AI coding contest cuts estimated quantum-safe bitcoin cost to $66 from $320
AI coding contest cuts estimated quantum-safe bitcoin cost to $66
StarkWare says a week of AI-assisted coding brought the estimated computing cost of preparing a quantum-resistant bitcoin transaction down to $66 from about $320. StarkWare is the company behind the research.
The $320 figure came from a transaction mined on Bitcoin in August. Preparing that transaction took roughly 3,100 hours of computing time across a fleet of about 100 graphics processors, chips used for heavy computing work. That amount covers the computing done before the transaction reached Bitcoin. It does not include the fee paid to put the transaction on the blockchain.
Key numbers from the research
- The earlier work used about 3,100 hours of computing time on about 100 graphics processors.
- A leading contest submission checks about 881 million possible solutions a second.
- The starting code checked roughly 146 million candidates a second on the same benchmark graphics processor.
- The new cost estimate is $66, down from about $320.
How the contest sped up the search
StarkWare opened the code to a competition. Participants, many of them using AI coding tools, tried to make the process that searches through possible solutions faster. The contest leaderboard shows the gap between the leading submission and the starting code.
What the method does about quantum risk
A powerful enough quantum computer could use a wallet's exposed public key, the part that is visible on the blockchain, to work out its private key, the secret that controls the coins, and steal them. StarkWare's method adds a form of protection based on hashes, which are expected to hold up against that kind of attack. The approach fits within Bitcoin's existing rules, so trying it did not need the network to approve an upgrade.
The research summary says the method requires sending transactions directly to miners, the computers that add transactions to the Bitcoin blockchain. It also says the method cannot protect coins whose public keys are already exposed.
What is still an estimate
The $66 figure remains an estimate taken from a test of the computation. The improved code has not been shown preparing another transaction that was mined on Bitcoin.
CoinDesk calculated that applying the speedups shown on the contest site to its listed $320 cost breakdown gives about $83. The site says later record-setting runs go beyond those measurements, but it does not show which results bring its transaction estimate to $66.
Why this matters
According to StarkWare, the method is an emergency option for moving eligible coins if the quantum threat arrives before Bitcoin adopts a broader fix. Using it widely would be expensive at $320 of computing per transaction, so a lower bill could make the option more practical.
Sources
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.
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