TL;DR
- Coinbase has formed an independent advisory board to address Bitcoin vs. Quantum Computing security risks and publish guidance for the broader crypto industry.
- The panel includes leading figures in quantum research and cryptography, such as Scott Aaronson and Dan Boneh.
- Coinbase says the initiative is designed to start planning years in advance, since security upgrades across global networks, wallets, and institutions require long coordination timelines.
Coinbase has launched a new initiative focused on Quantum Computing risks, creating an independent expert board to evaluate how advances in quantum hardware could impact blockchain security over the long term. While quantum computers powerful enough to break today’s cryptography are not yet available at scale, the exchange argues that proactive planning is necessary because protocol-level changes across the crypto ecosystem can take years to implement.
Coinbase Forms Independent Quantum Security Board
The company is creating the Coinbase Independent Advisory Board on Quantum Computing and Blockchain, which will operate independently while producing research and recommendations for developers, institutions, and users. Coinbase says the board will publish position papers tracking quantum progress and translating technical milestones into real-world implications for blockchain infrastructure.
The group includes Scott Aaronson, director of the Quantum Information Center at the University of Texas at Austin, Stanford cryptography professor Dan Boneh, Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake, EigenLayer founder Sreeram Kannan, Coinbase head of cryptography Yehuda Lindell, and secure distributed systems specialist Dahlia Malkhi.
Coinbase positions the board as a way to provide actionable guidance rather than leaving the topic in theoretical discussions, especially as quantum research continues to accelerate across multiple industries.
Bitcoin Vs. Quantum Computing And The Security Timeline
Bitcoin and many major blockchains rely on elliptic-curve cryptography, which is widely considered secure today but could become vulnerable if fault-tolerant quantum machines reach a level where Shor’s algorithm can target commonly used public-key systems. The main risk scenario involves attackers gaining the ability to derive private keys from exposed public keys, which could put certain transaction patterns and older address formats under greater pressure.
Security experts also discuss a “harvest now, decrypt later” model in traditional cybersecurity, where data is collected today with the expectation that it can be unlocked later using stronger computing tools. In crypto, the closest parallel is the idea that long-term security planning should happen before quantum capability becomes practical, since a rushed migration could create fragmentation or operational risk.
