BTQ has moved a long-running Bitcoin security debate from proposal to live infrastructure. The company’s Bitcoin Quantum testnet, first announced on January 12, 2026, now centers on an implementation of BIP 360, a draft Bitcoin Improvement Proposal designed to remove Taproot’s quantum-vulnerable key-path spend. For developers, miners, and Bitcoin researchers, the launch offers a public environment to test how post-quantum transaction design behaves before any mainnet-level consensus change is considered.
BTQ’s testnet was launched on January 12, 2026, according to the company’s announcement, with the stated goal of providing a permissionless network for experimenting with quantum-resistant Bitcoin transactions and mining. The core technical hook is BIP 360, listed as a draft standards-track consensus proposal created on December 18, 2024 and updated through February 10, 2026, when the proposal was renamed Pay-to-Merkle-Root, or P2MR. BTQ’s own testnet materials describe downloadable binaries and node participation for miners and users, showing the effort has moved beyond a white paper stage.
💡
BIP 360 removes Taproot’s key-path spend.
According to the official BIP 360 text updated in December 2025 and revised on February 10, 2026, P2MR is designed to preserve script-tree functionality while omitting the internal key structure that creates a long-exposure quantum risk in Pay-to-Taproot outputs.
January 2026 Launch Put a Draft BIP Into a Live Test Environment
BTQ’s announcement framed the January 12, 2026 launch as the debut of a “quantum-safe fork” of Bitcoin on testnet, timed to the 17th anniversary of Bitcoin’s genesis era. Independent coverage from The Quantum Insider, Crypto Briefing, and ForkLog all reported the same launch date and described the network as a public test environment for developers, miners, researchers, and users. That cross-source alignment matters because BTQ is not claiming a Bitcoin mainnet upgrade; it is presenting a separate test network that implements ideas still under discussion in the broader Bitcoin ecosystem.
Verified Event Snapshot
| Item | Verified detail | Source basis |
|---|---|---|
| Testnet launch date | January 12, 2026 | BTQ announcement and media coverage |
| BIP number | 360 | Official BIP text |
| BIP status | Draft | Official BIP text |
| Current BIP title | Pay-to-Merkle-Root (P2MR) | Official BIP text updated February 10, 2026 |
| Witness version | SegWit v2 | Official BIP specification |
Source: BTQ announcement, BIP 360 text, and related coverage | Accessed March 21, 2026
The proposal’s revision history shows how quickly the design has changed. The BIP page records a sequence of changes from late 2024 through early 2026, including a shift from earlier naming conventions such as P2QRH and P2TSH before settling on P2MR on February 10, 2026. It also notes a witness-version change to version 2 on July 20, 2025 and the removal of SQIsign on January 20, 2025 because of performance concerns. That history is important context: BTQ is implementing a moving target, not a finalized Bitcoin standard.
How Pay-to-Merkle-Root Changes Bitcoin’s Spend Design
BIP 360 proposes an output type that keeps Taproot-style script-tree functionality but removes the key-path spend entirely. In the official specification, a P2MR output commits to the Merkle root of a script tree rather than to an internal public key tweaked with that root. The stated purpose is to reduce exposure to “long-exposure” attacks from cryptographically relevant quantum computers, while preserving a path for future post-quantum signature support.
That is a technical but consequential distinction. Taproot, standardized through BIPs 340, 341, and 342, improves privacy and flexibility by allowing either a key-path spend or a script-path spend. BIP 360’s authors argue that the key-path option is the quantum-sensitive element because it depends on elliptic-curve assumptions that a sufficiently capable quantum computer could undermine. By removing that path, P2MR aims to keep script-based programmability while narrowing one attack surface.
BIP 360 Development Timeline
September 27, 2024: Initial draft proposal appears in the BIP 360 revision history.
December 18, 2024: BIP number 360 is assigned, according to the official specification.
July 20, 2025: Witness version changes from 3 to 2 in the proposal history.
February 10, 2026: Proposal is renamed from Pay-to-Tapscript-Hash to Pay-to-Merkle-Root.
January 12, 2026: BTQ announces Bitcoin Quantum testnet launch.
The BIP also specifies that P2MR uses SegWit version 2 and mainnet addresses beginning with bc1z if ever activated on Bitcoin. That detail places the proposal in direct conversation with Bitcoin’s address and script evolution, rather than as a separate cryptographic overlay. Still, the BIP remains draft status as of March 21, 2026, which means no consensus activation path has been approved for Bitcoin mainnet.
What BTQ’s Testnet Adds Beyond the Draft Proposal
BTQ’s contribution is not authorship of the BIP alone; it is the attempt to operationalize the concept in a running network. The Bitcoin Quantum testnet page says users can set up a “quantum-resistant Dilithium wallet,” connect to a pool, and run a node. BTQ’s development materials also describe phases that include end-to-end mining flow testing and Dilithium transaction-signing support in the wallet. Those references indicate the project is testing not only address formats but also wallet behavior, miner participation, and transaction relay in a post-quantum setting.
BIP 360 vs Taproot Design Difference
| Feature | Taproot (P2TR) | BIP 360 P2MR |
|---|---|---|
| Key-path spend | Present | Removed |
| Script tree | Present | Present |
| Internal key commitment | Yes | No |
| Quantum-resistance goal | Not designed for it | Designed to reduce long-exposure risk |
| Status | Active on Bitcoin | Draft proposal / testnet implementation |
Source: Official BIP 360 specification and Bitcoin design references in the BIP text | Accessed March 21, 2026
One third-party GitHub result indexed by search describes a library implementing cryptographic primitives “according to BIP-360,” while BTQ’s public materials point to release binaries for testnet software. Taken together, those sources suggest an emerging tooling layer around the proposal, though the public evidence remains thinner than for mature Bitcoin Improvement Proposals with broad wallet and node support. That distinction is central for readers: this is an experimental stack, not a network-wide migration.
Why the Quantum Threat Debate Is Moving Faster in 2026
The urgency around quantum resistance is no longer confined to academic discussion. Forbes reported on February 23, 2026 that BIP 360 marked the first time quantum resistance had entered Bitcoin’s formal technical roadmap in a concrete way, citing public discussion by Bitcoin developer Murch. BTQ’s own announcement, meanwhile, cited research from Delphi Digital estimating that about 6.65 million BTC face immediate quantum risk because their public keys are permanently exposed. That figure should be treated as attributed analysis rather than consensus fact, but it shows the scale of the concern driving these experiments.
ℹ️
The Bitcoin mainnet has not adopted BIP 360.
As of March 21, 2026, the official BIP page lists BIP 360 as “Draft,” and BTQ’s work is taking place on a separate testnet rather than on Bitcoin’s production chain.
There is also a competitive dimension. If post-quantum transaction formats can be tested in public before Bitcoin reaches consensus, companies building wallets, mining software, and script tooling may gain an early operational advantage. BTQ’s testnet therefore functions as both a research platform and a signaling event: it shows that the quantum-resistance conversation has shifted from abstract risk modeling to implementation trade-offs such as signature size, verification cost, address design, and miner compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly did BTQ launch?
BTQ launched the Bitcoin Quantum testnet, a public test network announced on January 12, 2026 for experimenting with quantum-resistant Bitcoin-style transactions, wallets, and mining. BTQ’s site lists node participation and downloadable testnet binaries, while media coverage describes it as a permissionless test environment.
Is BIP 360 active on Bitcoin mainnet?
No. As of March 21, 2026, the official BIP 360 page lists the proposal as “Draft.” The specification describes a possible soft-fork output type called Pay-to-Merkle-Root, but there is no approved Bitcoin mainnet activation. BTQ’s implementation is on its own testnet.
What problem is BIP 360 trying to solve?
BIP 360 aims to reduce Bitcoin’s exposure to quantum attacks by removing Taproot’s key-path spend and committing only to the script-tree Merkle root. The authors say this preserves most Taproot-style functionality while reducing long-exposure risk tied to elliptic-curve public-key assumptions.
Why is the proposal called P2MR?
The official revision history shows the proposal was renamed to Pay-to-Merkle-Root on February 10, 2026. Earlier versions used names including P2QRH and P2TSH. The current title reflects the design choice to commit directly to the Merkle root of the script tree.
Does BTQ’s testnet use post-quantum signatures?
BTQ’s public materials say the testnet supports a “quantum-resistant Dilithium wallet,” and its development roadmap references Dilithium transaction-signing functionality. That indicates post-quantum signature testing is part of the stack, though the exact production readiness of each component should be verified from BTQ release documentation.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Information may have changed since publication. Always verify information independently and consult qualified professionals for specific advice.
