StarkWare tests quantum-resistant Bitcoin transaction on mainnet
StarkWare researcher Avihu Levy completed what is described as the first quantum-resistant Bitcoin mainnet transaction. It was confirmed in block 964,199 and spent a 10,000-satoshi output using Levy’s Quantum Safe Bitcoin (QSB) scheme, routed through MARA Pool’s Slipstream service. QSB combines hash-based one-time signatures with transaction-specific computational binding so a forged spend would be prevented even if quantum computing broke Bitcoin’s current elliptic-curve cryptography. The test moves Levy’s April proposal from theory to an onchain demonstration, showing Bitcoin can support one quantum-resistant spending method without a protocol change. The approach is still expensive and impractical for routine use. StarkWare estimated the transaction cost around $150–$200 and said it took hours of computation. QSB is also nonstandard under Bitcoin Core relay rules, so it would not spread through normal nodes before confirmation. It is intended as a stopgap while Bitcoin developers consider broader protocol upgrades, including proposed soft forks for quantum-resistant keys.
