There was another market buzz this week about quantum computers cracking Bitcoin, the kind of discussion that usually gets heated when BTC is on sale and someone tries to combine price uncertainty with a compelling narrative, but this time Adam Back stepped in and wrapped up the whole story with a single explanation that might have broken the ice for some.
For those unfamiliar, Buck was one of the early cypherpunks, and HBO openly hangs his name next to Peter Todd in the collective framework of Satoshi. As he made clear, the “Q-Day” perspective is disconnected from the actual engineering timeline and has no operational relevance for the network.
He thinks it will be at least 20 to 40 years before anything dangerous emerges, and even that estimate is a little cautious.
By the time quantum hardware reaches that level, Bitcoin will have undergone numerous consensus-wide evaluations and post-quantum signatures will already be built in. Because these tools are not just hypotheses; they already exist.
market theater
Buck also talked about the ever-present subtext on this topic. Some parties may simply be trying to sway holders and get their hands on cheaper coins, but this is a tactic the market has seen many times before. As soon as fear takes hold, liquidity dries up, bids drop, and patient buyers hang on.
Perhaps they are trying to surprise the market with cheap Bitcoin. They do this sometimes.
— Adam Back (@adam3us) November 15, 2025
His message basically boils down the issue to one conclusion. Bitcoin will never be exposed, vulnerable, or competed with an imaginary countdown. Networks have time, tools, and a clear path, and the Quantum Horror Cycle is much more useful for a story than one based in reality.
