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Preprint . 2026
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Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
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Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
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ZENODO
Preprint . 2026
License: CC BY
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On Whether Post-Quantum Digital Signature Upgrades Alone Can Support a Coherent Bitcoin Migration Under Nakamoto Consensus

Authors: Strike, Michael;

On Whether Post-Quantum Digital Signature Upgrades Alone Can Support a Coherent Bitcoin Migration Under Nakamoto Consensus

Abstract

This paper examines whether the availability of post-quantum digital signature algorithms alone is sufficient to support a coherent migration of Bitcoin under its existing protocol semantics. Rather than evaluating cryptographic constructions or governance mechanisms, the analysis focuses on structural constraints arising from Bitcoin’s definitions of ownership, validity, and consensus as originally specified by Nakamoto. By holding core assumptions fixed, including signature-defined ownership, immutable ledger history, and independent node validation, the paper characterizes a protocol-semantic constraint showing that certain migration objectives cannot be simultaneously satisfied without modifying underlying consensus semantics. The analysis is non-temporal, does not assume the existence of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer, and does not propose migration mechanisms or policy prescriptions.

Keywords

Protocol semantics, Consensus protocols, Post-quantum cryptography, Digital signatures, Nakamoto consensus, Blockchain security, Bitcoin

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green