Bitcoin Core developer proposes "quantum landmine" solution: make quantum thieves lose their own BTC.

Bitcoin core developer Cory Fields proposed a "quantum landmines" scheme on the bitcoin-dev mailing list Wednesday to deter quantum attackers from stealing vulnerable BTC. Under the plan, an attacker stealing 1 BTC must post an additional 1 BTC from a quantum-safe wallet as collateral, with both amounts locked for a waiting period such as 30 days. Before an attack occurs, the original holder creates a quantum-safe "landmine" containing a hidden proof of ownership; if the thief later moves the vulnerable coins, both the stolen BTC and the collateral are locked, and the holder can reveal the proof within the waiting window to reclaim the BTC and seize the collateral as a penalty. The proposal matters because early bitcoin transactions, including coins tied to Satoshi Nakamoto, exposed public keys from the start and could be targeted once quantum computers are strong enough to derive private keys, while the industry remains divided over whether to freeze vulnerable coins—a move that would stop thieves but lock out holders who never upgraded their wallets. What to watch next is whether the landmine design gains traction among developers as an alternative to freezing, and whether thieves can tell which addresses are trapped before committing funds.