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A group of Bitcoin (BTC) developers led by Jameson Lopp has proposed a plan that could freeze wallets considered vulnerable to quantum attacks. The proposal introduces a structured timeline that would force users to upgrade their wallets or risk losing access to funds. It reflects growing concern that advances in quantum computing could eventually break Bitcoin’s current cryptography.

Proposal sets deadlines for wallet upgrades

Specifically, the draft, known as BIP-361, was published on GitHub on April 14 and it outlines a phased transition away from older signature types. In the first phase, users would no longer be able to send Bitcoin to vulnerable address formats, pushing adoption of safer alternatives.

The second phase introduces a stricter cutoff. Wallets that fail to upgrade would lose the ability to send funds entirely, effectively locking coins in place. A third phase is still being discussed and could allow recovery through advanced cryptographic proofs.

Quantum risk drives urgency across the network

Cointelegraph recently published an article titled ‘Nobody knows if quantum secure cryptography will even work,’ for which Dr. Edoardo Persichetti, FAU Associate Professor, co-author of the NIST-standardized HQC, General Chair of EUROCRYPT 2026, and advisor at qLABS, said was technically misleading.

As he told TechGaged, the quantum threat is actually surgical in its precision and well-understood by the math community and “the article conflates the vulnerability of classical schemes with a generic uncertainty about all cryptographic hardness assumptions, which is simply incorrect.”

Meanwhile, developers cite projections that quantum computers capable of breaking current encryption could emerge between 2027 and 2030. At the same time, roughly 34% of Bitcoin’s supply has already exposed public keys, making those coins potential targets.

One concern is that attacks may not be immediately visible. Hackers could drain funds gradually without alerting the network. By setting a clear timeline, the proposal aims to align the ecosystem before a crisis forces action.