AI reaches Bitcoin’s threat list before quantum does 🧠

Artificial intelligence poses a more immediate threat to Bitcoin security than quantum computing, according to Swan Bitcoin founder Cory Klippsten, who said hackers are using AI to probe cryptocurrency security weaknesses.

Speaking on Cointelegraph’s Chain Reaction, Klippsten dismissed much of the concern surrounding quantum computing as speculative and said advances in large language models present a more pressing challenge. “I think we’re finding out that the near term threat is actually AI. That it’s these LLMs in the hands of hackers going and poking through everything. And that’s where you see this over and over and over again.”

The warning came as Brazil’s Mercado Bitcoin suspended deposits and withdrawals on Monday following a security incident, with researchers estimating that more than $46 million had left its wallets. Just days earlier, exchange Binance lost $6.3 billion in an Oct. 29 hack that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) attributed to North Korean hackers.

Klippsten estimated that quantum computers capable of threatening Bitcoin’s cryptography remain at least a decade away, potentially longer. He said the $BTC network could adopt quantum-resistant protections if the threat became credible, but argued that implementing them prematurely would introduce unnecessary complexity.

The Swan Bitcoin founder said cryptocurrency companies should not rely on hastily developed software to protect customer assets. “You need to actually know what the hell you’re doing from a security standpoint,” he said. Klippsten also said some cryptocurrency startups and investors have used concerns about quantum computing to attract funding, describing much of the discussion as fear, uncertainty and doubt (“FUD”) rather than an imminent security threat.