Microsoft unveiled Majorana 2, a topological quantum chip, at its annual Build conference on June 2, 2026, claiming a 1,000-fold reliability improvement over its predecessor. The announcement sent Bitcoin down 4% on the day, as investors digested a fresh timeline for when quantum computing could break the cryptocurrency's encryption.
What Majorana 2 does
The chip sustains average qubit lifetimes of 20 seconds, with peak lifetimes approaching one minute. Microsoft credits its agentic AI platform, Microsoft Discovery, with speeding development by automating measurements, identifying materials, and surfacing manufacturing flaws. The company targets scalable quantum computing by 2029.
When Bitcoin's signatures become vulnerable
Forbes analysis published this week puts the realistic threat window for Bitcoin's ECDSA signatures from early to mid-2030s. 21Shares research narrows it further to 2029–2035, noting the ledger itself remains secure — only the signature schemes face risk. The timing isn't great: Bitcoin was already testing support between $63,000 and $65,000 before the news, with $70,000 as a key level. Resistance sits at $73,000–$75,000.
Bitcoin Hyper raises $32.7M
Separately, Bitcoin Hyper, a Bitcoin Layer 2 that integrates the Solana Virtual Machine, raised $32.7 million in a presale at $0.013681 per token. The project hasn't disclosed a mainnet date, but the raise suggests developer appetite for quantum-resistant scaling solutions is real.
Microsoft says it will release more technical details on Majorana 2 later this month. The cryptography debate inside Bitcoin development circles is expected to sharpen as the 2029 target approaches — and as competing L2s try to sell post-quantum readiness to holders.
