Bitcoin devs bet a quantum attacker will play nice with a ‘wait and react’ plan

Bitcoin devs bet a quantum attacker will play nice with a ‘wait and react’ plan

Search/NewsVideoPricesResearchConsensus 2026Data & IndicesSponsoredSearch/enTechShareShare this articleCopy linkX iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailBitcoin devs bet a quantum attacker will play nice with a ‘wait and react’ planBitMEX Research proposes a canary system that pays a bounty to the first quantum attacker and activates a network-wide freeze, offering an alternative to a fixed five-year timeline.By Sam Reynolds|Edited by Omkar Godbole Apr 16, 2026, 4:23 a.m. Make preferred on (Unsplash)What to know: Bitcoin developers are weighing a BitMEX Research proposal for a "canary" system that would only restrict vulnerable older wallets if a quantum-capable attacker proves the threat on-chain.The canary address would hold a bounty that only a quantum attacker could unlock, with any spend both triggering a retroactive freeze on vulnerable coins and publicly signaling that Bitcoin's sign

Source: https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2026/04/16/bitcoin-devs-float-quantum-tripwire-that-triggers-coin-freeze-only-if-attack-is-proven