Nine crypto firms established a quantum alliance today, with the core dispute being whether to freeze vulnerable assets.

The Quantum Alliance, a consortium of nine crypto firms, was launched today. Publicly disclosed members include security company Hacken, Charles Hoskinson’s Midnight Foundation, quantum-resistant Layer 1 blockchain Quantus, and Postquant Labs; additional members have not yet been individually named. The alliance will develop common security standards for blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. It is estimated that roughly 6.4 million Bitcoin—representing 30.2% of the total supply—have exposed public keys, including around 1.1 million linked to Satoshi Nakamoto. Existing quantum computers are not yet capable of stealing these assets. However, the Quantum Alliance has significant internal divisions over the quantum threat timeline and response strategies. Bryn Bennett, chief revenue officer at The Vault, stated no one knows the exact date, but estimates of when quantum threats will become actionable are constantly advancing. Richard Carback, CTO of Postquant Labs, believes 2028 is a realistic timeline. The core debate centers on whether to freeze vulnerable assets. Carback advocates for transferring rather than freezing, while Bennett points out that freezing is a governance decision for the Bitcoin network, and any freeze would set a precedent that trades property rights and network neutrality for quantum risk. Previously, CZ suggested freezing Satoshi’s Bitcoin, and developer Jameson Lopp also proposed restricting vulnerable tokens, though critics argue this violates Bitcoin’s fundamental promise of non-seizure. Moving forward, the alliance plans to publish joint security testing and migration guidelines.