Founder of CryptoQuant Suggests Halting Old Bitcoin Addresses to Block Quantum Threats

CryptoQuant founder, Ki Young Ju, has proposed a preventive measure against potential quantum computer thefts by freezing old Bitcoin (BTC) addresses. He explains that all BTC held in old address types are equally at risk. Assets could either be frozen by design or stolen if quantum machines develop enough to crack BTC’s cryptography. Ju warns that even private keys stored securely may become useless if owners do not adopt protocol upgrades promptly. An estimated 6.89 million BTC are currently exposed to such threats, and about 3.4 million BTC have been dormant for over ten years. Despite the technical feasibility of freezing dormant BTC, reaching a community agreement remains a significant challenge due to the slow pace of social consensus and the potential conflict with the core philosophy of decentralization and user control.