Getting Started with QSBitcoin

What is QSBitcoin?

QSBitcoin is a quantum-safe implementation of Bitcoin Core v28.0 that adds NIST-standardized post-quantum signatures while maintaining full compatibility with the Bitcoin network. It's designed to protect your assets against future quantum computer attacks.

Key Features:

• Two quantum signature algorithms: ML-DSA-65 and SLH-DSA-192f
• Unified opcodes for all quantum signatures
• Soft fork implementation - fully backward compatible
• Active on testnet and regtest networks
• Actively developed with comprehensive test coverage

Learn more about technical implementation and quantum safety features.

Step 1: Install QSBitcoin Core

Download and compile QSBitcoin Core from the official repository:

git clone https://github.com/qsbitcoin/qsbitcoin.git
cd qsbitcoin
cmake -B build
cmake --build build -j$(nproc)

Or download pre-built binaries from the releases page.

System Requirements:

• Linux, macOS, or Windows
• 4GB RAM minimum
• 25GB disk space for blockchain data
• liboqs v0.12.0+ (included in build)

Step 2: Create a Quantum-Safe Address

Once QSBitcoin Core is running, create a quantum-safe address using the RPC interface:

Using bitcoin-cli:

# Create ML-DSA address (recommended for most users)
bitcoin-cli getnewaddress "" "bech32" "ml-dsa"

# Create SLH-DSA address (for high-value cold storage)
bitcoin-cli getnewaddress "" "bech32" "slh-dsa"

Using RPC directly:

curl -X POST http://localhost:8332/ \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method": "getnewaddress", "params": ["", "bech32", "ml-dsa"]}'

The generated address looks like a standard Bitcoin bech32 address (bc1q...) but uses quantum-safe signatures internally.

Step 3: Send and Receive Transactions

Receiving:

Share your quantum-safe address with others. They can send to it using any Bitcoin wallet - the address format is standard.

Sending:

# Send from a quantum address
bitcoin-cli sendtoaddress "recipient_address" 0.001

# Create a raw transaction with quantum signatures
bitcoin-cli createrawtransaction '[{"txid":"...","vout":0}]' '{"address":0.001}'
bitcoin-cli signrawtransactionwithwallet "raw_tx_hex"
bitcoin-cli sendrawtransaction "signed_tx_hex"

Fee Considerations:

• ML-DSA transactions: ~3.3KB signatures (vs ECDSA ~71 bytes)
• SLH-DSA transactions: ~35KB signatures
• Fees are based purely on transaction size - larger signatures mean higher fees
• Use estimatesmartfee for fee estimates

Step 4: Advanced Usage

Check Quantum Wallet Info:

bitcoin-cli getquantuminfo

Sign Messages with Quantum Keys:

bitcoin-cli signmessage "quantum_address" "Hello, quantum world!"

Verify Quantum Addresses:

bitcoin-cli validateaddress "bc1q..."

For more technical details, see the Developer Documentation.

Join the Community

QSBitcoin is open source and welcomes contributions:

• GitHub: github.com/qsbitcoin/qsbitcoin
• Development: See how to contribute
• Testing: Help test on regtest and testnet networks
• Documentation: Improve guides and technical docs