Ethereum Researcher Warns AI Could Break Bitcoin's ECDSA in Months
Justin Drake urged large crypto holders to move funds to addresses that have never signed a transaction, citing AI-driven mathematical risks.
Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake warned the blockchain industry on Wednesday to prepare for a possible AI-driven break of the ECDSA signature scheme used by Bitcoin. According to Gizmodo, Drake said it is reasonable to brace for ECDSA breaking before quantum computers can do so, possibly in months rather than years.
Drake called for a controlled mass migration of assets to fresh addresses in what he termed "bunker mode." He urged large crypto holders such as Binance, Robinhood, Tether and Coinbase to move funds to addresses that have never signed a transaction.
Not everyone agreed. Rob Hamilton, CEO of AnchorWatch, replied that Drake's warning was a hypothetical and lacked evidence of actual mathematical degradation. Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, dismissed Drake's post with the phrase "fud-burger."
The warning came after OpenAI published a GitHub release of mathematical results from an internal model on Tuesday, which formed the backdrop for Drake's post.
Earlier context
In January 2026, Drake announced that the Ethereum Foundation had formed a Post-Quantum team led by Thomas Coratger. In 2019, Adam Back used the term "bunker mode" when discussing potential issues related to Bitcoin's long-term security budget.
Quick answers
What did Justin Drake warn about?
Drake warned that AI-driven mathematical breakthroughs could break the ECDSA signature scheme used by Bitcoin, possibly in months rather than years.
What is 'bunker mode'?
Drake used the term to describe a controlled mass migration of crypto assets to fresh addresses that have never signed a transaction.
How did others in the industry respond?
Rob Hamilton of AnchorWatch said the warning was hypothetical and lacked evidence of mathematical degradation, while Adam Back of Blockstream dismissed it as 'fud-burger.'