BTQ Technologies published a research paper concluding quantum Bitcoin mining is physically and economically impractical, emphasizing signature vulnerabilities and reinforcing its Bitcoin Quantum and QPoW initiatives.
Key takeaways
Quantum Bitcoin mining requires ~10^8 physical qubits and 10^4 MW in best-case scenario, comparable to a national grid.
At January 2025 Bitcoin difficulty, needs ~10^23 qubits and 10^25 watts, approaching star-level energy.
Real near-term quantum threat is signature vulnerability via Shor's algorithm, not Grover-based mining.
Supports BTQ's Bitcoin Quantum testnet with post-quantum cryptography like ML-DSA and BIP 360.
QPoW offers quantum-native consensus, modeled at 0.25 kWh per 10-minute block vs. 390 kWh classical equivalent.
Paper by Pierre-Luc Dallaire-Demers available on arXiv.