Galaxy leads push for quantum-resistant Bitcoin security

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Galaxy boosts Bitcoin security

Highlights

Galaxy committed up to $5 million.
Grants will support post-quantum Bitcoin research.
The program includes research and expert oversight.
Galaxy wants broader industry participation.

The initiative combines developer funding, academic research, and technical oversight through a newly established advisory council, according to Galaxy's official website. The company said it will immediately begin accepting grant applications for projects focused on post-quantum cryptography, while Galaxy Research will publish analysis on emerging quantum risks facing the Bitcoin network.

Funding research before the threat arrives

Bitcoin currently relies on elliptic curve cryptography, a security system that experts believe could eventually be broken by a sufficiently powerful quantum computer. Although no machine today is capable of defeating Bitcoin's encryption, governments and standards organizations have accelerated preparations for a post-quantum world.

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology finalized its first post-quantum cryptography standards in 2024, while a recent executive order established 2031 as the deadline for federal agencies to transition away from vulnerable cryptographic systems.

Galaxy said its grant program will prioritize developers working on quantum-resistant transaction proposals, new digital signature schemes, wallet migration tools, and independent security audits. Funding will be distributed on a milestone basis rather than through fixed awards.

The company also created a Quantum Advisory Council that includes researchers from the University of Calgary, MIT, and Boston University to help evaluate grant proposals and guide future research.

Bitcoin faces a long upgrade process

Unlike centralized software platforms, Bitcoin cannot implement security upgrades quickly. Any protocol change requires broad agreement across developers, miners, businesses, and node operators, with review and testing often taking years.

Galaxy said one of its goals is to narrow the gap between rapid advances in quantum computing and the relatively limited number of developers currently focused on making Bitcoin resistant to future quantum attacks. The firm also encouraged other institutions to contribute funding or collaborate on research to accelerate industry-wide preparedness.

Preparing Bitcoin for the next generation of computing

The initiative highlights a growing shift from debating whether quantum computing poses a risk to planning for how Bitcoin should respond if that risk materializes. Because protocol upgrades can take years to develop and deploy, early investment in research may prove critical if quantum computing advances faster than expected. By combining funding, academic expertise, and technical research, Galaxy aims to help ensure Bitcoin's security evolves before quantum technology becomes a practical threat.

As we previously reported, Galaxy Digital becomes first public company to tokenize own shares.

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