Charles Hoskinson, co-founder of Cardano, warned that Bitcoin could lose its position as the largest cryptocurrency if its governance system cannot regulate the response to quantum computing.
summary
- Hoskinson says Bitcoin could lose its lead if management cannot successfully coordinate a timely quantum security upgrade.
- Bitcoin developers are already discussing post-quantum migration plans, including BIP 361 and new signature designs.
- Cardano onchain governance allows ADA holders to vote on upgrades, but coordination disputes have also emerged.
He made the comments during an interview with The Starting Block published on July 24. Hoskinson described Bitcoin as “frozen in time” because major changes require broad agreement between developers, miners, node operators and users. He said Cardano’s formal voting system gives his community a clearer path to approving upgrades. His comments provide a governance argument rather than evidence of an immediate quantitative attack.
Hoskinson positions quantum security as a test of governance
Bitcoin relies on elliptic curve cryptography to prove ownership of funds. In theory, a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could extract private keys from exposed public keys and allow transactions without the owner’s consent. the US National Institute of Standards and Technology He describes this as a future risk and has already standardized algorithms designed to resist quantum attacks.
Hoskinson said quantum computing will test whether bitcoin can change without weakening the qualities that underpin its value. He said that Bitcoin may not remain the leading cryptocurrency if its management cannot make progress. But he did not name another network that would replace it or specify a date for the threat.
Bitcoin developers are already considering migration options
Bitcoin does not have an official on-chain voting body. Developers can suggest code, but users and node operators decide whether to run it or not. Miners, exchanges, and wallet providers also influence whether an upgrade will have enough support. This slow process avoids frequent rule changes, although it may make urgent coordination more difficult.
Work on quantum resistance is already active. Bitcoin Optic I tracked BIP 361, which shows a gradual move away from current ECDSA and Schnorr signatures after developers opt for a post-quantum system. Other proposals cover new address formats, hybrid signatures, and recovery paths. These ideas are still under review.
Any such change would also need long-dormant wallets, exchanges, custodians, and holders to migrate funds without slicing up the network or creating conflicting ownership rules during a limited transition period.
Some researchers appreciation Millions of BTC are held at addresses whose public keys are visible. These currencies may face greater exposure if a capable quantum computer emerges. The timing remains uncertain, and researchers continue to debate which currencies should move, freeze, or remain spendable.
Cardano refers to the official onchain governance
Cardano completed its transition to full community governance through the Plomin hard fork in January 2025. ADA holders can vote directly or delegate voting power to representatives known as DReps. Share pool operators and the Constitutional Committee also participate in selected decisions. The system can approve hard forks and on-chain treasury withdrawals.
Hoskinson said Cardano could use this structure to vote on migration away from quantum weak infrastructure. However, Cardano has not completed such a migration. Its management system still has to evaluate technical designs, approve funding and organize users, developers and service providers around any change.
This process has also produced conflicts.Cardano delegates unacceptable Or challenged several proposals related to Hoskinson and Input Output through 2026. One of the proposals included research into Leios scaling and quantum-resistant cryptography. A formal vote does not guarantee approval of the founder-backed plan.
Cardano is preparing scaling work along with security research
Hoskinson also said that Cardano is preparing for its biggest upgrade, and claimed that the network will become “60 times faster.” Development updates show that teams are testing Ouroboros Leios, a design that aims to increase throughput by separating cluster roles and allowing more work in parallel. Developers continue to integrate the prototype with the Cardano node software.
The 60x figure remains Hoskinson’s estimate and not a result measured from the live network. The Leios system still requires testing, technical review, and management approval. Cardano latest Van Rossem solid fork It shows that DReps, equity pool operators and the Constitutional Committee can coordinate the upgrade process.
Hoskinson described Cardano as the “spiritual successor” to Bitcoin because it maintains a fixed-supply monetary model while adding smart contracts and formal governance. Bitcoin proponents may balk at this comparison, since Bitcoin’s limited change process forms part of its security model. Bitcoin relies on broad off-chain consensus, while Cardano records many decisions directly on-chain.
The quantum issue remains open for both networks. Bitcoin developers design the migration options, while Cardano funds the research and builds governance tools. Neither network has deployed a complete post-quantum transaction system. The practical test will come when developers agree on secure encryption and communities must decide how to move users and funds.
