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Quantum Computing and Bitcoin (Vitalik Buterin, November 2013)

Bitcoin Israel · 15.9K views · 2013-11-05 · 1:04:46

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Overview

A 2013 lecture in which Vitalik Buterin explains what quantum computers are and what they can and cannot do. He then discusses what they could mean for Bitcoin's cryptography.

On Hacker News

Mostly cited in critical or skeptical comments about Buterin, with a little admiration for the talk coming from a 19-year-old.

Discussed on HN; no positive recommendation is recorded in this export · HN mentions 2018–2022

Topics

Quantum computingCryptography
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bitcoinvitalik buterin

What people said

kevinak · 2022-12 · Criticism

I wonder if people around here know that Vitalik tried scamming people with a "quantum computer simulation mining" thing back in 2013? Amazing that more people aren't more vary of him. 1. [LINK] 2. [LINK] 3. YT video: [VIDEO]

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lottin · 2021-05 · Criticism

The element of controversy isn't whether efficient quantum simulation is possible, but the idea that by running such a simulation one would be able to break cryptography, as if they were using an actual quantum computer. This is a talk where he makes this claim [VIDEO] If this isn't crackpottery of the highest degree I don't what is.

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DalasNoin · 2018-04 · Reference

i'm honestly trying to verify this. i'm quiet skeptical about the character of some developers of bitcoin, i dont know about peter todd. bitcoinerrorlog is linking to this video of him talking about quantum computers as a proof. this is the closest i have come to hard evidence of this extreme claim. i have listened to the first half of the video, just him talking about quantum computers. Very impressive talk for a 19 year old. [VIDEO]

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Sources

Video by Bitcoin Israel, played through YouTube.

Data and selection notes

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HN Library: HackerTube export (2026-10-31) and open-index/hacker-news. Upstream summaries and classifications may contain AI errors.

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