Michael Saylor Dismisses Quantum Threat to Bitcoin as Hype

Michael Saylor — the outspoken Bitcoin maximalist and executive chairman of Strategy — is once again in the spotlight. This time, he’s pushing back against rising anxiety in crypto circles about whether quantum computing could break Bitcoin. His take? It’s mostly overblown “marketing” to hype up so-called quantum tokens.

“It’s mainly marketing from people that want to sell you the next quantum yo-yo token.”
— Michael Saylor, CNBC interview

But is that really all there is to it?

Let’s break down what Saylor said, what the experts are saying, and why quantum computing still might deserve a second look from the crypto world.

Saylor’s Logic: Tech Giants Won’t Nuke Themselves

Saylor argues that tech giants like Google and Microsoft have zero incentive to release quantum tech that would destroy modern encryption. Why? Because they use the same cryptography to secure their own infrastructure — from Gmail to Azure to global payment systems.

In his view:

• If quantum computing does evolve that fast, Bitcoin will just update its code like it has in the past.
• Bitcoin is far less vulnerable than traditional banks or government systems.
• Phishing and social engineering, not quantum math, are the real risks to holders today.

In short, he thinks the fear narrative is driven by opportunists — not actual breakthroughs.

But Quantum Experts Disagree: Bitcoin Isn’t Ready

Skeptical of the chill-pill approach? So are many researchers.

Here’s what they’re warning:

• Project Eleven, a quantum R&D firm, identified over 10 million Bitcoin addresses where the public key is exposed. These are prime targets if quantum machines can crack elliptic curve cryptography (ECC).
• That puts over 6 million BTC at theoretical risk — about 30% of all Bitcoin.
• BlackRock (yes, that BlackRock) has flagged quantum computing as a real threat to Bitcoin in future investor risk disclosures.
• Google’s quantum AI team recently suggested cracking RSA 2048-bit encryption could be possible with 1M qubits — a goal that’s no longer purely sci-fi.

How Secure Is Bitcoin Right Now?

It’s a mixed bag:

So yeah, if you’ve reused your wallet address and that public key is out there, you’re technically on borrowed time — if quantum computers advance rapidly.

The Industry’s Response So Far

To their credit, developers aren’t ignoring this.

Some steps already underway:

• BTQ is creating quantum-resistant hardware wallets.
• Bitcoin devs are discussing a major upgrade to migrate funds to quantum-safe addresses.
• ERC-20 compatible post-quantum cryptography is being tested by newer protocols.

Still, the consensus is that the crypto industry isn’t fully prepared. A recent Presto Research report concluded:

“The entire sector lacks coordination in adopting post-quantum cryptography.”

And time could be running short — quantum progress is accelerating faster than Moore’s Law.

What Happens if a Quantum Computer Emerges Too Soon?

According to blockchain researcher Duchess, the risk boils down to timing.

“If a quantum computer can break a private key faster than a Bitcoin block gets confirmed (10 minutes), then we’re in trouble.”

That’s the real concern: front-running a transaction by calculating the private key and replacing it with a fake transaction.

Right now, that’s unrealistic.

But by 2030–2035? It may not be.

So, Should You Be Worried?

Not today. But not ignoring it either.

Here’s what you can do now to protect your crypto:

Best Practices for 2025 Bitcoin Holders

• Avoid reusing wallet addresses — use a new one for every transaction.
• Keep your seed phrase offline — don’t store it in your email or cloud.
• Consider multi-sig wallets for higher protection.
• Watch the dev community — follow any updates related to ECC upgrades.

If you’re a long-term HODLer, just know that this may become a real conversation sooner than expected. If you’re planning to hold Bitcoin through 2030, keep an eye on both tech breakthroughs and core Bitcoin developer discussions.

Final Take: Hype, Hope or Harbinger?

Michael Saylor might be right for now — there’s a lot of marketing noise around “quantum tokens.” But dismissing the threat altogether could backfire if quantum computing advances even one or two years ahead of schedule.

Crypto doesn’t need to fear the future — it just needs to prepare for it. Bitcoin survived forks, bans, crashes, and FUD. It can survive quantum too — but only if it doesn’t get caught sleeping.