Adam Back slams Bitcoiner VC for ‘uninformed noise’ about quantum risk

Blockstream CEO Adam Back just threw shade at Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter for hyping quantum computing threats to Bitcoin. Back called it “uninformed noise” and accused Carter of trying to “move the market or something.” Ouch.

The drama started when Carter explained why Castle Island invested in Project Eleven, a startup building quantum-resistant crypto security. Back hit back on X, saying the Bitcoin community is already working on quantum defenses “quietly” — no need for the FUD.

Carter clapped back, saying many Bitcoin devs are in “total denial” about quantum risk. He first disclosed the investment back in October and claims he was “quantum pilled” by Project Eleven CEO Alex Pruden. “I put capital behind my convictions, always have,” he said.

Carter’s quantum anxiety checklist: governments are prepping for post-quantum, Bitcoin is a “bug bounty” for quantum supremacy, and funding for quantum firms is exploding.

Capriole Investments founder Charles Edwards dropped a bomb: quantum could threaten Bitcoin in 2–9 years unless the network upgrades to quantum-resistant crypto. That’s not “decades away” — it’s basically tomorrow in tech time.

But not everyone’s sweating. Kevin O’Leary told Cointelegraph Magazine that using quantum to crack Bitcoin would be a waste — better to focus on AI-driven medical research. Priorities, people.

Back himself says it’s good for Bitcoin to be “quantum ready,” but the tech is still “ridiculously early” with major R&D hurdles. So maybe chill?