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Willow quantum chip demonstrates verifiable quantum advantage on hardware

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429 points AbhishekParmar | 2 comments | 22 Oct 25 15:16 UTC | HN request time: 0.559s | source
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andy_ppp ◴[22 Oct 25 23:11 UTC] No.45676328[source]▶
I would be quite worried about advances in quantum computers if I had any Bitcoin after watching this DEFCON talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkVYJx1iLNs
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IAmGraydon ◴[22 Oct 25 23:27 UTC] No.45676454[source]▶
Every time I mention quantum computing as a threat to crypto (which I have been for years), I get downvoted to oblivion. I guess we have a lot of HODLers here. A bet on crypto is a bet against quantum computing.
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tsimionescu ◴[23 Oct 25 00:05 UTC] No.45676692[source]▶
I haven't once even thought of investing in crypto, and think that the technology is mostly useless and proof of work schemes should be banned on environmental grounds.

Even so, I don't agree that quantum is a threat to crypto. There are already well known quantum-resistant encryption schemes being deployed live in browsers, today. Crypto can just start adopting one of these schemes today, and we're still probably decades away from a QC that can factor the kinds of primes that crypto security uses. The transition will be slightly more complex for proof of work schemes, since those typically have dedicated hardware - but other types of crypto coins can switch in months, most likely, if they decide to, at least by offering new wallet types or something.

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1. IAmGraydon ◴[23 Oct 25 01:07 UTC] No.45677073[source]▶
>There are already well known quantum-resistant encryption schemes being deployed live in browsers, today. Crypto can just start adopting one of these schemes today, and we're still probably decades away from a QC that can factor the kinds of primes that crypto security uses.

It's very strange that some people act like switching over to a post quantum cryptography scheme is trivial. Did you watch the video I replied to, which is a talk by an actual quantum computing researcher?

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2. Jommi ◴[23 Oct 25 08:03 UTC] No.45679402[source]▶
https://ethresear.ch/t/how-to-hard-fork-to-save-most-users-f...