Overview
- StarkWare’s Avihu Levy published a scheme called Quantum Safe Bitcoin that he says can make transactions resist quantum attacks under today’s rules.
- The design replaces today’s elliptic‑curve signatures with hash‑based proofs that stay intact against Shor’s algorithm used to crack keys.
- Creating one transaction requires heavy off‑chain GPU work, with Levy estimating a cost of roughly $75 to $200 per payment.
- These transactions exceed standard relay limits, so users would likely send them straight to miners, and they do not work with the Lightning Network.
- The paper and tooling are not yet proven on‑chain, and Levy frames the method as an emergency option while longer‑term upgrades like BIP‑360 remain years away.