Bitcoin Developers Kick Off Quantum-Safety Track With BIP-360
Bitcoin developers have advanced quantum-resistance efforts by merging an updated draft of BIP-360 into the official repository. The proposal introduces Pay-to-Merkle-Root (P2MR), a new SegWit v2 output type that removes Taproot’s key-path spend—deemed most vulnerable to quantum attacks—while retaining script-tree functionality. P2MR addresses long-exposure quantum risks, where public keys remain on-chain for extended periods, but does not protect against short-exposure attacks targeting unconfirmed transactions. As a soft fork, it creates a new address type (bc1z) without affecting existing Taproot outputs. Trade-offs include larger witness sizes and reduced privacy, as all spends reveal script usage. The proposal marks a concrete step in formalizing quantum-preparedness, though future work on post-quantum signatures may be needed.
bitcoinist02/13 17:01
