A leading expert warns that quantum computing poses a significant long-term threat to Bitcoin’s security. Nic Carter, co-founder of Coin Metrics, has identified the technology as the most substantial risk to Bitcoin’s cryptography, particularly its reliance on the secp256k1 elliptic curve for deriving public keys from private ones. This process makes Bitcoin’s public keys vulnerable when transactions occur, potentially exposing them on the blockchain. Carter advises against using the same address multiple times in the near term to reduce exposure risks. Additionally, he emphasizes the urgent need for developing quantum-resistant signature schemes and planning a transition to new cryptographic methods in the long term, as this will be crucial for survival in a post-quantum world.