Vitalik Buterin: Quantum computing could break blockchain crypto by 2028

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin warned at the Devcon developer conference that quantum computing could break Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) before the 2028 U.S. presidential election, Solid Intel reported. He strongly urged a transition to quantum-resistant cryptography within the next four years. Most blockchains, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, currently use ECC to generate private and public keys and to authenticate transactions. The security standard is considered virtually unbreakable with current computers, with estimates suggesting it would take thousands of years to compromise. Buterin's recent warning marks a shift from his 2019 stance, when he suggested a significant gap existed between achieving quantum supremacy and developing a practical, usable quantum computer. At the time, he compared the difference to that between a hydrogen bomb and controlled nuclear fusion.