Bitcoin Quantum debuts on testnet and reignites debate on quantum security. The discussion about long-term risks has returned to the center of the crypto debate with the launch of the Bitcoin Quantum testnet, a network proposed to preventively address the threat of quantum computing. The initiative marks the 17th anniversary of Bitcoin's genesis block and is based on the principle that profound adaptations to the original protocol can take years to debate and implement. The testnet was launched by BTQ Technologies Corp. as an independent fork of Bitcoin, using post-quantum cryptography algorithms. The proposal is to replace potentially vulnerable structures with mechanisms that are more resistant to attacks from high-performance computers, creating a network designed from the ground up for this new technological landscape. According to BTQ CEO Olivier Roussy Newton, the project should be seen as a strategic anticipatory measure, rather than a response to an immediate threat. Although experts assess that the quantum risk will not yet be critical in 2026, the consensus is that the complexity of changes to Bitcoin's code base requires preparation well in advance. Because it operates as an autonomous blockchain, with its own token, block explorer, and independent mining, Bitcoin Quantum has also generated criticism within the community. Part of the market questions the legitimacy of the initiative, seen by some as opportunism around the Bitcoin name.