The Truth About Google’s ‘Bitcoin-Killer’ Quantum Computer
The quantum threat to Bitcoin? Let’s talk real numbers vs hype
Does Google’s new Willow quantum chip spell the end for Bitcoin? With its ability to solve problems in 5 minutes that would take classical computers 10 septillion* years, you might think so. But hold off on panic-selling your crypto — the gap between Willow’s capabilities and what’s needed to crack Bitcoin’s encryption is more like a galaxy than a gap.
*1 septillion = 1 trillion trillion = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
Here’s the thing about Willow: while 105 qubits is impressive progress, breaking Bitcoin’s encryption in just one day would need about 13 million qubits. That’s not a typo — we’re talking about needing roughly 124,000 Willow-level chips working together to pose a real threat. Even stretching the timeline to a full year would still require 340 of these cutting-edge chips. In other words, we’re not exactly on the brink of a quantum apocalypse.
This article first appeared in my free newsletter — The Drew Report — the antidote to crypto BS
What’s exciting about Willow isn’t just its raw computing power — it’s the breakthrough in error correction. Quantum computers are incredibly glitchy by nature. Think of them as super-powerful but super-unstable calculators where the numbers keep randomly changing. Google’s progress in reducing these errors matters because stable, reliable quantum computing is essential for any serious cryptographic attacks.
The crypto industry isn’t just twiddling its thumbs waiting for quantum computers to catch up, either. Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin and countless other developers are already working on quantum-resistant algorithms. The crypto world is designing next-gen armour while quantum computing is still trying to build its first effective weapon.
For anyone wondering what this means for their Bitcoin holdings: Willow is like seeing the first working prototype of an experimental drill when your safe is rated to withstand industrial diamond-tipped machinery. Sure, it’s an impressive technology that shows where things might go, but we’re still years away from any direct threat to cryptocurrency security.
The real milestone to watch isn’t just how many qubits these quantum computers have — it’s whether they can maintain stability with millions of qubits working together. That’s the point where crypto will need its quantum-resistant solutions ready to deploy. Until then, Willow represents exactly what it is: a significant step forward in quantum computing that, while impressive, isn’t keeping Bitcoin developers up at night.
So no, Google’s Willow isn’t spelling the end for Bitcoin. But it is a helpful reminder that crypto security, like all technology, needs to keep evolving. Fortunately, that’s something the industry has gotten pretty good at.
CoinDesk: What Does Google’s Quantum Computing Chip Mean for Bitcoin?
Cointelegraph: Could quantum computing threaten Satoshi Nakamoto’s 1 million Bitcoin?
This article first appeared in my free newsletter — The Drew Report — the antidote to crypto BS
