Bitcoin Proposal BIP-361 to Freeze Quantum-Vulnerable Addresses Sparks Community Debate

Gate News message, April 15 — Cypherpunk Jameson Lopp and several Bitcoin quantum security experts proposed Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP-361), suggesting the freezing of quantum-vulnerable addresses, including Satoshi Nakamoto's reserves, to prevent future quantum computers from stealing approximately 1.7 million BTC, according to Cointelegraph.

The proposal outlines a three-phase implementation: first, prohibiting transfers to legacy addresses; second, invalidating legacy signatures and freezing unmigrated assets after five years; and third, allowing partial fund recovery through zero-knowledge proof mechanisms.

The proposal aims to drive network-wide migration to quantum-resistant addresses but has faced opposition from some community members who argue it contradicts Bitcoin's decentralization principles and characterize it as authoritarian and predatory.