A joint team of researchers from Theta Labs, MultiVM Labs, Eigen Labs, Trail of Bits, StarkWare, and the Ethereum Foundation published a research paper on Wednesday, September 10, 2026. The publication revealed a reduction in the quantum computing resources required to attack secp256k1 - the elliptic curve securing Bitcoin and Ethereum transaction signatures. With the help of AI coding agents, research participants slashed the circuit calculation load by up to 86%.
These results were achieved through the ECDSA.Fail open competition launched by Eigen Labs in late May, involving more than 100 participants. During the competition, AI agents were utilized to generate designs, implement code, and iteratively test circuit optimizations.
Calculations Drop to 1.496 Billion
The efficiency benchmark is calculated by multiplying the number of logical qubits by Toffoli gates. The lower the product, the fewer quantum computing resources are needed to launch a future attack. As of July 26, the benchmark score plummeted from 10.75 billion to 1.496 billion.
The leading design created by participants requires 1,151 logical qubits and approximately 1.3 million Toffoli gates. This score is roughly half of Google Quantum AI’s benchmark from March 2026, though differences in testing methodologies mean the two figures cannot be directly compared.
Private Keys Remain Untouched
Despite the sharp increase in circuit efficiency, the testing only verified mathematical circuit calculations, rather than breaking real-world Bitcoin private keys. The moment often referred to as “Q-Day” - the point when quantum computers possess sufficient computational power to execute a full attack - remains uncertain in terms of timing.
On the regulatory front, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has established standardization for post-quantum replacement algorithms. Through draft IR 8547, NIST proposed phasing out the use of classical 112-bit public-key algorithms after 2030 and enforcing a complete ban after 2035.
Anticipatory measures have also been bolstered through industry funding. In July, Galaxy Digital committed up to $5 million toward quantum defense research. Additionally, nine companies including BlackRock, Coinbase, and Strategy allocated a combined $15 million commitment over three years to fund Bitcoin security research, including bolstering defenses against quantum threats.
For crypto market participants, these computational advances serve as a concrete reminder that algorithm migration preparations must begin long before full-scale quantum computers actually arrive.
Sourced from Decrypt.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
