ARK Researcher More Hopeful Bitcoin Can Prepare for Quantum Threat
ARK Invest's Lorenzo Valente said he is more optimistic than a year ago that Bitcoin will deploy quantum-resistant defenses before Q Day. His view follows a March 2026 white paper from ARK and Unchained that describes quantum risk as a gradual, multi-stage challenge rather than a sudden event. As of October 11, 2026, about 7.1 million BTC, or 35% of circulating supply, was held in addresses with exposed public keys.
Lorenzo Valente, ARK Invest’s digital assets research director, said in mid-October 2026 that his confidence had improved since mid-2025. He pointed to an ARK–Unchained paper from March 12, 2026, which divides quantum risk into five phases and argues the danger unfolds gradually, giving Bitcoin developers time to implement post-quantum signature methods.
The paper also notes that about 7.1 million BTC, roughly 35% of circulating supply on October 11, 2026, sat in addresses with visible public keys. Some are likely lost; others could move to safer addresses. Most addresses use hashed public keys, which are viewed as more resistant. Current NISQ machines remain error-prone, and BIP-360 is among proposed upgrades.
If quantum defenses arrive gradually, Bitcoin holders and businesses accepting it may face less abrupt disruption, though the 35% exposed supply could remain a governance and migration challenge. Developers and wallet providers might need to coordinate upgrades, while users could bear costs or confusion during address transitions. Broader trust in digital asset security may depend on how transparently these risks are managed.