Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has suggested that in the future, lost bitcoins, including approximately 1 million BTC allegedly belonging to Satoshi Nakamoto, could be hacked and brought back into circulation.

He pointed out that advancements in quantum computing may eventually allow the breaking of old cryptographic keys. However, by that time, most Bitcoin holders with wallet access are expected to have already transferred their funds to “quantum-resistant” addresses, minimizing potential risks.

Previously, University of Calgary researcher Pierre-Luc Dallaire-Demers stated that quantum computing does not pose a threat to Bitcoin wallets within the next five years.

In October 2024, Chinese researchers claimed to have carried out the “world’s first successful attack” on a widely used encryption algorithm using a quantum computer. However, experts later emphasized that the current threat to cryptocurrencies is likely overstated.