<p>In principle the Mastercoin protocol should be exactly as safe as bitcoin (which it uses as a back end) against the powers of quantum computation.
However, there is one important difference.
bitcoin addresses that were used at least once are not safe against quantum computers (look for example in this <a href="http://bitcoinmagazine.com/6021/bitcoin-is-not-quantum-safe-and-how-we-can-fix/" rel="nofollow">article</a> by Vitalik Buterin).
Since all Mastercoins were created by sending bitcoins to the exodus address it follows that any original bitcoin/mastercoin address (by that I mean, the original address from which bitcoins were sent to the exodus address) is not quantum safe.</p>

<p>Should we worry about it? probably not. Quantum computer attacks against bitcoins are not expected in the near future and even if they were here tomorrow it is more likely that attackers use them against bitcoin directly. Hopefully by the time this issue becomes relevant we all have nice mastercoin clients we can use to easily transfer out funds to a never-used-before address which is quantum safe.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-26T11:43:55.890Z
2013-11-26T12:03:12.260Z
2013-11-26T12:03:12.260Z
Assaf Shomer
<p>Quantum is currently not mature as it requires helium to follow up so should be safe at this moment.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-26T16:05:51.520Z
wrong. Keeping a qubit in superposition at room temperature has already been achieved, the qubit survived for 30 minutes.
John Dvorak
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-26T16:22:58.307Z
http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/4923/20131115/quantum-bits-hold-data-39-minutes-smash-world-record.htm
John Dvorak
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-26T16:03:25.300Z
2013-11-26T16:03:25.300Z
kenneth
<p>Assuming quantum computers become mature enough to effectively crack elliptic curve cryptography of the type used by bitcoin, is Mastercoin secure?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-11-26T22:44:47.183Z
This is not a duplicate, see Assaf's own answer as to why this may be different than Bitcoin.
ripper234
<quantum-computing><omni>
Mastercoin vs Quantum Computers
Assaf Shomer
# Mastercoin vs Quantum Computers

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-11-26)

Assuming quantum computers become mature enough to effectively crack elliptic curve cryptography of the type used by bitcoin, is Mastercoin secure?

**Tags:** quantum-computing, omni

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This is not a duplicate, see username_0's own answer as to why this may be different than Bitcoin.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2013-11-26. Score: 1

In principle the Mastercoin protocol should be exactly as safe as bitcoin (which it uses as a back end) against the powers of quantum computation.
However, there is one important difference.
bitcoin addresses that were used at least once are not safe against quantum computers (look for example in this [article](http://bitcoinmagazine.com/6021/bitcoin-is-not-quantum-safe-and-how-we-can-fix/) by Vitalik Buterin).
Since all Mastercoins were created by sending bitcoins to the exodus address it follows that any original bitcoin/mastercoin address (by that I mean, the original address from which bitcoins were sent to the exodus address) is not quantum safe.

Should we worry about it? probably not. Quantum computer attacks against bitcoins are not expected in the near future and even if they were here tomorrow it is more likely that attackers use them against bitcoin directly. Hopefully by the time this issue becomes relevant we all have nice mastercoin clients we can use to easily transfer out funds to a never-used-before address which is quantum safe.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2013-11-26. Score: -3

Quantum is currently not mature as it requires helium to follow up so should be safe at this moment.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: wrong. Keeping a qubit in superposition at room temperature has already been achieved, the qubit survived for 30 minutes.  
> **username_3**: http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/4923/20131115/quantum-bits-hold-data-39-minutes-smash-world-record.htm  

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