Muneeb Ali, co-founder of Stacks, outlined a four-year timeline for Bitcoin to address quantum computing risks. Speaking at Token2049 in Singapore on October 8, 2026, he proposed a two-year window for implementing quantum-resistant signatures, followed by two years for users to migrate assets to new, secure addresses.
This schedule aligns with NIST guidelines, which recommend phasing out the ECDSA signature scheme after 2030, with full retirement by 2035. Ali noted that adopting quantum-resistant signatures could reduce Bitcoin's base-layer transaction capacity to approximately 10% of current levels, forcing most activity to off-chain systems.
Stacks Labs is developing a post-quantum security layer as part of a two-year roadmap that also focuses on institutional privacy and capital markets. The company aims for a 100x increase in network capacity. Ali is scheduled to return as CEO of Stacks Labs on October 15, 2026.
In September 2026, Stacks introduced Genesis Bond, a self-custodial Bitcoin staking product. Additionally, the company deployed 500 BTC in its Bitcoin Bond 2 program, which involved locking 45 million STX tokens to support staking operations.
