TFTC: A Bitcoin Podcast #700: Preparing Bitcoin for the Quantum Era with Jonas Nick & Mikhail Kudinov
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Dec 31, 2025 In this fascinating discussion, cryptography experts Jonas Nick and Mikhail Kudinov explore the future of Bitcoin in the face of quantum threats. Jonas, a researcher focused on hash-based signatures, explains why these solutions are key for Bitcoin's security. Mikhail discusses the trade-offs between signature size and transaction speed. They dive into the implications for wallet infrastructure and the need for cautious upgrades. Together, they advocate for proactive measures without succumbing to panic, emphasizing the importance of community collaboration and rigorous research.
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Size Limits Drive Design Choices
- Signature size directly limits transactions per block and verification cost.
- Lowering supported-signature counts per public key drastically reduces size and verification time for hash-based schemes.
Limited-Use Keys Fit Bitcoin Patterns
- Some hash-based schemes limit how many times a public key can sign before security degrades.
- In Bitcoin most addresses are single-use, so conservative signing limits are practical and reduce signature overhead.
Trade Signing Time For Smaller Signatures
- Accept increased signer work to shrink signature size and verification time by adding search or counters into signing.
- Balance signing latency against block-space and validation gains, especially for wallets and pre-signed protocols.