If meaningful progress toward quantum resistance isn’t achieved by 2028, Bitcoin could enter a riskier phase, with the possibility of acceleration toward 2029 if AI progress speeds up quantum computing.

Ali argues for a credible, published roadmap to migrate to quantum-resistant protection in order to restore investor confidence.

The piece recalls Galaxy Digital’s Alex Thorn noting growing consensus in the crypto community that early Bitcoin coins linked to Satoshi Nakamoto remain inviolable.

Publication date: 28 October 2026.

Protocol upgrades typically take years, and users will need time to move assets to new addresses after upgrades.

Ali says a powerful quantum computer is more likely to appear in a major research lab than with a lone attacker, and that large tech firms may avoid using such tech for theft due to legal risk.

Bitcoin’s growth is seen as constrained by fears about its quantum security, according to Muneeb Ali of the Stacks network.

The quantum threat could affect the broader crypto market, not just Bitcoin, since a successful quantum attack on Bitcoin could erode confidence in digital assets overall.

Ali emphasizes that a lack of urgency on the threat can itself erode investor confidence, even among those who see the threat as distant.

Ali cites 2030 as the benchmark per NIST guidance for transition, while noting AI advances could push the timeline earlier to 2029.