Nine crypto firms form a ‘Quantum Alliance’ to define what quantum-ready means for blockchains

Summary

Nine blockchain organizations have launched the Quantum Alliance, an open standards body that will define what post-quantum readiness means for blockchain networks, wallets and infrastructure and how to test any claim of quantum resistance, according to an Oct. 16 GlobeNewswire release and CoinDesk.

The release names founding contributors from Quantus, Postquant Labs, Midnight Foundation, Keystone, American Fortress, Intmax, Abelian, The Vault and Hacken, and says work will start in four groups covering blockchain migration, post-quantum zero-knowledge systems, wallet security and cross-chain compatibility.

The sources differ on the headline number: the release counts 6.04 million BTC, 30.2% of supply, as quantum-exposed, while CoinDesk reported the alliance’s estimate as 6.4 million BTC, also 30.2%; both say no existing quantum computer can break that cryptography today.

Members disagree on timing: Postquant Labs CTO Richard Carback told CoinDesk 2028 is a realistic date for a machine capable of breaking today’s cryptography, while The Vault’s Bryn Bennett said “nobody knows the date.”

They also split on whether exposed coins should be frozen: Carback said he prefers they be moved rather than frozen and has proposed placing them in a trust, while Bennett told CoinDesk freezing is “a governance decision for the Bitcoin network, not for the industry.”

Updates

• Update, Sat, 17 Oct 2026 16:07:30 UTC: Oct. 17: Decrypt also reported the launch, putting the Alliance’s count of quantum-exposed bitcoin at roughly 6.04 million BTC, about 30% of supply, in line with the GlobeNewswire release rather than CoinDesk’s 6.4 million figure.

Key facts

• The Alliance’s first work will be a public definition of quantum readiness covering transaction signatures, key management, consensus, zero-knowledge proof systems and peer-to-peer connections, plus open test criteria, benchmarks and migration reference designs. (Quantum Alliance (GlobeNewswire release))
• The Alliance says it is modeled on the Internet Engineering Task Force and that corporate size and token holdings will carry no voting weight. (Quantum Alliance (GlobeNewswire release))
• The release says the Quantum Doom Clock, a model built by contributors Richard T. Carback III and Colton Dillion, has pointed to March 2028 as an early window for a cryptographically relevant quantum computer. (Quantum Alliance (GlobeNewswire release))
• Quantus CEO Christopher Smith told CoinDesk he expects whoever builds the first cryptographically relevant quantum computer to take vulnerable coins, “probably with the blessing of whichever national government.” (CoinDesk)
• CoinDesk said the vulnerable total includes about 1.1 million bitcoin attributed to Satoshi Nakamoto, and that it reported the alliance was unveiled on Thursday (Oct. 15); the GlobeNewswire release is dated Oct. 16. (CoinDesk)
• Decrypt reported that the Alliance cites a Google Quantum AI study that cut the estimated number of qubits needed to break Bitcoin’s cryptography to under 500,000, and noted that no machine can do it yet. (Decrypt)
• Decrypt quoted Quantus founder and CEO Christopher Smith: “In the future, ‘post-quantum cryptography’ will just be called ‘cryptography’ and everything else will be in a museum.” (Decrypt)

Related stories

• Bitcoin drops below $72,000 as spot ETFs bleed $1.44 billion in five days and BlackRock's IBIT loses $2 billion in nine
• Bitcoin treasury firm Nakamoto owes Kraken $165 million, more than its market value, as Q3 operating revenue turns negative
• Binance sets aside $6.34 billion to cover record hack as TRM and Chainalysis tie it to North Korea's TraderTraitor