Willy Woo says Bitcoin OGs will buy Satoshi's stash if a quantum hack occurs

cointelegraphPublished on 2025-12-14Last updated on 2025-12-14

Abstract

A debate emerged on social media regarding the potential scenario of a quantum computer hacking and dumping Satoshi Nakamoto’s 1 million BTC. YouTuber Josh Otten suggested this could crash Bitcoin's price to $3, but long-term holder Willy Woo countered that many original Bitcoin investors (OGs) would buy such a flash crash, ensuring the network's survival. Woo noted that around 4 million BTC in older "pay-to-public-key" (P2PK) addresses, including Satoshi's, are vulnerable because they expose public keys onchain, which a powerful quantum computer could use to derive private keys. Newer wallet types are more secure as they don’t reveal public keys. While some fear quantum computing could destroy crypto, experts like Blockstream’s Adam Back believe the threat is decades away, allowing time to adopt quantum-resistant cryptography. Analyst James Check added that the bigger risk is to Bitcoin’s market price, as the community is unlikely to preemptively freeze Satoshi’s coins before a quantum attack.

A debate broke out on social media on Saturday about the potential effects of a quantum computer hacking Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin (BTC) stash and then dumping those coins onto the market.

The debate began when YouTuber Josh Otten shared a price chart of BTC crashing to $3.00 and said that this could happen if a sufficiently powerful quantum computer emerges and steals pseudonymous Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto’s 1 million BTC and sells them.

“Many OGs would buy the flash crash. The Bitcoin network would survive; most coins are not immediately vulnerable,” long-term Bitcoin holder Willy Woo said.

Source: Josh Otten

However, there are about 4 million BTC held in pay-to-public-key (P2PK) addresses, including Satoshi’s coins, which show the full public key onchain when coins are spent, making them vulnerable to quantum attacks, Woo added.

Exposing a Bitcoin wallet’s full public key onchain exposes these wallets to quantum attacks in the future because a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could theoretically derive the private key from the public key in the future

Newer types of BTC wallet addresses are not as vulnerable to quantum attacks because they do not expose the full public keys onchain, and if the public key is not known, then a quantum computer cannot generate the paired private key from that data.

Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin holdings. Source: Arkham Intelligence

The Bitcoin and crypto communities continue to debate the potential effects of quantum computing on Bitcoin and the encryption technology that underpins cryptocurrencies, with some arguing that quantum computing will be the death of the industry.

Related: VanEck boss questions Bitcoin’s privacy, encryption against quantum tech

Bitcoin OG Adam Back says the threat of quantum computers is decades away

Adam Back, an early Bitcoin holder, cypherpunk and co-founder of Bitcoin technology company Blockstream, said that BTC will not face a quantum threat in the next 20-40 years.

Back argued that there is plenty of time to adopt post-quantum cryptography standards, which already exist, before a quantum computer powerful enough to crack modern encryption and cybersecurity standards is built.

Market analyst James Check said that quantum computing does not threaten Bitcoin’s technology because users will migrate to quantum-resistant addresses by the time a viable quantum computer emerges.

The quantum threat poses more of a threat to Bitcoin’s market price because there is “no chance” that the Bitcoin community will agree to freeze Satoshi’s coins before a quantum computer hacks his wallets and puts the coins back into circulation, Check said.

Magazine: Quantum attacking Bitcoin would be a waste of time: Kevin O’Leary

Related Reads

Hyperliquid Sued by Two Major Traditional Exchanges

Hyperliquid, a cryptocurrency derivatives platform, is facing formal complaints from two major traditional exchanges, CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) and ICE (Intercontinental Exchange, parent company of the New York Stock Exchange). The firms have jointly approached the U.S. Congress and the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission), urging stricter regulatory oversight of Hyperliquid's operations. The action highlights growing tensions between established traditional financial institutions and emerging crypto-native platforms in the derivatives market.

链捕手2h ago

Hyperliquid Sued by Two Major Traditional Exchanges

链捕手2h ago

Breaking: OpenAI Undergoes Major Reorganization, President Brockman Assumes Command

OpenAI has announced a major internal reorganization just months before its anticipated IPO. The company is merging its three flagship product lines—ChatGPT, Codex, and the API platform—into a single, unified product organization. The most significant leadership change involves co-founder and President Greg Brockman moving from a background technical role to take full, permanent control over all product strategy. This follows the indefinite medical leave of AGI Deployment CEO Fidji Simo. Additionally, ChatGPT's longtime lead, Nick Turley, has been reassigned to enterprise products, with former Instagram executive Ashley Alexander taking over consumer offerings. The consolidation, internally framed as a strategic move towards an "Agentic Future," aims to break down internal silos and create a cohesive "Super App." This planned desktop application would integrate ChatGPT's conversational abilities, Codex's coding power, and a rumored internal web browser named "Atlas" to autonomously perform complex user tasks. The reorganization occurs amid significant internal and external pressures. OpenAI has recently seen a wave of high-profile departures, including Sora co-lead Bill Peebles and other senior technical leaders, leading to concerns about a thinning executive bench. Externally, rival Anthropic recently secured funding at a staggering $900 billion valuation, surpassing OpenAI's own. Google's upcoming I/O developer conference also poses a competitive threat. Analysts suggest the dramatic restructure is a pre-IPO move to present a clearer, more focused narrative to Wall Street—streamlining operations and demonstrating decisive leadership under Brockman to counter internal turbulence and intense market competition.

marsbit2h ago

Breaking: OpenAI Undergoes Major Reorganization, President Brockman Assumes Command

marsbit2h ago

Two Survival Structures of Market Makers and Arbitrageurs

Market makers and arbitrageurs represent two distinct survival structures in high-frequency trading. Market makers primarily use limit orders (makers) to profit from the bid-ask spread, enjoying high capital efficiency (nominally 100%) but bearing inventory risk. This "inventory risk" arises from passive, fragmented, and discontinuous order fills in the limit order book (LOB). This risk, while a potential cost, can also contribute to excess profit if managed within control boundaries, allowing for mean reversion. Market makers essentially sell "time" (uncertainty over execution timing) to the market for price control and low fees. In contrast, cross-exchange arbitrageurs typically use market orders (takers) to exploit price differences or funding rates, resulting in lower nominal capital efficiency (requiring capital on both exchanges) and higher transaction costs. Their risk exposure stems from asymmetries in exchange rules (e.g., minimum order sizes), execution latency, and infrastructure risks (e.g., ADL, oracle drift). These exposures are active, exogenous gaps that primarily erode profits rather than contribute to them. Arbitrageurs essentially sell "space" (capital sunk across venues) for localized, immediate certainty. Both strategies engage in a trade-off between execution friction and residual risk. Optimal systems allow for temporary, controlled risk exposure rather than enforcing zero exposure at all costs. Their evolution converges towards hybrid models: arbitrageurs may use maker orders to reduce costs, while market makers may use taker orders or hedges for risk management. Ultimately, both use different forms of risk exposure—market makers exposing inventory, arbitrageurs immobilizing capital—to extract marginal, hard-won certainty from the market.

链捕手2h ago

Two Survival Structures of Market Makers and Arbitrageurs

链捕手2h ago

Bitcoin Short-Term Holder Basis Remains High Within Biggest Supply Cluster

Bitcoin's recent recovery from February lows is approaching a critical supply cluster between $84,000 and $88,000, which holds the largest concentration of Bitcoin supply on the current chart. This zone represents the cost basis for short-term holders (investors who bought within the last 155 days) and is stacked with "trapped" sellers who bought near those levels and are now at breakeven. Technical analysis suggests the rally faces significant resistance in this area. Two primary scenarios are outlined: a direct push into the $84k-$86k zone followed by a rejection and pullback to $70,000 support, or a more volatile path involving a dip before testing the supply cluster. A weekly close above $84,000 would weaken the bearish rejection case, but a decisive break above $86,900-$88,000 is needed for a stronger bullish confirmation. Bitcoin is currently trading around $80,430.

bitcoinist2h ago

Bitcoin Short-Term Holder Basis Remains High Within Biggest Supply Cluster

bitcoinist2h ago

Who Will Define the Rules of the AI Era? Anthropic Discusses the 2028 US-China AI Landscape

This article, based on Anthropic's analysis, outlines the intensifying systemic competition between the U.S./allies and China for AI leadership by 2028. It argues that access to advanced computing power ("compute") is the critical bottleneck, where the U.S. currently holds a significant advantage through chip export controls and allied innovation. However, China's AI labs remain competitive by exploiting policy loopholes—via chip smuggling, overseas data center access, and "model distillation" attacks to copy U.S. model capabilities—keeping them close to the frontier. The piece presents two contrasting scenarios for 2028. In the first, decisive U.S. action to tighten compute controls and curb distillation locks in a 12-24 month AI capability lead, cementing democratic influence over global AI norms, security, and economic infrastructure. In the second, policy inaction allows China to achieve near-parity through continued access to U.S. technology, enabling Beijing to promote its AI stack globally and integrate advanced AI into its military and governance systems, altering the strategic balance. Anthropic contends that maintaining a decisive U.S. lead is essential for shaping safe AI development and governance. The core recommendation is for U.S. policymakers to urgently close compute and model access loopholes while promoting global adoption of the U.S. AI technology stack to secure a lasting strategic advantage.

marsbit4h ago

Who Will Define the Rules of the AI Era? Anthropic Discusses the 2028 US-China AI Landscape

marsbit4h ago

Trading

Spot
Futures

Hot Articles

How to Buy WOO

Welcome to HTX.com! We've made purchasing WOO (WOO) simple and convenient. Follow our step-by-step guide to embark on your crypto journey.Step 1: Create Your HTX AccountUse your email or phone number to sign up for a free account on HTX. Experience a hassle-free registration journey and unlock all features.Get My AccountStep 2: Go to Buy Crypto and Choose Your Payment MethodCredit/Debit Card: Use your Visa or Mastercard to buy WOO (WOO) instantly.Balance: Use funds from your HTX account balance to trade seamlessly.Third Parties: We've added popular payment methods such as Google Pay and Apple Pay to enhance convenience.P2P: Trade directly with other users on HTX.Over-the-Counter (OTC): We offer tailor-made services and competitive exchange rates for traders.Step 3: Store Your WOO (WOO)After purchasing your WOO (WOO), store it in your HTX account. Alternatively, you can send it elsewhere via blockchain transfer or use it to trade other cryptocurrencies.Step 4: Trade WOO (WOO)Easily trade WOO (WOO) on HTX's spot market. Simply access your account, select your trading pair, execute your trades, and monitor in real-time. We offer a user-friendly experience for both beginners and seasoned traders.

1.9k Total ViewsPublished 2024.03.29Updated 2025.05.06

How to Buy WOO

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of WOO (WOO) are presented below.

活动图片

Top Questions