EU watchdogs warn quantum computers could pick crypto’s locks

European supervisory authorities have raised alarms about the potential of quantum computing to compromise the cryptographic safeguards that secure blockchain networks. Their messages underline that as quantum hardware improves, algorithms currently relied upon for digital signatures and key protection could become vulnerable to new types of computation. The warnings arrive amid preparatory work within major crypto communities. Bitcoin developers are reviewing a draft plan that outlines how the network could migrate away from current signature schemes if a viable quantum threat materializes. That plan aims to provide a roadmap for coordinating changes across software clients, wallets, and infrastructure to limit disruption. Meanwhile, Ethereum has set an explicit target year of 2029 for implementing quantum-resistant measures. That date signals the network's intent to plan and execute upgrades well ahead of any anticipated capability of quantum machines to break existing cryptography, recognizing the complexity and lead time needed for protocol-level changes and ecosystem-wide adoption. Regulators and developers alike are emphasizing proactive preparation. Their shared concern is that effective mitigation will require coordinated technical work, clear timelines, and broad participation from node operators, wallet providers, exchanges, and other ecosystem participants to transition cryptographic primitives before they are rendered insecure by advances in quantum computing.