The Bad Crypto Podcast

Is Quantum About to Break Bitcoin?

Feb 16, 2026
Christopher Stephen Smith I, CEO and co-founder of Quantus, builds a quantum-secure Layer 1 blockchain. He explains quantum computing and qubits in plain terms. He outlines how signatures, not mining, are at risk and why Bitcoin cannot switch overnight. He discusses post-quantum signatures like Dilithium, reversible transactions for usability, and Quantus’s design priorities.
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INSIGHT

Quantum Moved From Theory To Practical Concern

  • Public attention on quantum jumped because companies (NVIDIA), Ethereum, and Coinbase are taking it seriously.
  • Joel Comm and Travis Wright frame quantum as moving from 'someday' to an immediate concern worth exploring.
INSIGHT

Quantum's Nonlinear Threat Timeline

  • Quantum computing leverages quantum mechanics to compute in fundamentally different ways than classical computers.
  • Christopher Stephen Smith I warns breakthroughs can be nonlinear and accelerate quickly with AI and national-security incentives.
ADVICE

Act Proactively Given National Security Stakes

  • Assume nation-states may hide quantum capabilities and act proactively to defend keys and infrastructure.
  • Christopher Stephen Smith I urges the community to analyze algorithms against quantum attackers now.
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