Shaw: Quantum computing is still far from cracking Bitcoin

Odaily Planet Daily reported that Shaw stated on the X platform that there is a huge gap between the actual progress of quantum computing and media hype and public perception. Although the field is making progress, quantum computers will not achieve their claimed capabilities within the next 40 to 50 years. Regarding hash functions like SHA-256, even with the most ideal application of Grover’s algorithm, the search space can only be reduced from 2^256 to 2^128, and 2^128 remains physically unbreakable. Shaw pointed out that the most advanced quantum computers today cannot even factor the number 21 into 3 and 7 without prior knowledge of the result. To crack Bitcoin, quantum computers would need to perform repeated calculations on the real-time network within a few minutes, a leap in capability far beyond the progress from 1950s computers to modern server clusters. Modern cryptography was designed with foresight of future computing power growth. Currently, fears or hype about quantum computing lack factual basis.