Bitcoin’s quantum-safe protection gets 82% cheaper as researchers race to secure 6 million exposed BTC

Researchers say a proposed quantum-resistant protection for Bitcoin has become 82% cheaper, sharpening efforts to address roughly 6 million BTC in addresses whose public keys may be exposed to future quantum attacks. Separately, Aptos has made encrypted mempool functionality optional on mainnet, a distinct network development rather than a Bitcoin security measure. The key Bitcoin implication is that post-quantum migration may be more practical, but protecting exposed coins still requires protocol changes and broad adoption.