The Bitcoin quantum proposal provides Satoshi Nakamoto with a control proof method

CoinWorld News reports that concerns about quantum computing and Bitcoin have long been tied to the Satoshi Nakamoto problem. Millions of bitcoins are stored in old wallets with exposed public keys, putting them at risk of theft when powerful quantum computers emerge—this includes about 1.1 million bitcoins belonging to Satoshi Nakamoto, currently valued at about $84 billion. To address this risk, developers such as Jameson Lopp have proposed the BIP-361 plan to gradually retire quantum-vulnerable addresses over the next five years and freeze any coins that have not been migrated. Paradigm’s Dan Robinson has proposed a new approach centered on the concept of Provable Address Control Timestamps (Pacts), which allows holders to generate proofs of ownership without moving their coins and submit those proofs when spending is needed. The protocol requires Bitcoin to eventually adopt the Stark verification protocol, which would require a soft fork backed by broad community consensus. Pacts offers a way to make the BIP-361 debate less binary, forcing a choice between preventing quantum theft and respecting dormant property rights.