Dan Robinson proposes PACTs for dormant Bitcoin against quantum threats
Updated
Updated · Bitcoin.com News · May 2
Dan Robinson proposes PACTs for dormant Bitcoin against quantum threats
11 articles · Updated · Bitcoin.com News · May 2
The May 1 proposal could help protect about 1.1 million BTC, worth roughly $75 billion, in Satoshi-linked wallets without any onchain transaction or public signal.
PACTs use a secret salt, BIP-322 signatures and OpenTimestamps now, with any future recovery path requiring STARK verification support and broader Bitcoin community consensus.
Robinson said the design is illustrative, may not cover multisig, complex scripts or custodial accounts, and depends on whether Bitcoin ever adopts a quantum-related sunset soft fork.
How might dormant Satoshi-era coins be rescued if consensus on PACTs or quantum migration never materializes?
Could Bitcoin’s slow upgrade process leave billions vulnerable if quantum computers arrive before PACTs or other protections are widely adopted?
Protecting $450 Billion in Bitcoin: Urgent Quantum Threat and the 2026-2030 Security Countdown
Overview
Advances in quantum computing, led by breakthroughs from IBM and IonQ, are expected to produce machines capable of breaking Bitcoin's current cryptography between 2027 and 2030. Over 34% of Bitcoin, including Satoshi Nakamoto's 1.1 million BTC, is stored in vulnerable addresses with exposed public keys, risking mass theft once quantum computers emerge. To address this, proposals like BIP-361 suggest forced migration and freezing of these coins, sparking debate over Bitcoin's core principles of sovereignty and immutability. Alternatively, Dan Robinson's PACTs offer a privacy-preserving way for holders to prove ownership before the threat, enabling secure recovery without immediate coin movement. Meanwhile, developers, exchanges, and users must urgently adopt quantum-resistant solutions to safeguard Bitcoin's future.