Quantum Could Force Satoshi Nakamoto to Move His Bitcoins—If He’s Still Alive

Cypherpunk pioneer Adam Back, one of the earliest contributors to Bitcoin and cited in its original white paper, believes advances in quantum computing may eventually reveal whether Satoshi Nakamoto is still alive.

Speaking at the “Satoshi Spritz” event in Turin on April 18, Back said that a future quantum threat could force early Bitcoin holders—including Nakamoto—to move their funds. As he explained, quantum computers will one day be capable of breaking Bitcoin’s current cryptographic signatures, making it necessary for users to transfer their coins to quantum-resistant addresses.

“Quantum computers don’t pose a real risk today,” Back said. “But in 20 years, maybe they will. At that point, holders will have to act or lose their coins.”

Satoshi Nakamoto, who mined roughly 1 million BTC in Bitcoin’s early days, has never touched the funds. But if those coins are stored in addresses vulnerable to quantum attacks, they could become a target—raising the stakes for a decision on whether to move them.

Back argued that when the time comes, the Bitcoin network will likely avoid freezing or disabling old addresses, instead letting the market decide. “If quantum computers are out there, and labs have access, the network has a choice—let people steal the funds or force users to move them,” he said.

Back noted that future privacy upgrades could make it harder to know if the coins move at all. “There are some research efforts that could let us fix quantum vulnerabilities while maintaining privacy,” he said.

As for quantum-resistant solutions, Back said many options either lack proven security or are inefficient. He pointed to Lamport signatures—one of the oldest post-quantum options—as trustworthy but heavy, requiring tens of kilobytes per signature. He floated the idea of a Taproot-based upgrade that would allow users to adopt quantum-proof signatures only when needed.

In April, a new theory linking Jack Dorsey to Satoshi Nakamoto after financial news editor Seán Murray compiled a list of coincidences that he believes tie the Twitter co-founder to Bitcoin’s anonymous creator.

Murray presented dates, timestamps, and cryptographic clues, arguing that Dorsey is “probably” Satoshi. However, the evidence remains circumstantial, and many in the crypto space remain skeptical.

Murray pointed out that Bitcoin’s first-ever transaction occurred on Jan. 11, which happens to be Dorsey’s mother’s birthday, while the last block mined by Satoshi on March 5, 2010, coincides with his father’s birthday.