A recently published magazine article by BTQ researchers, a startup that works to build blockchain technology that can resist quantum computers attacks, has proposed an alternative to the work test algorithm (POW) that involves quantum technology.
The work test is a blockchain consensus mechanism that ensures the Bitcoin network. Participants are going through large amounts of mathematical problems to validate transactions. Some have criticized the process as too intensive in energy, while others have argued otherwise.
Quantum computing implies moving away from a process that depends on the binary code, and zeros, which open and close the transistors doors. Quantum bits (QBITS) exist in multiple states simultaneously, widely increasing the computational power to the point where modern encryption built by classic computers, which depend on transistors and binary code, is threatened.
In their article, BTQ researchers propose a quantum alternative called sampling of coarse grain bosons (CGBS). This method uses light particles (bosons) to generate unique patterns, samples, which reflect the current state of the block chain instead of the hash -based mathematical puzzle.
The random sampling of these patterns would create encryption, in the same way that random numbers form the backbone of encryption made by classic computers.
Bosons sampling was initially created to demonstrate something called quantum supremacy, a test that determines when a mathematical equation is too complex for a classic computer.
These samples are grouped into categories, called containers, which facilitates the validation of the results and confirms the work of the miner.
This approach replaces the traditional Pow cryptographic puzzle with quantum sampling tasks, significantly reducing energy consumption while guaranteeing that the network remains safe and decentralized.
While BTQ’s proposal is theoretically interesting, achieving it would require a hard fork of the bitcoins network with miners and nodes that replace their existing hardware based on ASIC (computers made only for the Pow consensus mechanism) with quantum list infrastructure.
This would certainly be a Herculean effort and could result in a bifurcation as you can see with the wars of size block of past years.
Read more: The blocksize wars revision: how Bitcoin’s civil war still resonates today
