Coinbase urges Bitcoin developers to initiate quantum-safe upgrades before threats materialize

Summary

Coinbase is urging Bitcoin developers to begin preparing for quantum-resistant security upgrades. Key areas of focus include wallet protection, network compatibility, and coordinated migration between different institutions. Recommended security measures include flexible wallet designs, hybrid signature schemes, and encryption options that are compatible with institutional hosting and multi-party computing systems. While there are challenges involved in migrating existing Bitcoin holdings, developers must ensure that limited block space, decentralized verification mechanisms, and network security are maintained during the upgrade process.

Coinbase calls for accelerated preparations for quantum-resistant security upgrades.

Coinde urges Bitcoin developers to speed up their preparations for such upgrades, warning that full-scale changes may take several years to implement. According to the exchange’s official announcement, Bitcoin needs to develop a coordinated strategy to address the threats posed by future advanced quantum computers.

The proposed measures aim to protect existing Bitcoin holdings while ensuring that newly created wallets can withstand potential cryptographic attacks. Coinbase emphasizes that, given Bitcoin’s technical and operational requirements, this transition isn’t just about introducing new signature algorithms.

As one of the major exchanges holding approximately 5% of the total Bitcoin supply, Coinbase has already begun preparing its systems for quantum-resistant security. Its recommendations include wallet compatibility, transaction efficiency, institutional hosting, and ways to handle Bitcoin holdings that cannot be accessed.

Coinbase 指出，比特币共识规则的变更需要广泛的测试、开发者的协调以及更广泛生态系统的采用。因此，如果等到量子计算机真正威胁现有加密系统时才采取行动，可能会留给协调迁移的时间不足。

推荐灵活钱包设计与混合量子安全方案

Coinbase 将可适应的钱包基础设施视为在比特币网络中引入抗量子保护的核心要求。该公司倾向于将钱包输出结构与签名算法分离，使开发者能够在无需大规模重新设计的情况下引入新的加密系统。

具体而言，Coinbase 强调了 BIP-360 下的 P2MR 和 P2TRv2 作为潜在的设计方案，这些方案可以支持这种灵活性。这些方法可以在保留比特币网络基本功能的同时，容纳不同的签名技术。

除了钱包架构外，交易所还建议采取渐进式的迁移策略，让用户能够逐步采用更强的安全保护。其中一项提议涉及“混合钱包”，提供两种支出路径：传统密码学或抗量子签名。

此类安排有助于活跃的比特币持有者加强钱包安全性，同时让开发者解决围绕旧地址尚未解决的疑问。Coinbase 还强调，在过渡期间支持状态相关（stateful）和状态无关（stateless）签名系统的重要性。

State-related signatures require careful management, as operational errors can lead to vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. Therefore, Coinbase recommends including state-independent alternatives to reduce reliance on complex signing processes.

Another challenge is managed custody for large organizations, who rely on multi-party computation (MPC) to ensure the security of their digital assets. Coinbase emphasizes that Bitcoin should support at least one quantum-resistant signature option that is compatible with MPC arrangements.

This compatibility will allow managed custodians to maintain existing security measures against private key theft while enhancing cryptographic protections.

Additionally, Coinbase identifies the inability to access certain Bitcoin holdings as another challenge that the community needs to consider. Some older wallets may never be able to be migrated, as their owners have lost access rights or are unable to authorize transactions.

This raises questions about how Bitcoin should handle vulnerable coins that remain under current encryption protections. Nevertheless, Coinbase suggests addressing these policy issues separately from the development of quantum-resistant signatures.

The exchange also emphasizes the importance of maintaining limited block space for Bitcoin and maintaining independent transaction verification through full nodes. These requirements will help developers introduce stronger security measures without compromising the network’s decentralized structure.

The transition to quantum resistance in Bitcoin may require years of coordination.

Coinbase stated that preparing Bitcoin to handle quantum threats requires collaboration among developers, wallet providers, exchanges, and institutional hosting services. The company believes that early-stage technical planning can reduce the difficulties associated with migration, while still maintaining Bitcoin’s existing security principles.

Their recommendations establish priorities for future development, rather than immediately changing Bitcoin’s consensus rules. The full transition will depend on technical testing, community agreements, and actual adoption within the Bitcoin ecosystem.