StarkWare Delivers First Quantum-Safe Bitcoin Mainnet Transaction

Bitcoin traded at 78,714 dollars, up 1.4 percent, as the chart posted a calm stretch of green candles through the final weekend of August. The price action extended a measured run higher that has kept majors steady without sharp reversals.

StarkWare announced on August 26 that a quantum-safe Bitcoin transaction reached mainnet in block 964199. The move used a method developed by Avihu Levy, the firm’s general manager of applications, and was executed by engineer Tomer Giladi. The transaction spent a 10,000-satoshi output and paid a 5,179-satoshi fee.

Transaction Details

The approach combines hash-based locks with off-chain signature grinding under the name Quantum-Safe Bitcoin. It requires no change to Bitcoin consensus rules and operates as a nonstandard transaction submitted directly through MARA Slipstream. Bitcoin holders can move coins into storage that resists an adversary equipped with a working quantum computer, though the method leaves already-published public keys exposed.

Chief executive Eli Ben-Sasson described the effort as an after-hours passion project that demonstrates Bitcoin has no expiration date. He noted the team still favors a long-term soft fork while the current transaction offers immediate reassurance for holdings ahead of that step.

Market Context and Longevity

The modest gain in Bitcoin price fits a longer pattern of contained daily moves that has lasted through late summer. Volume stayed orderly and alts such as ETH at 2,466.39 dollars and SOL at 106.34 dollars posted similar single-digit percentage advances. This streak of steady candles reflects market participants focusing on incremental network improvements rather than sudden shifts.

Limits of the Approach

StarkWare stressed that the transaction does not render Bitcoin itself quantum-safe. Addresses with visible public keys remain outside its protection, and the off-chain computation carries costs of several hundred dollars. The method therefore serves as an interim safeguard for new spends while the network awaits a broader consensus update.

The development stands apart from separate post-quantum discussions around other chains and keeps attention on Bitcoin’s existing rule set. It shows how individual researchers can test protections today without requiring miner or node upgrades.

Outlook

Further work on signature grinding and hash-based designs may lower costs over time. For now the single mainnet confirmation provides a working example that holders can reference when evaluating quantum exposure on their own addresses. The price stability around 78,700 dollars suggests traders view the news as a technical milestone rather than an immediate catalyst for large moves.