Blockstream CEO Adam Back publicly reprimanded Nick Carter, a partner at Castle Island Ventures, after Carter explained why he supports Project Eleven, a startup that claims to protect Bitcoin and other crypto assets from the risks of quantum computing.
Mr. Buck told Mr. Carter on X that his post created “ignorant noise” and “doesn't serve any purpose.” The transaction highlighted further rifts in the Bitcoin community over how loudly to warn about future threats.
Buck calls for public warning
According to Buck, Bitcoin developers are not ignoring quantum risks. Work is being done quietly. He argued that the technology was still “ridiculously early” and predicted there would be no real threat for decades.
Based on the report, Bach welcomed the idea of ”quantum readiness” but called for calm in a public message, saying loud alarms could cause chaos rather than helpful action.
Bitcoiners and developers are not denying defensive research and development in preparation for future quantum computers. But while you're making noise and trying to move the market or something, they're just sitting there doing research. you won't help…
— Adam Back (@adam3us) December 19, 2025
Carter claimed he was given a “quantum drug” after speaking with Project Eleven CEO Alex Pruden, and countered that he invested because he was deeply concerned.
Carter also pointed to an Oct. 20 post on Substack in which he disclosed his financial stake and accused some developers of “total denial.”
He warned that governments are planning for a post-quantum era, and said that unless the encryption changes, Bitcoin itself becomes an attractive “bug bounty.”
Because if I didn't think quantum was a risk, I wouldn't have invested.
— Nick Carter (@nic_carter) December 19, 2025
Expert opinions differ on timing.
Charles Edwards, founder of Capriol Investments, told his followers that quantum threats could emerge within two to nine years at the earliest unless networks move to quantum-resistant cryptography.
According to an official statement from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, predictive models suggest that there is a roughly 20% chance that a machine capable of breaking current public-key cryptography will be available by 2030, with a median prediction closer to 2040.
Vitalik said such a machine does not currently exist, but urged early preparations, as global system migration will take years.
According to Metaculus, the median date for quantum computers to break modern cryptography is 2040: https://t.co/Li8ni8A9Ox
There is a 20% chance that this will happen by the end of 2030.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) August 27, 2025
Other voices were less alarmed. Billionaire investor Kevin O'Leary said he doubted whether destroying Bitcoin with quantum computing was the best use of the technology, arguing it would bring more value to areas such as medical research.
Comments like this illustrate how views differ not only on timing but also on the practical incentives behind quantum attacks.
Research, migration and market signals
Technology experts point to the obvious fact that there is currently no quantum computer capable of cracking Bitcoin's code.
Despite this fact, investors have not stopped betting on startups that claim to develop protection tools.
The Castle Island investment, which recently resurfaced on social media, has sparked a new debate about whether transparency and public warnings help or harm the ecosystem.
Featured images are from Quartz, charts are from TradingView
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