Prominent Strategist 'Abandons' Bitcoin, Citing 'Fears of Quantum Computing's Imminent Realization'
Christopher Wood, Global Head of Equity Strategy at Jefferies, has completely removed Bitcoin from his investment portfolio due to concerns that rapid advancements in quantum computing could undermine the cryptocurrency's security. In a column published on January 16, Wood argued that progress in quantum computing threatens Bitcoin’s role as a "reliable store of value," particularly for long-term investors like pension funds.
He liquidated the 10% Bitcoin allocation in his portfolio model, reallocating the funds into 5% physical gold and 5% gold mining stocks. Wood explained that his decision was driven by fears that quantum computing could break Bitcoin’s encryption algorithms, potentially within a few years rather than decades. Such technology could reverse-engineer private keys used to authorize transactions, fundamentally damaging Bitcoin’s value proposition as a digital alternative to gold.
A former early institutional supporter of Bitcoin, Wood had initially added it to his portfolio in December 2020 amid pandemic-era stimulus measures and concerns over dollar devaluation, later increasing the allocation to 10% in 2021. He now believes that the long-term risks posed by quantum computing are beneficial for gold, which he describes as a historically proven hedge in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment.
华尔街日报01/17 01:54
