Vitalik Buterin backs crypto ‘bunker mode’ amid rapid AI math advances

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin endorsed a warning from researcher Justin Drake that rapid advances in AI-driven mathematics threaten the elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) that secures many crypto wallets, potentially before quantum computers do. Drake pointed to OpenAI’s recent flood of mathematical results and its use of thousands of autonomous agents to crack the Navier-Stokes problem quickly as evidence that AI is overturning long-held mathematical assumptions. He argued elliptic curves’ rich algebraic structure makes them particularly exposed, and Buterin warned that lattice-based, quantum-resistant schemes could also see their concrete security weakened, explaining why Ethereum has been moving toward “hash-only” designs.

Both called for a cautious, controlled migration of funds to fresh addresses whose public keys haven’t been revealed, with large and sophisticated holders moving first and users shifting any remaining funds after signing transactions. Buterin supported that precaution when straightforward but stressed migrations carry operational risks - he said botched moves have cost him more than hacks - and Drake urged gradual, carefully managed migrations to avoid harm. Other industry voices echoed the sober call, framing the near-term threat as breakthroughs in conventional mathematics that overturn cryptographic hardness assumptions rather than a purely quantum risk.