The Blockspace Pod: How Bitcoin engineers are solving the quantum risk

Jan 24, 2026

A technical deep dive into how Bitcoin could survive quantum computers. Short explorations of hash-based, lattice-based and STARK aggregation approaches. Discussion of proposals like BIP 360, OP_CAT and BIP 347 and their trade offs. A look at the huge signature sizes, block space impact and the massive logistics of migrating millions of addresses before Q-Day.

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INSIGHT

Signature Size Drives Big Trade-Offs

Quantum-resistant signatures are currently orders of magnitude larger than Bitcoin's 64-byte signatures.
Larger signatures would cut Bitcoin capacity and raise fees materially.

INSIGHT

Hash Schemes Are Safe But Huge

Hash-based signatures are well-studied and rely on simple assumptions like hash preimage resistance.
Their main drawback is extreme size: 7,000–17,000 bytes per signature.

INSIGHT

Lattice Options Offer Size But Less Vetting

Lattice-based schemes like Falcon and Dilithium are far more compact and fast to verify.
They carry more uncertainty because they are newer and less battle-tested.

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Is Bitcoin ready for the quantum threat? Join Charlie Spears as he explores technical solutions like BIP 360 and OP_CAT. We dive into the massive trade-offs of quantum-resistant signatures and the logistical nightmare of migrating millions of addresses to keep the network secure.

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Tackling the technical battle to protect Bitcoin from quantum computers. We explore why quantum-resistant signatures are up to 100x larger than current ones and the impact this has on block space and fees. From lattice-based math to STARK-based compression, Charlie breaks down the leading proposals like BIP 360 and BIP 347. We also calculate the "migration" timeline—how long it would actually take to move every Bitcoin to a safe address before "Q-Day" arrives.

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Notes:

* Quantum signatures can reach 17,000 bytes (500x!)

* Optimized hash signatures are 50x larger.

* Full BTC migration takes 76 to 142 days.

* There are 190 million unspent BTC outputs.

Timestamps:

00:00 Start

05:31 Hash based signatures

08:17 Adoption

12:17 Bitcoin uniquely exposed

14:38 Proposals

17:39 Going forward

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