Quantum Computing Threat Puts Crypto on Notice, Says BOLTS CEO

Quantum computing is emerging as a double‑edged sword for digital finance, offering enormous computational power while threatening to crack the cryptographic foundations of today’s blockchain systems, BOLTS Technologies CEO Yoon Auh told Schwab Network in a recent studio interview. He argued that if nation‑states reach effective quantum capability first, the most popular cryptographic algorithms securing digital assets, including leading public and private blockchains, could be broken, making quantum a structurally bearish force for traditional crypto as it exists today.

Auh pointed to the U.S. Quantum Preparedness Act of 2022 and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s approval of several quantum‑resilient cryptographic standards as early policy responses, but stressed that no algorithm other than the theoretical one‑time pad is provably unbreakable. Because candidate post‑quantum schemes have already failed during evaluation and dozens of variants are in the pipeline, he argued that the only realistic strategy is “crypto agility”: designing systems so asset owners can rapidly swap and upgrade the cryptography guarding their digital assets as risks evolve.

The CEO noted that major governments are heavily funding quantum research, with China’s spending and space‑based programs cited as especially aggressive, turning the race for quantum advantage into a contest for informational supremacy and national security leverage. As regulators in the U.S., Europe and Asia converge on stricter quantum‑preparedness timelines, and as blockchain projects from Bitcoin and Ethereum to private financial ledgers begin exploring post‑quantum options, Auh said investor focus will increasingly shift to which chains are both quantum‑ready and cryptographically agile.

Source: Schwab Network – “Quantum Computing's Risk to Crypto & Finding Flexible Solutions” (YouTube, Dec 2025