comments during an interview on Cointelegraph’s Chain Reaction podcast. He warned that Bitcoin’s growth could face a ceiling because investors cannot easily assess when quantum computers might become capable of threatening the cryptography that protects the network.
The concern is not necessarily that an attack is imminent. Instead, Ali’s argument is that uncertainty itself can influence institutional decisions. Large professional investors may delay buying Bitcoin if they believe the network lacks a clear, practical route toward quantum-resistant security.
Why quantum computing matters to Bitcoin
Bitcoin relies on cryptographic methods to secure transactions and control access to funds. Quantum computing is a developing technology that uses principles of quantum mechanics to process certain types of problems in ways that differ from conventional computers. A sufficiently powerful quantum computer could potentially challenge cryptographic systems that are considered secure against today’s machines.
Ali said Bitcoin developers need to make meaningful progress toward quantum-resistant protection by 2028 to avoid entering a more dangerous period. He stressed that upgrades to a network of Bitcoin’s scale are not immediate: development and implementation can take years, followed by additional time for users to transfer holdings to new addresses.
He identified 2030 as a target for moving toward quantum-resistant security, referring to guidance from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST. Ali also said advances in artificial intelligence could speed up quantum-computing development and bring the relevant timetable forward to 2029.
Some Bitcoin supporters believe the threat is still far away and that current concerns are overstated. Ali said that disagreement over the timing could itself weaken confidence. In his view, a clearly defined upgrade roadmap would help investors evaluate the risk even if the technology remains some distance from practical use.
A risk for the wider crypto market
Ali co-founded Stacks, a Bitcoin layer-2 network that is designed to support smart contracts and decentralized applications while using Bitcoin as its underlying settlement layer. His warning therefore extends beyond Bitcoin ownership itself. He said a serious quantum attack on Bitcoin could affect the broader cryptocurrency sector, including projects that are working on their own defenses.
Ali also argued that the most likely source of a sufficiently capable quantum computer would be a major research organization rather than an unknown individual attacker. He suggested that companies such as Google or Microsoft would have little incentive to use such technology to steal Bitcoin because of the potential legal consequences.
The debate has already prompted research into possible protective measures. In September, StarkWare said researchers had cut the estimated computing cost of preparing an experimental quantum-resistant Bitcoin transaction by 79% during a week-long optimization challenge.
That approach would not require changes to Bitcoin’s consensus rules, but the reported reduction has so far been demonstrated only in benchmark tests. StarkWare has characterized the method as a last-resort option and continues to support a protocol-level upgrade as the longer-term answer.
A protocol-level change would involve altering the network’s rules or cryptographic foundations, while a move to new addresses would require users to transfer their holdings. The time needed for both processes is central to Ali’s concern: even if a solution is identified, adoption across a decentralized network would not happen instantly.
Moneyiar market picture
Moneyiar data recorded Bitcoin at $80,430.5068 at 22:39 on October 25, 2026, Tehran time. BTC was down 0.08% over 24 hours and 1.32% over seven days.
Stacks’ STX token was priced at $0.3061598505 at the same time. It had gained 1.5% over 24 hours but fallen 12.29% over seven days. Quant stood at $191.8905459749 at 22:38, up 8.27% in 24 hours and 1.91% over seven days, while Telcoin was $0.0014157918, down 0.97% and 7.28% over those periods, respectively.
These figures are Moneyiar market data at the stated times and do not measure the market’s view of Bitcoin’s quantum-security risk. Ali’s central message was that the issue is becoming an investment-planning question before it becomes an immediate technical crisis: without a credible timetable, institutions may remain cautious about increasing their exposure to Bitcoin.
