⚡️ Bitcoin quantum resistance proposed without protocol changes @avihu28, researcher at StarkWare, has published a scheme called Quantum Safe Bitcoin (QSB) that would make Bitcoin transactions resistant to quantum computer attacks while maintaining full compatibility with the existing protocol, requiring no consensus rule changes or soft forks. The proposal replaces reliance on elliptic curve cryptography with hash function-based assumptions, using ECDSA as a verification mechanism rather than a cryptographic foundation. At its core is a "hash-to-signature" puzzle built around the RIPEMD-160 function, with an estimated success probability of roughly one in 70.4 trillion attempts. Because the scheme depends on hash function properties rather than elliptic curve difficulty, it remains resistant to Shor's algorithm. A quantum attacker would only gain a quadratic speedup via Grover's algorithm, with the paper estimating approximately 118 bits of resistance against second pre-image attacks. The scheme operates within Bitcoin's existing scripting constraints. Notable trade-offs include transaction sizes that exceed standard relay policy limits, meaning QSB transactions would require direct transmission to miners via services such as Slipstream rather than propagating through the network under default settings. https://t.co/pT4JFA8KNm