Original Title: Google Urges Cryptocurrency Community to Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography
Original Author: QuantumZeitgeist
Translated by: Peggy, BlockBeats
Editor's Note: While quantum computing is still regarded as a "long-term risk," Google's latest research provides a more realistic signal: the attack threshold is rapidly lowering, and the security boundaries are tightening accordingly.
In Google's view, the quantum threat is no longer just a technical issue but a systematic transition that needs to be planned in advance. For the cryptocurrency industry, the real challenge is no longer "if it will happen," but whether it can complete the migration to post-quantum cryptography before the risk materializes.
The following is the original text:
Google is calling for the cryptocurrency community to transition to post-quantum cryptography as soon as possible and指出在最新研究中: In the face of future quantum computers, the resource threshold required to break existing security mechanisms may be much lower than the market had previously expected.
The Google Quantum AI team re-evaluated the quantum computing resources required to crack the Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) that underpins most blockchains and security systems in a newly published white paper. The results show that this process may be completed with fewer than 500,000 physical qubits. The research team also constructed a quantum circuit scheme to execute Shor's algorithm to crack ECDLP-256, requiring approximately 1,450 logical qubits and 70 million Toffoli gates, compressing the required physical qubit scale to about one-twentieth of previous estimates.
Ryan Babbush, head of quantum algorithm research, and Hartmut Neven, vice president of engineering, stated that this move aims to enhance industry awareness of the issue and provide specific recommendations for the crypto community to complete the transition and upgrade of security systems before relevant threats materialize.
Google Provides a Post-Quantum Cryptography Migration Timeline: 2029 as a Key Node
Google is directly addressing an approaching digital security risk—once quantum computers achieve scalable capabilities, they may break existing mainstream encryption standards. The latest research from the Google Quantum AI team shows that the resources required for future quantum computers to crack the elliptic curve cryptography used to protect systems like cryptocurrencies may be significantly lower than previously expected, prompting the company to adopt a more proactive response strategy.
The research quantifies the quantum resources (including qubits and gate operations) required to crack the 256-bit Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem (ECDLP), the core foundation of the current cryptographic system, providing a more refined estimate of attack costs—the required physical qubit scale has decreased by about 20 times from previous estimates, reflecting a significant improvement in algorithm efficiency. Based on this, Google proposed a migration path with 2029 as the timeline and is collaborating with organizations such as Coinbase, the Stanford Blockchain Research Center, and the Ethereum Foundation to pave the way for a systematic transition, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the cryptocurrency asset system.
Latest Estimate for Shor's Algorithm: About 1,200 Qubits and 70 Million Toffoli Gates
Recent advancements in quantum computing are forcing the industry to reassess the resource scale required to break existing cryptographic systems (especially the security basis of cryptocurrencies). Researchers at Google Quantum AI updated the cost estimates for executing Shor's algorithm in their white paper—which can theoretically crack the elliptic curve cryptography used to protect digital assets. The results indicate that the quantity of qubits and gate operations needed for this attack is significantly lower than previously expected. According to their calculations, under the current hardware assumptions, these quantum circuits could run on a superconducting quantum computer with fewer than 500,000 physical qubits and be completed in a matter of minutes. This optimization compresses the number of physical qubits required to crack ECDLP-256 by about 20 times and continues the path of ongoing improvements in quantum algorithms in compilation and efficiency.
To responsibly disclose these findings, Google has communicated with the U.S. government and developed a "zero-knowledge proof" mechanism that allows external parties to verify the correctness of their research conclusions while avoiding directly providing an attack blueprint. Researchers suggest that blockchain systems should gradually transition to post-quantum cryptography capable of withstanding quantum attacks and call on other research teams to adopt similar responsible disclosure methods to protect user security.
Zero-Knowledge Proof: Finding the Boundary Between Transparency and Security
Google researchers are exploring a new method of secure disclosure to address the unique challenges posed by quantum computing. The core idea is to find a balance between "information transparency" and "avoiding becoming an attack guide."
This approach builds on the basic principles of "responsible disclosure" and "collaborative vulnerability disclosure," while additionally introducing a layer of protection to minimize the risk of information being exploited prematurely. Babbush and Neven point out that unverified claims of quantum attacks may undermine market confidence in blockchain technology, thus evolving into new systemic risks.
In practical implementation, zero-knowledge proofs allow third parties to independently verify Google’s estimates of the resources required to crack ECDLP-256 without needing to access the specific implementation of the underlying quantum circuits. Researchers stated that they have verified conclusions through the release of this cryptographic construct without exposing key details.
Google also calls for more research teams to adopt similar mechanisms to promote the establishment of a more responsible vulnerability disclosure system, maintaining necessary tension between information sharing and security protection to reduce the potential impact of future quantum threats on the digital economy.
Blockchain Protection Path: Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)
As large-scale quantum computers gradually transition from theory to reality, the security foundation supporting cryptocurrencies and blockchain systems is facing increasingly clear challenges, prompting the industry to proactively turn to post-quantum cryptography.
This research has significantly reduced the scale of quantum hardware required for implementing attacks, thereby advancing the timeline of potential risk windows. Researchers point out that post-quantum cryptography provides a relatively mature and feasible path for building quantum-attack-resistant blockchain security systems, supporting the long-term stability of digital currencies and the broader digital economy in the quantum era. Since the deployment of related solutions takes time, early planning and gradual migration will be key to maintaining system trust.
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