Bitcoin proposal BIP-361 sparks community controversy by suggesting freezing quantum-vulnerable addresses

According to Cointelegraph, Cypherpunk Jameson Lopp and several other Bitcoin quantum-security experts have proposed Bitcoin Improvement Proposal BIP-361, recommending the freezing of quantum-vulnerable addresses—including the Satoshi Nakamoto reserve—to prevent future quantum computers from stealing approximately 1.7 million bitcoins. The proposal proceeds in three phases: first, prohibiting transfers to legacy addresses; second, invalidating legacy signatures and freezing unmigrated assets after five years; and third, enabling partial users to recover frozen funds via zero-knowledge proof mechanisms. The proposal aims to drive the entire network’s migration to quantum-resistant addresses, but has drawn opposition from some community members who argue it violates Bitcoin’s decentralization principles and carries authoritarian and confiscatory characteristics.