Coinbase Forms Quantum Computing Advisory Board

Earlier this week, Coinbase announced the creation of an Independent Advisory Board on Quantum Computing and Blockchain, aiming to safeguard the crypto ecosystem against emerging quantum threats. 

The board will bring together leading experts in quantum computing, cryptography, and blockchain to assess risks and provide guidance to the broader industry.

Quantum computers, if scaled successfully, could compromise the cryptography that underpins major blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Coinbase, in their announcement, stressed that preparing for these future challenges is crucial to maintaining the security of digital assets.

The advisory board includes notable figures such as quantum computing pioneer Scott Aaronson, Stanford cryptography expert Dan Boneh, Ethereum researcher Justin Drake, and Coinbase’s own Head of Cryptography, Yehuda Lindell. 

The group says they will publish position papers, recommend best practices for long-term security, and respond to significant advances in quantum computing.

This initiative is part of Coinbase’s larger post-quantum security strategy, which also includes updating Bitcoin address handling, enhancing internal key management, and advancing research on post-quantum signature schemes. The board’s first position paper is expected early next year, laying out a roadmap for quantum resilience in blockchain systems.

Coinbase said the move underscores the importance of proactive planning, ensuring the crypto industry remains prepared, not reactive, as quantum technology evolves.

Is bitcoin at risk from Quantum Computing? 

Over the last several months, concerns over quantum computing’s potential impact on Bitcoin have begun to ripple through traditional finance, prompting some investors to radically rethink their exposure to the cryptocurrency. 

Jefferies strategist Christopher Wood recently removed Bitcoin from his Greed & Fear model portfolio, citing the existential risk that large-scale quantum computers could undermine the cryptographic foundations securing digital assets. 

While the threat is not imminent, Wood and other institutional voices — including BlackRock and UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti — warn that quantum advances could eventually allow attackers to derive private keys from public ones, putting millions of BTC at risk. 

As a result, Wood replaced Bitcoin with gold and gold-mining equities, emphasizing that long-term store-of-value claims for digital assets may be less reliable in the face of accelerating technological change.

The debate over quantum computing in the Bitcoin ecosystem is intensifying. Coinbase research indicates that roughly 20% to 50% of Bitcoin’s supply, particularly coins in older wallet formats, could be vulnerable to so-called long-range quantum attacks. 

Crypto developers and researchers are divided over the urgency of implementing quantum-resistant solutions, with some advocating proactive upgrades and others arguing the risk remains distant. 

Strategy Chairman Michael Saylor believes that quantum computing will actually strengthen Bitcoin rather than threaten it. Network upgrades and coin migrations will boost security, while lost coins remain frozen, Saylor posted.