Bitcoin Core Developers Propose "Quantum Mine" Scheme: Make Quantum Thieves Lose Their Own BTC

on November 06, according to CoinDesk, Bitcoin core developer and MIT Digital Currency Initiative member Cory Fields proposed the "quantum landmines" concept on Wednesday in the bitcoin-dev mailing list. The scheme requires potential quantum thieves to first pledge collateral, while holders can seize the thieves' collateral by revealing a pre-hidden proof of ownership.

Sufficiently powerful quantum computers could potentially derive wallet private keys from public keys. Some early Bitcoin transactions have publicly exposed their public keys since inception, making coins linked to Satoshi Nakamoto potential targets as well. Currently, there is ongoing debate within the industry regarding whether to freeze vulnerable Bitcoins. Freezing could prevent thefts, but it would also lock up funds for holders who never upgraded their wallets.

Under Fields' proposal, an attacker attempting to steal 1 BTC would need to provide an additional 1 BTC from a quantum-safe wallet as collateral, with both amounts locked for a waiting period, such as 30 days. Before a quantum attack becomes viable, the original holder can plant a quantum-safe "landmine" containing a hidden proof of ownership. If the thief later attempts to move the vulnerable coins, both the stolen BTC and the thief's collateral will be locked. The original holder can then reveal the proof during the waiting period to recover their BTC and claim the thief's collateral as a penalty. Thieves would be unable to determine which addresses contain traps before committing funds.