BTQ launches Bitcoin Quantum testnet with first quantum-safe fork of Bitcoin

The testnet replaces Bitcoin’s ECDSA signatures with NIST-approved ML-DSA as part of BTQ’s push to safeguard nearly $2T in BTC from future quantum threats.

BTQ Technologies has launched the Bitcoin Quantum testnet, marking the first quantum-safe fork of Bitcoin, 17 years after the original genesis block.

The testnet replaces Bitcoin’s quantum-vulnerable ECDSA signatures with ML-DSA, the NIST-standardized cryptographic algorithm mandated for US national security systems. BTQ’s live testnet allows developers, miners, researchers, and users to engage with a permissionless quantum-resistant Bitcoin network.

CEO Olivier Roussy Newton described the launch as a proactive step to protect Bitcoin’s security model before the arrival of cryptographically relevant quantum computers:

“We’re providing a live, open environment for the industry to test and refine quantum-resistant solutions before the threat arrives.”

BTQ’s effort has drawn validation from Delphi Digital, which called the network a “quantum canary” for the crypto industry. The firm also noted that Satoshi Nakamoto’s estimated 600,000 to 1.1 million BTC holdings are among the assets exposed to future quantum threats.

BTQ plans to accumulate testnet rewards as a strategic treasury asset and may capture early value as institutions move toward quantum-safe on-chain infrastructure.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Estefano Gomez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.