Bitcoin Faces Real Quantum Risk After 32,767-Key Hack

A researcher cracked a 32,767-search-space (15-bit) ECC private key using public quantum hardware on April 24, 2026, marking Bitcoin's largest demonstrated quantum attack yet and earning a 1 BTC bounty from Project Eleven—a 512-fold jump from the 6-bit break in September 2025. This exposes vulnerabilities for ~6.9 million BTC ($534.3bn) in wallets with visible public keys, accelerating developer fixes like BIP-360/361 and Ethereum's security team. Market sentiment sours with Polymarket at 100% odds for a $100M+ hack and bets pricing a BTC dip below $60,000 amid thin liquidity poised for sharp moves.