Stacks Founder: Quantum Fears Are Limiting Bitcoin’s Institutional Growth

Muneeb Ali, co-founder of the Stacks Bitcoin layer-2 network, said quantum-computing concerns are already limiting Bitcoin’s growth by making risk-averse institutional investors reluctant to make large allocations. Speaking on Cointelegraph’s Chain Reaction podcast, Ali argued that Bitcoin needs a credible roadmap for quantum-resistant security upgrades to restore confidence among major investors.

Ali warned that Bitcoin could enter a riskier period if developers fail to make meaningful progress by 2028. He pointed to 2030 as a potential target for transitioning to quantum-resistant security, citing guidance from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, but noted that advances in artificial intelligence could accelerate the deadline to 2029. Upgrades could also take years to implement, followed by additional time for users to migrate their holdings to new addresses.

The Stacks founder acknowledged that some Bitcoin supporters consider the quantum threat distant or exaggerated. He said the disagreement over urgency is itself undermining confidence when no concrete migration plan exists. Ali also believes a sufficiently powerful quantum computer would be more likely to emerge from a major research laboratory such as Google or Microsoft than from an unknown attacker, since established companies would face significant legal consequences for using it to steal digital assets.

Stacks uses Bitcoin as its underlying settlement layer while enabling smart contracts and decentralized applications. Ali’s warning extends beyond his own project: if Bitcoin’s security is compromised, he said, the broader cryptocurrency industry could suffer downstream. For institutional adoption to continue, he argued, developers must provide clear technical milestones and a realistic timetable for quantum-resistant upgrades.