Subnet Session with Bob Wold from Quantum Compute: Subnet 48

About this episode

Bob Wold discusses the current state and future potential of quantum computing, including its implications for cryptography and the marketplace for quantum resources.

In this episode, Bob from Subnet 48 (quantum compute) gives a grounded overview of quantum computing: huge long-term promise (materials, batteries, drug simulation), but today’s machines are still “NISQ” (noisy, intermediate-scale, not error-corrected at useful scale). Subnet 48’s pitch is essentially “Airbnb for quantum computers”—miners run real quantum workloads, users submit quantum circuits, and the network executes them cheaper than traditional access. Bob shows OpenQuantum.com as the front-end marketplace, listing multiple hardware providers (IonQ, Rigetti, IQM, AQT) with current machines in the ~20–50 qubit range, and explains that most jobs on OpenQuantum are being executed via Subnet 48. The conversation then veers into the big scary question: quantum risk to crypto. Bob distinguishes SHA-256 (mining) from elliptic curve cryptography (ownership/signing) and argues the nearer-term threat isn’t quantum “mining Bitcoin faster,” but breaking signature security unless chains migrate to post-quantum schemes. He mentions industry roadmaps and research suggesting timelines could be tighter than people assume, and plugs Subnet 63 (Enigma)—a prize-driven subnet designed to…

People in this episode

Hosts: Mark Creaser, Siam Kidd

Guest: Bob Wold

Topics covered

• quantum computing
• cryptography
• NISQ machines
• quantum risk to crypto
• marketplace for quantum computers
• public breakthroughs in cryptography

Keywords

• quantum computing
• NISQ
• cryptography
• SHA-256
• elliptic curve
• quantum risk
• OpenQuantum
• Subnet 48
• quantum circuits

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Subnet 48, OpenQuantum.com, IonQ, Rigetti, IQM, AQT, Subnet 63, Enigma

Books & works: quantum computing, SHA-256, elliptic curve cryptography, Bitcoin

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