Bitcoin Faces Quantum Threat as Google’s 105-Qubit Willow Demonstrates Quantum Advantage

According to Decrypt, a Nature-published study confirms Google’s 105-qubit Willow processor achieved a tangible quantum advantage by executing a targeted physical algorithm faster than the world’s top classical systems, marking the first experimental validation on real hardware. While the task remains specialized and not a broad benchmark, the result signals that quantum processors are approaching practical reliability for select applications. For crypto markets, the development sharpens scrutiny of post-quantum security and the resilience of Bitcoin cryptography, as realistic timelines for large-scale quantum attacks remain uncertain. Investors should monitor ongoing research, evolving standards, and potential migration plans toward quantum-safe schemes. In the near term, exchanges and wallets should evaluate post-quantum key distribution and lattice-based algorithms to mitigate future risks, even as concrete cryptanalytic timelines stay unconfirmed.