Recently, the term 'quantum computing' has become popular again. Many people are starting to worry: 'Will the BTC I hold be directly guessed by quantum computers, leading to a total loss overnight?'
Today, we won't discuss complex physical formulas; instead, we'll break down this ultimate showdown of 'spear' and 'shield' using the most straightforward logic.
1. Literacy: How is your 'safe' actually locked?
Many people mistakenly believe that a private key is just a randomly generated password, and that quantum computing relies on 'brute-force enumeration' to crack it.
However, quantum computing is not simply about 'calculating faster'; it involves a different problem-solving approach.
Current encryption algorithms operate on the principle of 'not hide and seek', but rather 'one-way valves':
Private key → Public key: It's as simple as dropping a drop of ink into the ocean.
Public key → Private key: It's as difficult as extracting that drop of ink from the ocean without disturbing it.
Currently, top supercomputers can't extract this even after hundreds of millions of years, which is the underlying logic of your asset security.
2. Quantum computing: It's not about 'running fast', it's about being a 'cheat tool'.
The reason quantum computers are terrifying is that they have mastered a tool called Shor's algorithm, which is a 'dimensionality reduction strike'.
Traditional computing: It's like trying one intersection at a time in a maze until you find the exit.
Quantum computing: It's like instantly opening a heavenly eye and directly seeing the overhead view of the maze.
It does not need to 'guess' your private key, but rather, through the mathematical property of wave fluctuations, directly reverse-engineers your private key from your public address (public key). It's like someone took a look at your keyhole and instantly grew an original key.
3. Quantum meets encryption: Will it really lead to total destruction?
If the quantum crisis were to arrive tomorrow, which assets would suffer the most?
Disaster area: Those ancient addresses whose public keys have already been exposed on the blockchain (like Satoshi's 1 million coins).
Buffer: Address that has not been transferred yet. Since you haven't made a transfer, the blockchain only has the hash value of your address (which can be understood as a 'coded address'), the current destructive power of quantum computers against hash functions is not that significant.
But everyone, don’t rush to sell your coins! The reality is that the strongest quantum computer currently is still several orders of magnitude away from cracking the computing power required for Bitcoin. Right now, it struggles to crack even a small company's firewall.
4. The future of encryption: The magician is one foot high, the Dao is one yard high.
Quantum computing is evolving, and cryptocurrencies will not stand still. The future scenario is likely to be as follows:
Post-quantum encryption (PQC): Developers will perform a 'heart transplant' on the blockchain, replacing it with complex algorithms that even quantum computers cannot compute (such as lattice-based encryption).
Soft and hard forks: The community will reach a consensus to protect old and unsafe addresses through upgrades.
Computational competition: Mining machines will also evolve. Quantum mining machines vs. quantum cracking, ultimately reaching a new dynamic balance.
Summary
Quantum computing is indeed the 'sword of Damocles' hanging over the encryption industry, but it is more like a long-distance race.
Before it can truly unlock, the crypto world has enough time to switch to a sturdier lock. Instead of worrying about quantum computing, it’s better to worry about whether your mnemonic phrase has fallen into a phishing site.
Technology changes, but the consensus that 'code is law' will not change.
