<strong>Quantum computers and the Blockchain</strong>

Technology is starting to accelerate at exponential speeds. Quantum computers are quickly becoming a reality as NASA, the CIA and Google are already using early versions of the technology.

![maxresdefault.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbQ2cn5M6L3KGi7zNyJKm5dCte4Mt12MY4A9TGgAUu3u4/maxresdefault.jpg)

Quantum computers are so powerful they may actually be able to decrypt Bitcoin and allow the user of the computer to steal the currency from whomever they want. Scary thought huh? Welcome to the future.

<blockquote>Bitcoin recipients share their public key with the sender. To spend bitcoin, a bitcoin owner must use their private key. If another party learns the private key, that party can spend all the bitcoin. Martin Tomlinson, a professor at the Security, Communications and Networking Research Centre in Plymouth University, said a quantum computer can calculate the private key from the public one in a minute or two. By learning all the private keys, someone would have access to all available bitcoin.</blockquote>

Though there are rudimentary forms of the quantum computer being used today, there is still no fully legitimate version being used even though Canada's D-Wave claims to have a fully functioning version. A claim scientists are refuting.

<blockquote>To protect bitcoin from quantum computers, new cryptography standards must be incorporated into the bitcoin protocol. Such technologies exist already. Llew Claasen, executive director of the Bitcoin Foundation, said many cryptographers already are working on a solution to phase in quantum-proof technologies to the bitcoin network.</blockquote>

<blockquote>The question will be in deploying them.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Bitcoin is doomed, according to Tomlinson. Any disruption that requires the bitcoin community’s consensus, something that can’t even be accomplished with the cryptocurrency’s transaction limit problem. The transaction limit problem is simple compared to reworking the complete digital signature method, Tomlinson said.</blockquote>

Videos explaining quantum computers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_IaVepNDT4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhHMJCUmq28

Video discussing the threat of Quantum computers on the Blockchain community.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiYFqsQEACY

There is a new coin on the market that claims to be quantum computer resistant http://coinmarketcap.com/assets/quantum-resistant-ledger/ 
Although more research has to be done on why they claim to be resistant to quantum computers. At the moment I am just making a note that they exist, but don't know why they claim to be able to resist a technology that doesn't fully exist yet. 

I think quantum computers put all currencies in a shadow of doubt unless they can adapt, in fact all of society will have to adapt to a quantum computer reality. Till then we have 5 or so years till all of this becomes an issue.

Quantum computers will be an issue for everything in the future, if it can decrypt BTC coins it can certainly decrypt passwords for bank accounts, etc. I think that's where biometric protections start to come in play more. But also, in my mind it brings about the larger issue. The validity of currency based on technology. Technology is ever changing, 5 years from now the technology for BTC will be even more dated and antiquated which is one of the reasons for the proposed fork in Aug. The point is it's going to be hard to have a currency based off of technology when every few years technology increases to the point that the technology from a couple years back becomes dated. Then again if we look at the dollar for example, the dollar has evolved against counterfeiting techniques over time, from the simple paper dollar to the ones we have today which modified the old tech to include the new tech. That is what is going to have to happen to cryptocurrencies in order to survive.

Quote source: https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/quantum-computers-will-destroy-bitcoin-scientists-warn/

<center>![1379869_1388768811359470_1133018570_n.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmTYnQ95NsXL2UpcuVNBsiDkWSSPD8JcJrFV9Jw8hf49ck/1379869_1388768811359470_1133018570_n.jpg)
</center>
<center><hr><a href="https://steemit.com/@wvm"><img src="https://steemitimages.com/0x0/ Follow me on Steemit click below.![follow.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmeGSGHeW7QiZuUixXZBgoAZ15eXZPcvyftoPsK5g6b1ck/WVM%20Logo%20BC%20HEAD.jpg)" alt="follow.jpg"></a><hr></center>