What Bitcoin Quantum does

Bitcoin Quantum (BTQ) is a post-quantum proof-of-work cryptocurrency project developed by BTQ Technologies. It is implemented as a fork of Bitcoin Core that replaces ECDSA signatures with NIST-standardized CRYSTALS-Dilithium (ML-DSA, FIPS 204), a lattice-based signature scheme resistant to Shor's algorithm. The protocol preserves Bitcoin's core economic properties — 21 million supply cap, halving every 2,100,000 blocks, SHA-256 proof-of-work, UTXO model, and peer-to-peer architecture — while adapting operational parameters (1-minute block times, 8 MB blocks, 16x witness scale factor, BIP-360 Pay-to-Merkle-Root) to accommodate the substantially larger post-quantum signatures and public keys.

The product surface centers on BTQ Core (the reference daemon and CLI), a wallet supporting both ECDSA and Dilithium key types, a public block explorer, a SHA-256 mining pool, and a documentation portal. Notable technical components include a custom OP_CHECKSIGDILITHIUM opcode, automatic signature-type detection for backward compatibility, cryptographic agility to adopt future NIST PQC standards, and native dilithium-bech32 address formats. The MIT-licensed codebase is hosted at github.com/btq-ag/btq-core; the public testnet launched on February 23, 2026 and is producing blocks with visible mining activity.

The project follows a community-led, open-source go-to-market model targeting four segments: quantum-concerned cryptocurrency holders, SHA-256 miners (who can use existing ASIC hardware), blockchain developers building wallets and integrations, and exchanges/custodians preparing institutional infrastructure. Revenue mechanics mirror Bitcoin's — miners earn a 5 BTQ block subsidy (1/10th of Bitcoin's initial reward, reflecting 10x faster blocks) plus transaction fees — but no mainnet revenue exists yet. Distribution is entirely self-serve via GitHub binaries and a public mining pool; no enterprise sales motion is operational. The BTQ Foundation, established in October 2025, coordinates industry-wide post-quantum migration efforts, and mainnet launch is targeted for Q2 2026 following Q1 2026 enterprise pilots.

Name

Bitcoin Quantum

Legal name

Bitcoin Quantum

Website

https://www.bitcoinquantum.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bitcoin Quantum is an MIT-licensed, Bitcoin Core fork that replaces ECDSA signatures with NIST-standardized CRYSTALS-Dilithium (ML-DSA, FIPS 204) post-quantum cryptography. It targets crypto holders, SHA-256 miners, and developers, and is currently in testnet with mainnet planned for Q2 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cryptocurrency

akta.pro primary industry

Quantum-Safe Identity, Authentication & Digital Signatures (HDAGAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quantum Cryptography & Post-Quantum/Quantum-Safe Security Research (HDAGAMAI), Layer-1 (L1) Network Validators & Node Operators (FSADAKAA)

Keywords

• Post-quantum cryptography
• Proof-of-work blockchain
• Quantum-resistant cryptocurrency
• Lattice-based signatures
• Decentralized digital currency

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Block Subsidy: Each new block creates 5 BTQ as reward for miners. This is 1/10th of Bitcoin's initial 50 BTC reward, compensating for 10x more blocks at 1-minute intervals. Halves every 2,100,000 blocks (~4 years), maintaining identical emission curve to Bitcoin with 21 million total supply cap.
2. Transaction Fees: Miners earn transaction fees based on weight-based pricing. Dilithium transactions are larger but benefit from 16x witness discount. Fee market provides ongoing miner revenue as block subsidy decreases through halvings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bitcoin Quantum is an open-source, quantum-resistant proof-of-work blockchain forked from Bitcoin Core. It replaces ECDSA signatures with NIST-standardized CRYSTALS-Dilithium (ML-DSA, FIPS 204) post-quantum cryptography while preserving Bitcoin's 21 million supply cap, SHA-256 mining, and UTXO model. The project delivers a complete protocol stack including node software (BTQ Core), wallets, a block explorer, and a mining pool.

Product overview

Bitcoin Quantum is a quantum-resistant blockchain protocol and cryptocurrency that replaces Bitcoin's vulnerable ECDSA signatures with NIST-standardized Dilithium (ML-DSA) cryptography. The product ecosystem centers on BTQ Core (the protocol software forked from Bitcoin Core), the BTQ Core Wallet (for Dilithium key management and quantum-safe transactions), and BTQ Explorer (for blockchain navigation). Supporting infrastructure includes the BTQ Mining Pool for SHA-256 mining with post-quantum transaction security, all built on the quantum-resistant BTQ cryptocurrency with its 21-million supply cap, 1-minute blocks, and 8MB block size.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bitcoin Quantum (BTQ) A quantum-resistant proof-of-work cryptocurrency that replaces ECDSA signatures with NIST-standardized Dilithium (ML-DSA) cryptography. Same 21-million supply cap, SHA-256 mining, and UTXO model as Bitcoin, but with 1-minute blocks and 8MB block size to accommodate larger post-quantum signatures. Targeted at cryptocurrency holders seeking quantum-safe digital assets.
• BTQ Core The reference implementation of the Bitcoin Quantum protocol - a fork of Bitcoin Core with quantum-resistant Dilithium signatures. Includes the btqd daemon and btq-cli for running nodes, wallets, and blockchain operations across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• BTQ Core Wallet Wallet functionality within BTQ Core supporting both ECDSA and Dilithium key management. Generates Dilithium addresses (qbtc1q..., dbtc1q...), signs transactions with ML-DSA, and supports wallet encryption with AES-256-CBC.
• BTQ Explorer Blockchain explorer for viewing blocks, transactions, mempool, rich list, mining statistics, network status, and API documentation for the Bitcoin Quantum network.
• BTQ Mining Pool Quantum-resistant mining pool for the Bitcoin Quantum testnet. Allows miners to mine BTQ with Dilithium-secured transactions using SHA-256 proof-of-work via stratum endpoint at pool.bitcoinquantum.com:3333.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~24 transactions per second throughput vs Bitcoin's ~6.7 tx/sec
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BTQ FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025BTQ Foundation established by BTQ Technologies to coordinate industry-wide quantum defense efforts across the cryptocurrency ecosystem. The foundation aims to unify stakeholders in addressing the quantum computing threat to blockchain cryptography and facilitate migration to post-quantum standards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Quantum Resistant Ledger: QRL is the longest-running quantum-resistant blockchain, using XMSS hash-based signatures. It is the most directly comparable project to Bitcoin Quantum in terms of both mission (quantum-resistant cryptocurrency) and architecture (UTXO-style chain with PQC signatures).
• IOTA: IOTA is a distributed ledger that has implemented Winternitz one-time signatures for quantum resistance. It competes in the same quantum-resistant cryptocurrency category as BTQ, though using a DAG-based Tangle rather than a Bitcoin-style blockchain.
• Mochimo: Mochimo is a quantum-resistant cryptocurrency using WOTS+ (Winternitz one-time signatures) on a blockchain similar in structure to Bitcoin. It is a direct functional peer to BTQ as an alternative post-quantum store of value.

Broad incumbents

• Ethereum: Ethereum is the largest smart-contract platform actively researching and roadmapping post-quantum signature migration (via account abstraction and EIP proposals). It represents the most consequential incumbent that could eliminate the need for BTQ if it successfully upgrades.
• Bitcoin: Bitcoin is the parent chain Bitcoin Quantum forks from and the primary incumbent in the 'store of value' cryptocurrency category. BTQ's entire value proposition depends on Bitcoin's inability or unwillingness to adopt post-quantum cryptography, making Bitcoin both the inspiration and the primary competitive threat.
• Solana: Solana is a high-throughput Layer-1 blockchain actively researching post-quantum signature integration (including winternitz-style schemes). It competes for throughput-oriented use cases where BTQ's ~24 tx/sec positioning also plays.

Emerging players

• Cardano: Cardano (via IOG research) has published research on integrating FALCON and other post-quantum signature schemes into its extended UTXO model. It is an emerging competitor pursuing the same UTXO-plus-PQC architectural space as BTQ.
• Chia Network: Chia is an alternative proof-of-work blockchain (using space and time proofs rather than SHA-256) that competes for the same environmentally-conscious, store-of-value crypto positioning as BTQ. It is an emerging peer in the 'next-generation PoW' category.
• Algorand: Algorand has researched and prototyped FALCON post-quantum signature integration for its Layer-1 chain. It is an emerging peer pursuing stateful post-quantum signature migration on a UTXO-style architecture.

Others

• PQShield: PQShield is a post-quantum cryptography company providing PQC software and hardware IP. While not a competing cryptocurrency, it represents the broader PQC ecosystem in which BTQ operates and could be a partner or acquirer of PQC-related IP relevant to BTQ's roadmap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/btc_quantum
• GitHubgithub.com/btq-ag/btq-core

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bitcoin Quantum